The Elements of Style: The Original Edition
by William Strunk
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Reference. Nonfiction. HTML:The original edition of the most trusted writer's guide to American English, this is the book that generations of writers have relied upon for timeless advice on grammar, diction, syntax, sentence construction, and other writing essentials. In brief and concise terms, author William Strunk, Jr., identifies the principal requirements of proper American English style and concentrates on the most often violated rules of composition.Originally published in 1918, this show more authoritative and engagingly written manual retains its immediacy and relevance. Strunk begins with the basic rules of usage, offering accessible explanations of correct punctuation and grammar. His advice on the principles of composition cites concrete examples of how to maintain clarity by eliminating redundancy and unnecessary embellishment. In addition, Strunk provides valuable pointers on avoiding common errors in the usage of words and expressions, and in spelling. The greatest book of its kind, this volume is a must for any student or writer. show less
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This is a beautiful volume of a culturally important book, but any discussion of The Elements of Styles must come with this caveat-- it is only a style guide. I repeat, it is only a style guide. Some parts are helpful, but some of the advice in fact is contrary to clarity or actual observed usage of the English language, too. Use with prudence, as is always recommended for any style guide.
Anyone that regularly writes should keep this book nearby as a handy reference volume on word usage and composition style.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing,
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20 Works 26,215 Members
William Strunk Jr. was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 1, 1869. He received a bachelor's degree at the University of Cincinnati in 1890 and Ph.D. at Cornell University in 1896. He taught English at Cornell University for forty-six years. He wrote two books: The Elements of Style, which was later published under the title The Elements and Practice show more of Composition, and English Metres. He was also an editor and edited important works by such authors as William Shakespeare, John Dryden, and James Fenimore Cooper. He served as a literary consultant to the 1936 MGM film version of Romeo and Juliet. He died on September 26, 1946. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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- Canonical title
- The Elements of Style: The Original Edition
- Original publication date
- 1920
- Disambiguation notice
- This is the Original Edition of William Strunk, Jr.'s writing handbook, The Elements of Style, written in 1918. Later editions were significantly expanded by E.B. White, and so should not be combined with these.
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Statistics
- Members
- 812
- Popularity
- 34,068
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (4.11)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 10
- UPCs
- 2
- ASINs
- 4
