Synopses & Reviews
A LIVELY, WITTY, AND PASSIONATE
CELEBRATION OF THE "LITTLE BOOK"
THAT HAS DONE MORE TO SHAPE WRITING
IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE THAN
ANY OTHER GUIDE IN MODERN TIMES
Since 1959, The Elements of Style has been required reading for aspiring writers, English majors, and anyone with a love of language. Strunk and White's guidelines for good grammar and style have been discussed, debated, and occasionally even debunked...but they cannot be dismissed.
A Strunk and White devotee since high school, writer and editor Mark Garvey has long appreciated Elements for its character, its attitude, and its bracing good sense. The book is not only a helpful guide to creating better prose, it is also a compelling reminder of the virtues of clarity, simplicity, and truth in writing -- and an inspiring celebration of the individual voice. To tell the story of this timeless, beloved, sometimes controversial book, and the men behind it, Garvey digs deep into the Cornell University archives and the personal letters of E. B. White and his professor William Strunk Jr.
Stylized is a lovingly crafted history that explores Elements' staying power and takes us from the hallowed halls of academia to the bustling offices of The New Yorker magazine to the dazzling days of old Hollywood -- and into the hearts and minds of some of the most respected writers working today.
Review
"I had no idea there were so many delightful anecdotes to be told about the birth and life of one of my favorite little books." -- Will Schwalbe, coauthor of Send: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better
Review
"Whether you love or hate The Elements of Style, Garvey's infectious enthusiasm and riveting glimpse into Strunk's and White's lives make this book irresistible." -- Mignon Fogarty, author of the New York Times bestseller Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
Review
"A gem of a book about a gem of a book.... Stylized is an exquisite homage that Strunk and White would heartily approve." -- Jack Heffron, author of The Writer's Idea Book
Review
"If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they're happy." -- Dorothy Parker on The Elements of Style
Review
"This original, thoroughly researched work is recommended for both academics and for nonstudents who love writing." -- Library Journal
Review
"An eminently readable tribute." -- Booklist
Review
"Much more than basic history and undeniably obsessive." -- New York Times Book Review
Review
"Garvey crafts an ebullient but (suitably) efficient tribute to a much loved writing guide." -- Publishers Weekly starred review
Synopsis
A history of and homage to the most controversial (and beloved) style guide of our time, Strunk and White's "Elements of Style".""
Synopsis
Garvey offers a history of and homage to the controversial--and beloved--style guide, Strunk and White's "Elements of Style."
About the Author
Mark Garvey is a twenty-year veteran of the book publishing industry, including six years at the helm of
Writer’s Market and years of nonfiction acquisition and development editing. His passion for
The Elements of Style is genuine, and he often urges it on the authors who work for him—usually to good effect.
Mark’s feature articles have appeared in a variety of national and regional consumer magazines, including The Oxford American, Writer's Digest, Walking, and Guitar Player. His feature writing for The Oxford American received an honorable mention in The Best American Travel Writing 2000 (Houghton Mifflin). Mark’s first book, Searching for Mary, was published by Dutton in 1998. His second book, Come Together: The Official John Lennon Educational Tour Bus Guide to Music and Video, was published in 2006 by Thomson. He currently works as an Executive Editor at Course Technology, a business and technology book publisher.