4.4 out of 5 stars 73. I have no interest in reading bad writing for the sole purpose of practicing ways to improve it. Not too bad for an English textbook. Williams attempts to transform the content of the book … I like it that Williams gets me to think about sentences. An excellent guide to improving your writing style. It is all in here; the history of how the English language assimilated multiple words, with different origins, that have similar or identical meanings; how obtu. Some reviewers have dinged the man for being a less-than-graceful writer from time to time. His advice concludes with four chapters on being concise, on figuring out the appropriate length, on being elegant, and on using constructions that do not jar the reader. For a more thorough summary … Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Style : toward clarity and grace. “The best-selling style book, Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, Seventh Edition, presents principles of writing to help students diagnose their prose quickly and revise it effectively. The main characters of this young adult, fantasy story are Jared Grace, Simon Grace. It's changed how I write and organize my papers in my other courses this year! : Style : Toward Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams (Trade Cloth) at the best … The precursor of this book was a text book of writing for undergraduate students in US, which is to say this may not. “Style toward Clarity and Grace” can help, it is a thorough, elaborated yet comprehensible guide book on communicating complexity effectively and elegantly. Goodreads Members Suggest: Favorite Very Quick Reads. It is rich in detail and example, grounded in research, and refreshingly well-balanced. It is all in here; the history of how the English language assimilated multiple words, with different origins, that have similar or identical meanings; how obtuse, and turgid, academic writing became in the interest of appearing erudite; and of course, how you can cut, slash, and burn, your own sentences so that they leap off the page in a way that the reader effortlessly absorbs your meaning, intent and thoughts. [Joseph M Williams] -- This acclaimed book is a master teacher's tested program for turning clumsy prose into clear, powerful, and effective writing. The first six chapters present and illustrate overarching organizing principles for achieving clarity, coherence, and cohesion. Joseph M. Williams, Style: Toward Clarity and Grace (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990). You cannot read it without suddenly seeing how you could become a better writer. I naturally write like a runner, as if getting to the finish line first were the only measure of success. He provides many examples and goes through the process of editing samples from good to really great. As Williams puts it, his aim is to go "beyond platitudes." The Elements of Style and Style Toward Clarity and Grace 619 Words | 3 Pages. The last four chapters present long lists of things to try to do. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990. I knew that I did a lot of things this book said were common mistakes and it was nice to see how clunky and cluttered it made writing and how I could fix it. I think that these last four chapters are less successful than the other chapters of the book. This difference in orientation makes Williams's advice much more profound: he has a theory of why the rules are what they are (and what to do when the rules conflict) that books that focus on rules alone lack. It's more like a performance than a race, slow and persnickety. paper) 1. Williams was a professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago. ISBN 0-226-89915-2. Click to read more about Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams. Most books on how to write better English are pretty near to useless. Even Strunk and White cannot compete with the quality of the advice that … A couple of things ESL learners may want to know before they pick up this book: it says little about grammar, nothing about choosing the right words and collocation; it is not a book on how to write correctly, but how to write well. A Rather Expensive Guide with Little Unique Content, This is my favorite left-brained writing book. This book was super interesting and taught me a lot. 39 offers from $4.32. The first edition of the novel was published in 2003, and was written by Holly Black. I read this book one lesson at a time over several months and I found it incredibly useful for improving my writing in a practical sense. Purpose: To give you practice with the second step in Williams's strategy for rewriting prose clearly. What would, I t. Yum, grammar porn! 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