With a great deal of flourish and humour, Truss explains punctuation, its usages, abuses and deviations. Historically, it really is quite fascinating, and I can only commiserate with the abuses she reports (English is my second language and even I am often appalled by what I have to read). I could, however, have done without the mental abuse: not everyone who makes a mistake is stupid and ignorant as she would have us believe - frankly, I found it out of place and would have enjoyed the book rather more if it hadn't been a constant thread. An otherwise useful tool, which I am sure to use in my editing practice (the rules also apply remarkably well to French!). ( )

A disappointment. ( )

Reminder that grammar and punctuation are important.

As time has passed, the novelty of a punctuation bestseller has faded. That doesn't change the fact that this is an adorable little book. It makes me a little sad when I work at a library and we get signs that have apostrophe errors. The world would be better if more people would just read this book! ( )

What a charming little book! With genuine affection for the subject matter and a large helping of wit, Truss methodically runs down the rules for apostrophes, periods, commas, exclamation points, question marks, dashes, quotation marks, hyphens, and brackets. If the very word "punctuation" causes you to yawn despairingly, this book is probably not for you. However, if you have even a passing interest in communicating more effectively, I heartily recommend picking up a copy. Contrary to popular belief, the purpose of punctuation is not to drive you bats, but to clarify the written word. It's quite useful, really, as is demonstrated so well in this book. I learned a lot without ever feeling lectured to, and even laughed quite a bit. ( )

Who knew grammar could be so much fun?! ( )

How can a person dislike a book like this? I managed it. ( )

Great book; good ideas to share about writing ( )

Now I know that my insistence on adding a comma before the 'and' at the end of a series is a preference for the 'Oxford comma.' This information intimidates most of the people who want to delete my final comma into backing off. (The people who edit my punctuation don't read much and are also easily intimidated.) ( )

Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss (2003)

A bestseller on punctuation. Who would have thought? I am one of those people who loves to find spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes so this was right up my alley. Truss explains rules clearly and gives great examples. She is British but explains the differences of some of the American rules of punctuation. She also addresses the way that English rules change with time like not using periods after abbreviations which is occurring more and more. The problem is when punctuation is misused and meaning is unclear.
The book is very readable and funny. I plan on using some of the examples with my high school students. ( )

Writers BewareTruss has too rigid a view of punctuation. Punctuation usages are growing and changing as is vocabulary and word forms and usages. For a more up-to-date view, read [b:The Fight for English|49436|Three Cups of Tea One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time|Greg Mortenson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170358990s/49436.jpg|251800] by David Crystal.Truss will hobble modern writers, especially those working in new fictional forms. ( )

Very funny in parts but enjoyable fluff overall. Admittedly, I feel better now that Ms (or is it Ms.) Truss has confirmed my mostly proper punctuation! Sticklers unite! (I was amazed at how many books on punctuation there are; see the bibliography.) ( )

I'm a little nervous even posting this review on a book about punctuation. What if I use a comma wrong? Or misuse my dashes? I sure don't want to let the author down. But, I will try my best and just know, I'm weak at punctuation and I need help. That's why I picked up this book.

Who knew punctuation could be such fun? Lynne Truss gives us a great resource to turn too when we aren't quite sure how to use all the little scritches and scratches that bring a piece of writing its real meaning almost more so than the words. From commas to brackets to dashes and everything in between, she gives a quick overview of the history of each punctuation mark (although, nothing in today's computer writing age is set in stone) and guides us to the best usage. Many of the old ways are falling by the wayside--which depending on the mark and circumstance --can be a good or bad thing. Rules are changing and even among the best writers in the world, arguments spring up over the simplest punctuation. We learn that punctuation differs from one country to another; and, here in the United States, different publications have their own style books of what they prefer. I am but a lowly student. This book will be close by as I try to be a better communicator.

I recommend this book to everyone who writes. Punctuation is turning into a lost art. Let's bring it back in style. ( )

Pull out your correction fluid and editing pens; bring back your grade school grammar memories; open up this book for a hilarious look at the wonderful world of punctuation! (Are those semicolons being used correctly? You'll know for sure once you've read Eats, Shoots & Leaves.)

Lynne Truss admits to living a hard life as a stickler for proper punctuation. She insists that apostrophes and commas need not suffer the endless misuse that merchants develop with signs advertising the sale of "potato's", "apple,s", and "CD's, DVD's, and Book's". If your inner stickler cringes at those examples, Truss assures you are not alone. Taking its title (and never it's title) from the popular "panda joke", Eats, Shoots & Leaves is a chapter-by-chapter look at commonly used and misused punctuation marks.

From the confusing comma to the abused apostrophe, rules are interspersed with hilarious anecdotes and examples, adding a delightful flare of humor to a subject few have studied since grade school. Part reference book and part satire, Truss will have every reader putting new thought into writing and the fabulous world of language that surrounds us every day. ( )

witty, amusing, quick read.

Lynn Truss is a woman of wit and sophistication, but unfortunately, as is common to the aesthete, elite, and oligarch, is sometimes hoist by her own petard.

Her explanation of the use of parts of speech was easy to understand, and ran the gamut from basic idea to more complex debates; and to her credit, Mme. Truss tended to stay out of the more heated ones. She also keeps the reader pleasantly amused with both the character of her writing and the literary bent of her many examples.

However, her analysis of the changes in language after the oft-bespoke Internet Revolution was somewhat simplistic. I understand that this is not entirely her area of expertise, and as the a member of the last generation to witness an age without the internet or personal computer, I am sympathetic. However, I still cannot forgive her for failing to come to the insight that this is a fundamental change to the medium as a whole. The future of publishing lies on the internet, along with the rest of our knowledge.

I do not begrudge her the nostalgia and love of books that she has, and with Sony's new paper displays, I would doubt that something like the book will not continue to be available. However, her crude abuse of the interrobang, that young but upright princeling of punctuation, cannot be forgiven. ( )

If you love commas and semicolons, and especially if you carry a Sharpie in your bag to correct grocer's signs, you need this book. ( )

This is a wonderful polemic against poor punctuation, spelling and grammar by British journalist Lynne Truss. Lynne takes aim, and doesn't hold back, on her assault on the falling standards of English in the modern world. Her focus is, of course, the UK and British media and society, but we can all learn from this lovely title.

If, like me, you are a lover of good spelling, grammar and punctuation you will love this book. Do you know where and when a comma should be used in lists? Are you familiar with the "Oxford comma?" What about the correct use of the semicolon? Do apostrophes and quotation marks leave you flummoxed?

The title is an amusing example of how incorrect punctuation can change the meaning of an entire sentence. I'll leave you to enjoy figuring it out.

A fun, educational and interesting read. Highly recommended! ( )

Not to be read in one hit. Shows how a misplaced comma can dramatically alter the meaning of a sentence, amongst other things, including the correct usage of apostrophes. Sticklers unite! ( )

A fabulously witty book that still manages to be educational. "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" is a must-read for those whose school days are a dim memory. Do ellipses leave you puzzled? How about dashes and brackets? If so, have no fear. Lynne Truss will set your punctuation quandaries straight with punctilious humor.

Those of who are 'sticklers' can hold our heads high; we now have a champion who's not afraid to crack the whip on errant apostrophes and misplaced commas. Ms. Truss' descriptive prose and laugh (or groan) out loud examples make this a laudable contender for "least boring book on punctuation" ever published.

If you fume when you come across blatant errors in the books you read; if you've ever deleted an email because the sender didn't know the difference between they're/there/their; if you've actually offered to correct a restaurant's menu (is that just me?) - then you shouldn't miss adding this book to your library - or maybe leaving it casually on your desk for your illiterate boss to see? ( )

A panda walks into a cafe. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and fires two shots in the air.

"Why?" asks the confused waiter, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder.
"I'm a panda," he says at the door. "Look it up."

The waiter turns to the relevant entry and, sure enough, finds an explanation:
"Panda. large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves."

So, punctuation really does matter, even if it is only occasionally a matter of life and death.

*Hahahaha!*

Way funny! Go out, run, buy L. Truss' book "Eats, Shoots & Leaves"

Totally loving it; it's for the O.C. in all of us (my friends anyways).

Book Details:

Title Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
Author Lynne Truss
Reviewed By Purplycookie ( )

Eats, Shoots & Leaves was hilarious. Portions of it were repetitive, but, if you've ever looked at a sign like "Shcool" or "Buckle Up/The Life You Save Could be Your Own Self" and thought "What the #*(RY@#*($?," then this is for you. ( )

This is a history and a defense of punctuation. She worries that we no longer even type but just send (internet). "...it is a matter for despair to see punctuation chucked out as worthless by people who don't know the difference between who's and whose, and whose bloody automatic grammar checker can't tell the difference either." ( )

An amusing, intelligent, and vastly entertaining romp through the world of punctuation; as much fun as going to the movies. ( )