Patricia O'Conner

Advantages: Great fun with language
Disadvantages: -

...Patricia O'Conner has produced a jewel of a book in `Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English'. Perhaps the greatest strength in the book is the recognition that language is ever-changing and evolving. Thus, her rules are tempered with the reality that sometimes, that which is wrong today might not be wrong tomorrow. To those of you in the know, 'normalcy' is one of those words that (which?) is actually an improper construct, made to be a viable choice by the fact that a lofty person (in this case, I believe it was a President) used it in public. This book is filled with tidbits of information for any who are interested in the playfulness of language. I particularly appreciate the part of the book that talks about modern trends -- that which was once improper but is no longer, and those things which might... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Witty, fun for many
Disadvantages: Makes me nervous to write reviews about it...

...In the tradition of other 'fun with grammar' texts, such as 'Woe is I' by Patricia O'Conner and 'Anguished English' by Richard Lederer, Lynne Truss helps bring to life the simple yet vital piece of communication -- punctuation. Weaving history of use and abuse together in a witty, oh-so-English book, Truss makes light and fun a subject of constant concern, if we would but know it. Victor Borge once had a comedy skit that immediately came to mind when I first started this book, the skit of 'audible' punctuation, in which various pops, whistles and snaps stood for the punctuation that we use in our everyday speech. Just because we don't enunciate it doesn't mean it isn't there! This point is driven home from the outset -- the very title of this book derives from just such importance in locating punctuation properly. It was once said... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Puzzling, involving and very hard to put down
Disadvantages: Sometimes confusing

...st i k o oopoo po opo o o o po poooo ppo o o o o o oooo ppp o oo oo o st i k o oopoo po opo o o o po poooo ppo o o o o o oooo ppp o oo oo o st i k o oopoo po opo o o o po poooo ppo o o o o o oooo ppp o oo oo o st i k o oopoo po opo o o o po poooo ppo o o o o o oooo ppp o oo oo o st i k o oopoo po opo o o o po poooo ppo o o o o o oooo ppp o oo oo o st i k o oopoo po opo o o o po poooo ppo o o o o o oooo ppp o oo oo o st i k o oopoo po opo o o o po poooo ppo o o o o o oooo ppp o oo oo o st i k o oopoo po opo o o o po poooo ppo o o o o o oooo ppp o oo oo o st i k o oopoo po opo o o o po poooo ppo o o o o o oooo ppp o oo oo o st i k o oopoo po opo o o o po poooo ppo o o o o o oooo ppp o oo oo o st i k o oopoo po opo o o o po poooo ppo o o o o o oooo ppp o oo oo o st i k o oopoo po opo o o o po poooo ppo o o o o o oooo... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average not helpful