Review: Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style
Contrary to what you might be thinking based on the title, this is a completely entertaining and charming book. Benjamin Dreyer, a longtime copy editor at Random House, brings all of his expertise to hand in creating this valuable volume. Best of all, Dreyer uses a remarkable and often ironic sense of humor to convey otherwise dry information.
Writing is more important than ever today since someone’s first impression of us often comes from something we have written: a resume or email or cover letter. The use of incorrect grammar or misspelling immediately conveys an image of someone less attentive, competent, or qualified than we probably want to appear.
As someone currently in the process of writing a book, Dreyer’s guide is invaluable. Although I have a collection of style manuals, including the all-time favorite Strunk and White’s Elements of Style, Dreyer’s work is a quick and able resource for all my questions about the idiosyncrasies of using the English language accurately.
Dreyer touches on everything from punctuation to grammar to commonly confused or misspelled words and concludes with “The Trimmables” and “The Miscellany.” I cannot imagine any aspect of writing he fails to include at some level or another.
His reasoning for the proper rules comes couched in humor and irreverence that eases the burden of the process. As he explains, “There are fewer absolutes than you might think.” Yet, “No single stylebook can ever tell you everything you want to know about writing.” Most significantly: “The English language… is not so easily ruled and regulated,” requiring more than just common sense to maneuver.
I highly recommend this book. If you know an aspiring writer, or a college student, or anyone interested in grammatical self-improvement, Dreyer’s book makes a great gift.
Bet you thought you would never hear that about a book on grammar!
Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style, by Benjamin Dreyer, is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and local booksellers. Published by Random House, New York 2019.
Robin is a late bloomer. After serving as a full-time mother of four, she received her Ph.D. at age 49. A former college professor, she is a committed Christian and a political activist supporting causes on behalf of minorities and economic redress. At age 70, she is currently completing a biography of Julia Flisch and helping her husband of 40 years spoil their four Labrador rescues.