Elements of Style 2017

While the original Elements of Style is great, it was written a century ago and styles in writing have changed. I find this very helpful. It is longer, that is true, but the table of contents separates the content in a useful way. You can simply look up punctuation usage (divided into commas, semicolons, periods, etc) or rules of grammar (verbs, nouns, pronouns, etc). You needn't read the whole book to find what you need.Although considering the current state of writing , I recommend reading the whole book. We can all use a refresher.

This was exactly what I needed as a budding author. The book provides a comprehensive review of modern grammatical practices, vital for any author, editor or anyone who just wants to improve their writing skills. I particularly appreciated the many examples of grammatical usage that the book provides. Very detailed, practical and up-to-date. Recommended.

Which one would think would be hard to say, but the original is more like a list and this is more akin to a text but with some of the the "style" elements remaining. I write for a living, and I have this text open on my laptop every time I am writing. I still have to check "which" and "that," "lie" and "lay," etc. The latest Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage and Garner's Modern English Usage are usually within reach as well.

Pretty ironic how much unnecessary verbiage there is in this book. Maxim author follows seems to be "why say something once, when you can repeat it a few times and try to be cute."

While it is an excellent reference work, I prefer the original thin, and concise version. I am more prone to pick up that very thin work than I am to pick up the more text book, new version. I have both, and still use the original most of the time. Not to denigrate the new, but just a personal preference.

I loved it, and I think it has gotten even better!

De A'Morelli has gifted readers with this excellent resource! His years of experience and love for helping writers of all genres comes through in every example. I really enjoyed reading this resource and it helped clarify grammar and style rules in a simple way. This is one of those books I'll keep on my shelf for ready reference.

Outstanding desk reference for any writer.

A must read for everyone. Improves your game.

Interesting and very detailed reference.

本書 Element of Style 2017（以下 本書2017）は、著者 Richard De A’Morelli によると、1918年に出版されたElements of Style（以下「旧版1918」）に、文法・文体・句読法などに関する改訂を250ページ以上にわたって加え、さらに内容を増補したものだそうだ。それにしても、旧版1918の改訂第４版（E.B. Whiteの継娘 Roger Angellが「はしがき(Foreword)」を書いている）の目次と本書2017のそれを比較してみても、両書は全くの別物だと言わざるを得ない。本書2017の著者が「編集」を担当した Elements of Style (Classic Edition 2018) と銘打たれた本（以下 新書2018）の「はしがき (Preface)」には、「文法や文体について本書より包括的なハンドブックが欲しい向きは、Element of Style 2017におつき願いたい。この本には 500以上にも及ぶ文法・文体の規則が網羅されている」と紹介されている。この「はしがき」からも明らかなように、本書2017は、旧版1918とは内容的に全く関係のない「文法・文体・（句読法）」についてのハンドブック以外の何物でもないということだ。ただ、旧版1918は、Richard De A’Morelli 氏が本書2017を執筆するに至った動機になったことは確かなようだが。さて、本書2017にどこか面白い所があるとするならば、第4章の Grammar Rules Have Changed 辺りだろう（新書2018では Chapter 7に紛れ込んでいる）。ここには「分離不定詞は使ってもいいのか？」「文尾を前置詞で終わらせても構わないか？」「文頭に And / But / Soのような等位接続詞を持って来るのはどうだ？」などの質問に対する答えや、「It is / There is [are / were / will be] 等は使わない方がいい」「notを使い過ぎるとまずい。didn’t remember は forgetに、doesn’t considerは ignoreにすべきだ」「『人』は関係代名詞 that では受けられない」「義務にはmust、許可には may、忠告・アドバイスには should、未来には willを使いなさい」など、著者からの「忠告やアドバイス」があるのだが、中には「関係代名詞の that と接続詞の that の区別がついていないような箇所 (新書2018では p.102 辺り）」などがあり、少々心配になってくる。いずれにしても、Richard De A’Morelli 氏は、なぜ本書2017を出し、しかもその直後に新書2018の編集の任を買って出たのだろうか。研究業績の「数」を云々されるような大学の教員でもないだろうし、かの有名な本のタイトルに 2017 だの 2018 だのを勝手につけて出版する事が簡単に許されるとも思えないのだが。