Language Arts Books

Visiting the front lines of the grammar and usage wars with Bill Walsh is a pleasure for writers and readers alike. Like his previous work, Lapsing Into a Comma, this entertaining and enlightening book shows Walsh has got a great ear and a great sense of humor.

By Bill Marsano. What a jolly season for word-lovers this is, what with Lynn Truss's "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" and this book by Bill Walsh coming along neck-and-neck and cheek-by-jowl. Walsh, who is the copy chief of the Washington Post, has written a far broader work than Truss's, with punctuation just one of the things covered (and usually very well covered). There's also grammar here and more important there is style.

The author of such a book sets himself up, always. Many readers will assume or claim that he's preaching perfection and will therefore fall upon tiny errors yelling nyah-nyah in spiteful disvalidation of his whole work, of his very right to speak at all. Sorry but, admirable as it may be, prefection eludes and always will (Lynn Truss's first error is in her subtitle!). Mark Twain said, of perfection in English grammar, "the thing just can't be done." So let's be willing to give a little, and even accept the odd contradiction.

That done, we find a pretty useful guide. It's mostly newspaper-oriented, but it's still a help to the ordinary writer and ordinary person struggling to commit a sentence and finding between the opening capital and the closing period a morass of weird plurals, nightmare collectives, number-of-the-verb, stylistic conventions, punctuational deadfalls and a lot of other horrors that make not ending with a preposition a treat (which taboo is, by the way, nonsense, as Walsh neatly explains). Walsh deals with most problems briskly and helpfully, and if you keep this book ever close to your heart it won't be long before you can toss off elegant vanity plates, bumperstickers and ransom notes without so much as a by-your-leave. And you will begin to enjoy doing so, because you won't be scared out of your wits half the time. (Most people dread writing as they dread public speaking.)

I am generally dubious of copy editors; I consider them a species of vermin that should be hunted for sport. But I will go a long way with Walsh because he clearly thinks about the language and tries to make intelligent, workable decisions that help reader and writer alike. (Most copy editors simply trot out their pet peeves and hobby-horses, salt with ignorance and prejudice, and then damage the writer's copy, the hideous effects invisible until the crime appears in print.)

I will unyieldingly dispute with him on two points, however. First, (free-lance) writers should absolutely not waste any time studying client magazines to learn their style. Magazines routinely pay writers poorly and abuse them in general; if they want their stylebooks followed, let the editors do some work for a change. (Editors don't have jobs. They have lunch.) Second, what's this foolishness about a ship being referred to as "it"?

That's an example of what offends me most about copy editors: their char-woman's mentality. Always trying to neaten up; emptying the ashtray every time the ash hits the glass; making you move so they can plump up the pillows. Busy, busy, busy! The net result of all this is damage to a language of which varioty is its chiefest glory. Referring to ships as feminine is a tradition many centuries old: it goes back to the Romans; it is established and understood; it is not to be dismissed by some petty tyrant with an itchy pencil. Maybe it's a question of political correctness. Maybe someone is pained because it excludes an entire sex (the male, I believe). Frankly I'm disinclined to believe that this will cause little boys everywhere to be discouranged from becoming ocean liners, but copy editors might very well fall for that.--Bill Marsano is a professional writer and editor.

I found myself laughing out loud as I read Bill Walsh's "The Elephant's of Style."

Reminiscent of "Woe is I" this title actually entertains as it enlightens. Some of Walsh's best lines were "Split infinitives are the chicken cacciatore of the English Language" and "Who died and left me in charge of the English language?"

I want to know where Bill Walsh was when I was being drilled in grammar back in school! First they started teaching kids phonics and blends using fun songs and hand motions and now this?! I missed out on all the fun!

I especially enjoyed the section entitled "The Lies Your English Teacher Told You: Big Myths of English Usage" (I actually wiped my brow at one point in that chapter.) His appendix, "The Curmudgeon's Stylebook" is a valuable addition as well.

Wonderful stuff, easy to remember and apply.... Excellent for those who got stuck in the "grammar rules" and "strict critiques" from the past.... Free up the negative through process and just get through to the mechanics in this user friendly guide. The index will take you straight to your area of interest and then read the rest just `cause its so darn fun...... oh, I wonder if it's against the rules to insert periods in a row like that?

Better refer to my copy of "Elephants of Style" now.....

Almost nothing is as boring as learning the rules of grammar.
The Elephants of Style, however, makes the subject humorous and easier to both read and learn about. The author uses great(and often funny ) examples to teach students about everything from parts of speech to plagarism. I would recommend this book to college freshman, English teachers, or anyone struggling with grammar.
Of course, grammar may never lose the title of "boringest of them all," but at least there is a little humor at the end of the tunnel.

I just finished a class on English Structure using this as our textbook. The authors bring you through reasoning about grammar principles/rules/nuances via examples and short exercises. I found it to be an extremely useful review of basic to advanced grammar points, with helpful hints on activities and common gotchas for ESL/EFL students. I give this 5 stars for the native english speaking teacher (However, I would give 4 stars as a resource for teachers who have english as a second language themselves, as much of the book's exercises assume you inductively learned many of the rules, and I could see this being lost on the non native speaker. However, they do explain the subtle nuances in most cases, so it is still a good guide).

This book should not only be used by ESL/ESOL/VESOL teachers, but by anyone who teaches grammar. Every detail is explained, the exercises and are easy to follow.

Teachers will never use another book once they see how complex material is made easy to explain.

First of all, do not be put off by the title. This is not a traditional, dry grammar book, filled with every rule of correct English usage. Those of you who know Richard Firsten's publications, such as "Troublesome English" and the "Real Life Grammar" series, will not be surprised that "The ELT Grammar Book" is really a teacher's guide to the most common, and most difficult to explain, points of English grammar.
The book devotes a chapter to 20 of the most common areas of grammatical difficulty, such as word order, articles, subjunctives, and direct object companions. Each area is dealt with in the following three ways:
The Socratic Approach - whereby readers are encouraged to observe, think about, and make conclusions about the point. This technique enables exploration of the grammar in a way which is much more meaningful in the long run. Instead of committing rules to memory without really understanding why they exist, this method helps you understand the point so that you can more easily explain it to your students.
"Troubleshooters" - These are helpful insights that occur in most chapters, which focus on the points which are likely to cause problems for students because of language interference or other reasons.
"Teaching Tips" - These are activities, exercises, and games designed to help teachers make the teaching of grammar more enjoyable.
Towards the end of the book there are a couple of interesting chapters which you would not expect to find in a grammar book. The first of these deals with "ELT Waifs," words or phrases or phenomena which occur in casual language usage, but are not usually explained or codified, such as the use of words like "over," "that," and "quite." Even more surprising is the final chapter, which attempts to predict how we might expect English grammar to develop in the future based on its past development. I may not happen to agree with some of the predictions, but their inclusion displays the Mr. Firsten's obvious interest in the life of languages.
In addition to the chapters, there are very useful appendices that explain points in more depth and even cover helpful rules for spelling and pronunciation.
Although I have been teaching English for over 15 years, I discovered a new way of understanding complex grammatical points in nearly every chapter, and more importantly, I found ways of explaining these points in simple terms without having to resort to academic language. If, like me, you dread being asked why English grammar adheres to its own peculiarities, and have been searching for simple explanations, you will love this book.

The ELT Grammar Book is a reference guide for
teachers of English to speakers of other languages.
Readers may recognize the author's name as the
columnist of "Grammatically Speaking" in TESOL
Matters and "The Grammar Guy" in ESL Magazine.
Richard Firsten has taken his grammatical expertise
and produced a reference tool that focuses on topics
both difficult to understand and explain. The style is
casual and relaxed, which is a pleasant deviation
from typical pedantic grammar reference materials.
Though extensive and in-depth (22 chapters
and 8 appendices totaling over 550 pages), the text is
not intended to be exhaustive. Topics were restricted
to include only high frequency areas typically most
troublesome to teachers and L2 learners alike.
Eighteen of the chapters focus on grammar-exclusive
themes that include such topics as adjectives, articles,
modal auxiliaries, passives, prepositions,
subjunctives, verb tenses, and word order. Three
chapters are primarily discourse related.
Autosegmentals are analyzed in chapters 15 and 18;
the former chapter covers word and phrase stress
while the latter focuses on sentence-level intonation.
Chapter 21 is entitled "ELT 'Waifs'" and deals with
relaxed pronunciation, intensifiers, and common
phrases seldom included in instructional texts.
Phrases that add so much to the flow of conversational
English such as "a great deal of" or the frequent use
of the suffix "-ish" (childish, pinkish, late-ish, around
eight-ish) can assist the L2 student in understanding
common discourse. In the final chapter, the author
notes the changing nature of the English language
and predicts upcoming transformations that are likely
to occur.
Each of the 21 instructional chapters
concludes with "Teaching Tips," which supply
instructors with resources that allow students to
flesh out the content material through numerous
activities designed for pairwork and/or small groups.

These activities alone make the text a valuable
resource. Scattered throughout many of the chapters
is an aside called "Troubleshooter." This
informational box interrupts instructional sections
with pertinent explanations in anticipation of
students' questions. Another strength of the text is
the salient feature of the inductive method of
instruction. For example, situations are often
presented in the form of dialogs so that readers can
observe the grammar point contextually. By

highlighting selected portions of the dialog and
through provocative questioning, the writer models
a lesson requiring the reader to elicit a rule or to
figure out why a certain construction is used.
Employing this critical thinking strategy leads to
discovery, and ideally, to student ownership of that
specific grammar point. At a minimum, adding this
method to one's teaching repertoire will supply
diversity to classroom instruction.
Finally, the eight appendices cover a range
of subject matter that includes strategies, games,
pronunciation, spelling, and further elaboration on
previously covered material. For instance, the author
has provided an excellent outline in the second
appendix that uses the mechanical, meaningful/
manipulative, and communication approach in
relaying content material. Examples abound using
cloze procedures, slot substitutions, and incomplete
dialogs.
Many ESL professionals rely upon college
composition reference manuals for consultation.
Often these tools provide ESL-specific material only
in the form of an appendix or sub-section. The
detailed instruction found in The ELT Grammar Book,
however, is designed exclusively with the L2 learner
in mind. Its primary limitation is found in the
authors' intentionally selective subject matter which
may leave instructors searching elsewhere for
particular topics not addressed. Regardless, whether
an instructor's method of infusing grammar is
comprised primarily of explicit discrete-point
instruction or incidentally through a more
communicative approach, the information, activities,
and strategies offered in this text will provide a
handy reference tool for teachers of L2 students in
various levels and contexts.

Tom Bellomo taught EFL in Spain for five years,
ESOL in New York for five years, and has been
teaching EAP coursework in Florida since 1997. He
presently teaches at the English Language Institute,
Daytona Beach Community

I live, study and work in the New York Tri-State region and this book is pretty great because the author also lived, worked and studied in the same region. Whats good about that? The Human Development and Expliotation is our region is very diverse and often connects directly with other prominent regions around the globe. The author basically covers alot of legalities, origins, design principles, and field work analysis really well.
This was one of the easier to read text in my classes, not because it is written in laymans terms, but he writes the ideas in a clear concise manner and covers alot of material with great efficiency using (the best I've seen in any enviro-engineering text) superb diaghrams, pictures and charts.
As a whole I felt the text demystifies alot of what this field is about so I usually recommend it to other non-environmental engineers, planners and designers that I come across in my school and work.

The book is expensive but I felt it was one of those few (if any) books you'll ever buy in college that is worth every penny.

This one is a keeper!

GREAT!!!!!

This text is one of the most definitive AND USEFUL shelf references for the environmental health sciences. Detailed, accurate, wide-ranging on topics of immediate interest to the practicing sanitarian, engineer or the very interested non-practitioner. Support from the publisher has been poor. For two years after the announcement of the current addendum, the publisher "disavowed knowledge" of an addendum. When published, the addendum had the same ISBN number as the complete text -- creating the unture appearance of a "reduced" price complete addition. Salvato, could for the price of this text, be on a more current update of information contained in some chapters (2-3 year cycle). The scope of this work would justify numerous consulting authors. While it is one of the best shelf references and "learning texts" it could still be improved and be better supported by a publisher that sometimes seems to have insulated itself from the buying public.

I have just reviewed the ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND SANITATION 1994 SUPPLEMENT, by Joseph A. Salvato and Joe E. Beck. It's a great resource for professionals seeking a broader vision of environmental health practice areas and where we are heading. Prof. Beck obviously put a lot of work into conceptualizing this volume and working with the distinguished contributors. It shows. In particular, I found the first chapter, Stakeholder Focused Interactive Planning (SFIP)by Joe Beck and Steven Ison to be a brilliant piece on the desirability of (indeed, the imperative for our profession to) include the public in problem-solving and planning. I have used this process and mediated disputes ranging from siting controversies (haz. waste facility siting in Massachusetts) to determining future land use options at Hanford in the nuclear weapons complex. I commend both Beck and Ison for their clear portrayal of the paradigm as well as the steps one undertakes in conducting such planning. Federal government engineers and planners have been learning the hard way about what happens when decisions are made without public input and without regard to the values, interests, and expectations of so-called stakeholders. At Hanford, more than $20 billion in appropriations has yielded preciously little in terms of actual cleanup: one may wonder if Congress will continue to appropriate the substantial $6 billion a year for the Dept. of Energy's Environmental Management Program without consensus of the public on #1) the benefits or #2) the ameliorated risks from present expenditures. Current stakeholders come from a wide range of public interest groups and they do not get along particularly well. They do not have current programs or projects that reflect the use of the SFIP and researchers should be asking themselves, "Why not?" (Resources for the Future [RFF] has an on-going research project that tackles public participation in environmental decision making).

I would also like to comment on Ch. 6 "The Institutional Environment: Biosafety" by Darly Rowe. The importance of Dr. Rowe's conclusion that we must rely on consultation and working with the client on biosafety issues cannot be overstated. I also like the typology which places biosafety issues in proper perspective. We seem to be deluged with risks and risk information, and his approach is clear, concise and elegant. In sum, I believe that environmental health professionals can apply the insights in this series of articles in a way that will help supplant the "command-and-control" mentatlity that has battered so many of our colleagues and public health/environment inspectors, and baffled decision makers in the past two decades. Asst. Prof. R. Steven Konkel, Ph.D., EKU

This is a phenomenal book - not to mention the only real resource out there that focuses on presentation skills for technical professionals. While the book focuses on all technical trades, I recommend it to people continually in my classes on Communication Skills for Technology Professionals through SYSEDCO. If you want to - or have to - give a presentation that non-technical people will understand, this book is a must have.

Joey Asher not only knows about public speaking, he knows how to write. Even a Geek Can Speak is funny and to the point -- it would be impossible to read this and not improve as a speaker. Even people who rarely stand up in front of a crowd will find it insightful and enjoyable.

I have to make a lot of presentations for my new job. This book has helped me to be more confident and prepared for my presentations no matter how tough the audience. I never really thought I was a geek, but I think I used to sound like one. This book is very practical.

You'll laugh out loud or at a minimum smile at the situations Joey uses to teach you how to be a better speaker. And teach he does. It's the single most readable book on the subject I've ever bought. And I've read dozens. It's a winner!

Sandra Heyer's books are a fine mixture of story-telling, expository reading, and follow-up exercises covering specific reading skills. High school deaf students who were formerly reluctant readers are now eager to dig into each lesson. New immigrants are amazed by the "crazy stories." Two parents have requested where they may get copies so their students may review over the summer. The only place I know is amazon.com.

Sandra Heyer's books are a fine mixture of story-telling, expository reading, and follow-up exercises covering specific reading skills. High school deaf students who were formerly reluctant readers are now eager to dig into each lesson. New immigrants are amazed by the "crazy stories." Two parents have requested where they may get copies so their students may review over the summer. The only place I know is amazon.com.

I just started teaching ESL about 8 months ago and I find Heyer's books absolutely invaluable. I use this book for my intermediates, and I use Heyer's "Easy True Stories," "Very Easy True Stories" and "True Stories in the News" for my various levels of beginners and low-intermediates. They are cute stories, the vocab is manageable and the exercises that follow are very helpful.

I am an English as a second language teacher in a small town in Turkey. The emphasis in learning English here is usually placed on grammer grammer and more grammer. However I believe that students also need to learn to speak and read effectively in order to know a language.

This book promotes "whole language" with its very interactive style. Each chapter begins with a black and white photo and questions to get the student thinking about the topic. Next is a two columned one page reading section. After the reading there are four pages of exercises including: Vocabulary, context, comprehension/reading skills, understanding details, discussion, and writing.

Students are not asked just to answer questions, but to really think about what they read and apply new vocabulary in a different context.

All my students love this book and constantly ask, "Is this really true?". Of course it is and that makes it that much better.

This is a great addition to any regular Scottish-Gaelic course. Lot's of fun phrases in an easy to reference manner. It's a great book

This little book is very useful for a broad range of everyday conversational situations. It is most appropriate for travelers in Gaelic-speaking areas. The topical organization is great; particular situations are easy to find quickly. The phonetic pronunciation guides, with each phrase, are reasonably accurate and provide at least a good start toward accurate pronunciation of the Gaelic words and phrases - even showing how syllables and sounds are run together in phrases. Light in spirit, serious in intent. A "must-have" for any Gaelic learner who wants to use Gaelic in everyday situations.

This very conveniently organized, compact and user-friendly book should be a staple on every Gaelic learner's bookshelf. It not only provides an excellent vocabulary of idiomatic phrases, but does so with the pithy wit that Scottish Gaels are so famous for.

Phrases are pressented in idiomatic English, idiomatic Gaelic and phonetic transcription side by side. The phonetics are fairly intuitive and easy to use. Basic gramar points are also covered, but as sidebars to the main focus, which is conversation.

This book truly fills an essential function in the progression from beginning to intermediate skill in Gaelic.

This is definitely a worthwhile purchase for anyone interested in Scottish Gaelic. But one should be aware that there are two versions of this book in print - one with and one without the accompanying audio CD. According to Amazon's description and the photo of the book, the version they are selling does not include the CD, but the retail price and ISBN that they list for this title are for the one with the CD. So someone looking for this book might be hesistant in buying it from Amazon, because you might be paying for the book/CD version and only getting the book. None of the other customer reviews mention an audio CD or whether they actually ordered this title from Amazon specifically, so that is not helpful is determining which version Amazon actually stocks.

If you are looking from the book/CD version online (sorry, I won't name where to look here, but there are other retail sites that carrying both versions, so shop around - or pester Amazon to sort out this confusion), know that the cover of the book should have a yellow banner in the bottom corner reading "Includes Audio CD." It should also have an ISBN ending in 709 (the book-only version ends with 402, and is about $10 less retail). As a student of Scottish Gaelic, I highly recommend getting the book/CD version. Even with phonetic help, Gaelic learners benefit greatly from hearing the pronounciation and cadance of a native Gaelic speaker, as spoken Gaelic is quite distinct from spoken English or other non-Celtic languages.

I love this book. I use this with my children and the children I work with in my day care. It really grabs their attention and they all want to move the flaps. As a parent I found it to be a wonderful tool to not only interact with my children while reading the book but to use it on a daily basis. This is a very easy book to use. Children do not all develop spoken language at the same time and this is a wonderful and easy way for your child to communicate his/her needs to you. Sign language is essentially another language, but, easy and fun to learn and use with your children, even after they are speaking.

This book has a place on the front cover where you can insert your own childs picture (over the woman holding the baby). The illustrations portray people of various nationalities/color which is fitting for the culturally diverse world in which we live. And lastly has a beautiful index in the back with all of the words used in the book and a description of each. It also has the American Manual Alphabet.

I have also purchased one as a gift for a friend who just had a baby, and she loved it.

I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a fun sign lanugage book in story book format.

This book isn't just for teaching the newborn - my toddlers like learning the signs too. I really like the idea of the flaps. It is great way for my older child to learn the signs and the words as well. Plus my kids like to lift them up, it keeps them interested.

This is a wonderful book for parents to read to children of all ages. As a psychologist I know the value of parents reading to their children and this book gives them the opportunity to learn sign language together. They not only have the opportunity to read together but to share in the joy of learning and speaking together in sign. The book is interactive and allows the child to engage while flipping the inserts and discovering and learning different signs. The story and illustrations are entertaining and inviting.

I have read this book to toddlers, preschoolers and an eight year old and they all found it interesting and entertaining. As parent and child learns to sign together they share a special bond that they developed while reading the book.

I highly recommend this book for parents of not just newborns but all preschool and early school age children.

Tanya Kuza, the mother of three young sons, I began teaching ASL when my first son was born in 2002. I have a bachelor's degree in language arts and a social sciences degree in elementary education from the University of Michigan. I founded In Motion Books in October 2006 to promote early childhood communication and family bonding by teaching basic ASL signs in an entertaining storybook format. I know you will enjoy this open the flap book to read to your child while also enabling them to learn a few key ASL signs along the way. This is fun for children to explore while making the signs easy for adults to imitate and use in their everyday routines.

The job of reviewing movies sounds glamorous and exciting. Everyone would like to have such a "job". Diana Saenger has managed to create a guideline to have such a job, but maintains a truthful and informative offering. Her book gives the reader the necessary tools to develope ones own reviewing career, while letting one know that it is not all fun and games and free movies. She reminds the reader that it is necessary to be consistant and open minded.

I personally had never really thought of becoming a movie reviewer, but with the information simply outlined in EVERYONE WANTS MY JOB! The ABC's of Entertainment Writing I feel that I could do such a job. I like Diana Saenger's style and forthright approach to writing. I think this work is well designed and she has much to offer her reading public. I hope to see more by this author.

Saenger's book gets down to the nitty-gritty of entertainment writing. Saenger details the methods of critiquing each entertainment form from films through books and on to restaurants. By using sample reviews, Saenger emphasizes what is necessary for an outstanding review. Whether used as a basic handbook for the novice, or a reminder for the professional, Saenger's book is a must!

Diana Saenger works for herself, meets interesting and creative people, sees lots of movies, eats great food, travels, and gets to express herself. What a great job. What a great book! Oh yes, and she also works long hours, is away from home and family a lot, and has to put up with arrogant egomaniacs along the way. The book is peppered with vignettes about some favorite stars. Can't wait to read her next book.

Chatty and informative, "Everyone Wants My Job" offers helpful tips for breaking into the world of entertainment writing. Professional critic Diana Saenger shares her recipe for success in this competitive field by including such important ingredients as how to analyze films and other venues, the do's and don'ts of interviewing celebrities, techniques for marketing written work, and how to handle rejection. The book's resource bibliography and list of professional organizations are added attractions which should prove useful not only for novices, but also for writers already in the business. Quotes from various stars, directors, and writers illustrate important points and make the book a delight to read. For example, Djimon Honsou ("Amistad")tells the author, "Destiny isn't waiting until something happens to you. To have destiny, you have to get up from the seat of your pants and make it happen." Advising wannabe entertainment writers to adopt this statement as a kind of mantra, Saenger emphasizes the time and effort required to reach this goal. But the rewards involved are also covered thoroughly --- including access to free movies, plays, videos,etc. and the excitement of interviewing celebrities. Thankfully, readers are warned not to quit their day jobs before jumping into a full-time entertainment writing career. "Did you expect to have fun and get rich too?" Saenger asks. Because it's difficult to make a living as a writer, this important advice deserves more attention than it gets here. Still, the author does explain carefully that most writers will have to work without pay for awhile to get started. "Everyone Wants My Job" should be added to reading lists in career counseling courses everywhere. And, for anyone thinking about becoming an entertainment writer, it's a must-read.

In many ways, "Working with Words" differs little from other grammar books. It accomplishes its task very well, though. A highlight of this book has to be its organization. The book is divided into 11 chapters and 4 appendixes. All the basics are covered: sentences, phrases and clauses; the parts of speech; punctuation, etc. Other sections cover tight writing, muddled language and "sexism, racism and other '-isms.'"

But the absolute best parts of this book are the lists and appendixes. "What to Tighten A-Z" offers a quick guide to getting rid of phrases that are wordy, redundant or cliche. "Confused words" helps you decide whether to use continual or continuous, fortuitous or fortunate among many others. Sections on common mistakes and frequently misspelled words also help you avoid errors. But my favorite section has to be the one called "One word, two words or hyphenated?" It is a fabulously quick and easy reference.

This is simply the best single text on writing. It is well written and clear. It covers all the aspects of mechanics that are necessary for good writing. It also gives the necessary teaching about proper grammar. There are many good (as well as confusing) books on the market about this topic, but, for me, this is the "writing bible." I have multiple copies of this book so I can loan them out from time to time, but I also have a personal copy at home as well as at work that no one gets to "touch" except me. I recommend this text to all my students.

I first bought Working With Words in 1991 as a journalism student at University of Missouri, where the authors are profs. This book is as responsible for preparing me for my current job as section editor at a major metropolitan newspaper as was any class I ever took.

Executives, assistants, sales reps -- anyone who needs to write and speak like an intelligent human being -- should own this book.

The first thing I do when get a new copy editor is buy them a copy of Working with Words. Buy one yourself and you'll be amazed at how much you don't know.

BTN, Chicago Tribune, MU BJ '92

I haven't found a better one yet. Not that you'd want to curl up with it, or anything. The most useful part is the chapter on "-isms" by Jean Gaddy Wilson.

Imagine my suprise as a college journalism student to discover the racist term "spearchucker" was NOT considered OK for publication. Really? It said right there in the "S" section: "Do not use." And you know what? That stuck with me. I've written thousands of articles and have never used it once. But it ain't just racism that's covered. Get ready to learn how to control your inherent ageism, you durn kids. "Well-preserved," for instance, is an "offensive phrase applied to women and senior citizens; avoid." Also, "without rhythm," is a stereotype that implies whites can't dance, which angers me, a white man who can really cut a rug. On the other hand, "with rhythm" is also defined as an offensive stereotype for African-Americans, implying they are able to dance, and to dance well. This leaves me confused. Is it good or bad to have rhythm? Should we just avoid the whole topic of rhythm? I suppose so.

Other specified terms to avoid: buxom, foxy, fragile, full-figured, wetbacks, wench, white bread, wheat bread (just kidding, you can use wheat bread) trollop, tart, loose woman, hussy, wop, dago, working man, workmen's comp.

Yep, you read it right. A newspaper lede that reads, "ROME--The Wop president yesterday sacked four top cabinet officials as his government came under increasing attack for blah blah blah....." just doesn't cut it in the professional world of journalism.

Thanks to this fine book, there will no longer be any confusion about that.

(This text refers to the 1993 ed.)

Everything you ever wanted to know about French pronunciation is in this little book. The only thing I wish it had was IPA after all the words, especially in the exercises where it doesn't tell you the answers. But other than that, this book is way worth having. I look at it every day and I am learning so much!

I had not heard of this book before, but I bought it anyway, and wow... what a nice way to learn French phonics. I take the book with me everywhere I go. It's nice and small and to the point. And, it teaches you in a very smart way how to pronounce French properly. I highly recommend this book!

This book is a must for anyone having a hard time learning how to pronounce French. I do not have trouble with most French words but the ones I did have trouble with were straightened out with this book. So if you want to learn the proper way to pronounce French......GET THIS BOOK!!

This is a well organized samll booklet. In each category, there is plenty of examples and exercises to practice on. I benefit a lot from having worked through this book. If you care to pronounce individual French words correctly, this is the book.