A colleague recently introduced me to a little gem — a small out of print Strunk & White type book that has the advantages of being small and not being Strunk & White. (Not that there is anything wrong with S&W, of course). The Golden Book on Writing by David Lambuth is yet another writing handbook which appeals to the word geek in me. There is something concise and gentle about this book and I would recommend it to anyone fortunate enough to find a copy.
I do wonder about writing handbooks, however. Like I said, there is something in me that enjoys reading about writing and putting a sentence together. (There is also something in me that is never quite sure how to use a comma and am always up for a refresher course.) But do students like these books? Do they actually read them? The ones like Keys for Writers which are less “talky” and more like manuals seem like they might be kind of complicated for undergraduates. And S&W and Elbow seem to require students to actually take the time to read them. I wonder how helpful others have found these books. I also wonder if anyone else out there knows of any little gems I might enjoy.
When I was an undergrad we used STYLE: TEN LESSONS IN CLARITY & GRACE, by Joseph M. Williams. I really liked it. It was accessible, interesting, and useful. Speaking of it…I might reread it now to see what it has to offer me lo these many years later.
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