Book Description
A bona fide publishing phenomenon, Lynne TrussÂ's now classic #1 New York Times bestseller Eats, Shoots & Leaves makes its paperback debut after selling over 3 million copies worldwide in hardcover.
We all know the basics of punctuation. Or do we? A look at most neighborhood signage tells a different story. Through sloppy usage and low standards on the Internet, in e-mail, and now text messages, we have made proper punctuation an endangered species.
In Eats, Shoots & Leaves, former editor Truss dares to say, in her delightfully urbane, witty, and very English way, that it is time to look at our commas and semicolons and see them as the wonderful and necessary things they are. This is a book for people who love punctuation and get upset when it is mishandled. From the invention of the question mark in the time of Charlemagne to George Orwell shunning the semicolon, this lively history makes a powerful case for the preservation of a system of printing conventions that is much too subtle to be mucked about with. BACKCOVER:
Praise for Lynne Truss and Eats, Shoots & Leaves:
Eats, Shoots & Leaves “makes correct usage so cool that you have to admire Ms. Truss.”
—Janet Maslin, The New York Times
“Witty, smart, passionate.”
—Los Angeles Times Book Review, Best Books Of 2004: Nonfiction
“Who knew grammar could be so much fun?”
—Newsweek
“Witty and instructive. . . . Truss is an entertaining, well-read scold in a culture that could use more scolding.”
—USA Today “Truss is William Safire crossed with John CleeseÂ's Basil Fawlty.”
—Entertainment Weekly
“Lynne Truss has done the English-speaking world a huge service.”
—The Christian Science Monitor
“This book changed my life in small, perfect ways like learning how to make better coffee or fold an omelet. ItÂ's the perfect gift for anyone who cares about grammar and a gentle introduction for those who donÂ't care enough.”
—The Boston Sunday Globe
“Lynne Truss makes [punctuation] a joy to contemplate.”
—Elle
“If Lynne Truss were Roman Catholic IÂ'd nominate her for sainthood.” —Frank McCourt, author of AngelaÂ's Ashes
“TrussÂ's scholarship is impressive and never dry.”
—Edmund Morris, The New York Times Book Review
Download Description
"""You don't need to be a grammar nerd to enjoy this one...Who knew grammar could be so much fun?"" -Newsweek We all know the basics of punctuation. Or do we? A look at most neighborhood signage tells a different story. Through sloppy usage and low standards on the internet, in email, and now text messages, we have made proper punctuation an endangered species. In Eats, Shoots & Leaves, former editor Lynne Truss dares to say, in her delightfully urbane, witty, and very English way, that it is time to look at our commas and semicolons and see them as the wonderful and necessary things they are. This is a book for people who love punctuation and get upset when it is mishandled. From the invention of the question mark in the time of Charlemagne to George Orwell shunning the semicolon, this lively history makes a powerful case for the preservation of a system of printing conventions that is much too subtle to be mucked about with."
Customer Reviews:
Wonderfully entertaining and educational!.......2007-10-10
What a fantastic book. I consider myself a stickler, too, and this book helped me laugh at both myself and the mistakes of those around me in all aspects of life. Thanks to the author for a great book full of humor and useful instruction.
Interesting Read Whether You Care About Punctuation or Not.......2007-10-02
This is a wonderful book. If you are a stickler for punctuation, and want a hilarious refresher course, this is the book for you. Among other topics, Truss covers commas, dashes, and little used punctuation marks. Her examples are funny and prove that punctuation does matter. If you are a stickler for punctuation, this is a must-read. If you are not a punctuation fanatic, you will still get a few laughs and learn something along the way- not a bad deal for a book on punctuation.
When was the last time a book changed your life?.......2007-09-15
Seriously, when was the last time you read a book where you could literally say, "This book has changed my life." Eat, Shoots and Leaves by Lynn Truss is one such book.
At first I thought a zero tolerance approach to punctuation sounded a bit extreme. That is until Truss mentioned one of my favorite movies ("Two Weeks Notice"), pointing out that the title should be "Two Weeks' Notice". I was shocked. I had always assumed an apostrophe was there. Then I started listening to The Plain White T's, a band whose name makes no sense with an apostrophe, and I knew things were getting serious.
Nonetheless I will admit that it was a challenge reading the chapters about the apostrophe and the comma (although I have learned a few knew tricks for commas). Then I came to a chapter entitled "Airs and Graces." From there onward, the book was a revelation.
I learned my punctuation from my mom and copious reading. I still have a hard time explaining dependent clauses and why it is appropriate to use "well" instead of "good" even though I can tell when a sentence is complete/written correctly if I can read it. I am sharing this background so that when I say Truss explains all of the punctuation rules presented in her book you will know I mean really clear.
Truss has illustrated that there is a time and place for the dash and double-dash in all good literature. She has also shown that, to avoid over-using the dash, a colon can easily replace a dash in certain situations. I never knew that!
What's nice about Eats, Shoots and Leaves is that it's not a dry read. Yes, Truss is talking about punctuation. Yes, she is deadly serious about it. But she maintains a sense of humor throughout: including witty examples and poking fun at punctuation (and punctuation sticklers) as much as she explains it. In addition, Truss includes abundant historical information about the punctuation marks she discusses ranging from the first names for parentheses to the first appearance of an apostrophe in printed documents.
I would recommend this book highly to anyone with an interest in writing. Even if you know the basics, Truss has a few tricks up her sleeve that are sure to give your writing a little extra flair.
Perfect for grammar nerds!.......2007-08-27
This book was funny and informative. I recommend it to all English teachers and grammar nerds. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because the humor is redundant so I found myself rolling my eyes a bit by the end.
A must have for anyone without anything valuable to contribute!.......2007-08-05
Do you lack a sense of humor? Do you often find yourself lost in a conversation for want of facts or background? Does it bother you that you can't keep up while your friends are making nuanced and critical observations? Then you, my friend, have nothing valuable to contribute. This can often lead to feelings of inadequacy but, now, there's help. Thanks to this marvelous little manifesto of pig-headedness, you can learn how to be an enormous pedantic jerk in only a few days. Now you don't need to make valuable contributions to a conversation to make the others look stupid! You can just appeal to an arbitrarily contrived set of social conventions like grammar, and then sit back with a self-satisfied grin on your face. Your friends are guaranteed to love your newfound lack of personality, your smug demeanor, and your love of formalism and vacuous procedure. In no time at all, they'll be sure to stop assailing you with a misused jumble of symbols. In fact, they'll probably stop talking to you altogether. Call now!
Customer Reviews:
Laughed so hard that the neighbors came to check on me!.......2007-07-22
Who hasn't received teacher newsletters or PTA flyers in the cubbybag of the sweet urchin returning to the family nest every afternoon. The parent sorts through the spelling tests, free-time drawings, and English writing lessons in search of the weekly newsletter sent by the teacher.
But first, have a spot of tea. Lean back and relax in anticipation of the sweet innocence and unfailing optimism about to be so touchingly crafted in this message from the teacher. The opening sentence of a paragraph about a recent field trip to the zoo is read. And read again. And reread one more time.
"The kides, excitement, new no bounds. The class brought along it's camera, All most from the time the gates open our class. Different assistant was given too supervise manage, and keep together their group's as their was so much to see and it was! Truly. a sight! . . ."
The newsletter goes on to share amusing stories of the students on their trip, their reactions to the various exhibits, and the gentle sound of snoring that filled the bus on its return trip home. (This remains still open to interpretation since the reader is left with only her own personal skill level in decrypting the remainder of the missive.)
As another writer who is compelled by a Higher (lower?) Power to enforce a Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, I am in a quandary. Red pen poised above the newsletter, I am ready to strike a blow not ONLY in the name of Punctuation, but Grammar, Syntax, and Spelling as well!
A timely breeze of reality blows through my mind. This was written by my daughter's first grade teacher. She is also the passer-outer of gold stars, smiles, band-aids, security and emotional support for my daughter. Perhaps bleeding all over the paper with what is sure to be a gallon of red ink before all is finished is not the best way to go. Once again, I will request a quiet parent conference for which I will leave my red pen at home and pack my happy pills instead.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Columbia Journalism Review, published by Columbia University, Graduate School of Journalism on May 1, 2004. The length of the article is 366 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Eats, Shoots & Leaves: the Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation.(Book Review)
Author: James Boylan
Publication:
Columbia Journalism Review (Refereed)
Date: May 1, 2004
Publisher: Columbia University, Graduate School of Journalism
Volume: 43
Issue: 1
Page: 62(1)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Average customer rating:
|
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation.: An article from: Technical Communication
Ginny Hudak-David
Manufacturer: Society for Technical Communication
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
 Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Audiobooks
| Automotive
| Crime & Criminals
| Current Events
| Economics
| Education
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Government
| Holidays
| Law
| Philosophy
| Politics
| Social Sciences
| Transportation
| True Accounts
| Urban Planning & Development
| Women's Studies
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
General
| Nonfiction
| HTML
| Formats
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
ASIN: B00096ZKF0
Release Date: 2005-07-13 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Technical Communication, published by Society for Technical Communication on February 1, 2005. The length of the article is 673 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation.
Author: Ginny Hudak-David
Publication:
Technical Communication (Refereed)
Date: February 1, 2005
Publisher: Society for Technical Communication
Volume: 52
Issue: 1
Page: 76(2)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Reviewer's Bookwatch, published by Midwest Book Review on November 1, 2004. The length of the article is 514 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Eats, Shoots and Leaves: the Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation.(Children's Review)(Book Review)
Author: Medb
Publication:
Reviewer's Bookwatch (Newsletter)
Date: November 1, 2004
Publisher: Midwest Book Review
Page: NA
Article Type: Book Review, Children's Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Education Next, published by Hoover Institution Press on March 22, 2005. The length of the article is 1444 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Subordinate clauses without any pauses: why we need a language with some lawses.(Book Review)
Author: Diane Ravitch
Publication:
Education Next (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2005
Publisher: Hoover Institution Press
Volume: 5
Issue: 2
Page: 78(2)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Customer Reviews:
torture.......2007-04-04
If you like reading books by patronizing, snobbish, and self-important authors, then this is the book for you. While I admit that I found some of it helpful with regards the basics of punctuation, I simply could not stomach Ms Truss's penchant for contemptuously bellittling anyone who was not as au fait with the correct use of the comma, apostrophe, semi-colon, etc., as she is. In the end, I got so infuriated with her elitist, superior, and at times deeply offensive tone, that I ripped the book in half and consigned it to the recycle bin. On the back jacket of my copy there are a number of quotations from reviews of this book. One of them reads, 'Ms Truss makes [punctuation] a joy to contemplate'. If you were to replace the word in brackets with 'toothache', I think you would be closer to the truth. Teaching correct punctuation is important, I agree, but not at the expense of denigrating people who, for whatever reason, are less 'punctuation-savvy' than oneself.
punctuation without pain.......2007-01-24
Best and most readable book I've ever read on this subject.
Perfecting Punctuation.......2007-01-19
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation provides clear examples of common gramatical errors. The examples are clever and easy to understand. This book allows the writer to perfect punctuation without putting him or her to sleep. This book is great for everyday use, but not reccommended for people writing technical works that involve more complex styles such as APA etc.
Perfect Gift.......2007-01-10
Since first reading this book when it first came out, I have purchased about a dozen copies as gifts for students and for friends and former colleagues whose jobs require a lot of report writing. Though toungue-in-cheeky, this very entertaining book provides all the how-tos and whys you'll need in practically every writing situation.
Book Description
A non-fiction account of the annihilation of the 29th Infantry Regiment dispatched from the occupation of Okinawa to the Korean War at the earliest stage of the conflict. Author Paul G. Petredis, one of 21 survivors out of 235, chronicles his first escape, details the ongoing bloody battles which culminated with the entry of the Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) opposing the United Nations Forces. Following capture and eluding death again by escaping from the enemy, he describes his ordeal in graphic detail of 14 days behind enemy lines, bringing the reader along vicariously on the same horrific journey.
Customer Reviews:
Escape from North Korea: a Nonfiction account of Savage Battles and Political Intrigues of the Forgotten War.......2007-06-10
Facinating true story.
Escape from North Korea.......2007-04-21
Escape From North Korea by Paul G Petredis
His book is superbly researched and a darn good read of the Forgotten War and the path which lead to it. His personal experience being a soldier in Korea and surviving the conflict gives great credit to him as a man, and his narrative about how he escaped from North Korea is almost beyond description, and should be a must read for anyone who enters the US Military Service. Hope to see future writings by Paul Petredis.
F.Petersen
INSIGHT INTO IRAQ & OUR SOLDIERS.......2007-04-08
WOW... war becomes real on these pages, almost too real, and from a soldier with his first-hand account. I found it to be a story of survival and determination, and a credit to the author and to our military. I suppose the most significant part of this story, is the insight into what our soldiers are facing everyday in the Middle East. It should be "must" reading for every person in our Armed Forces, as to what to expect, and how to overcome the impending obstacles, in battle and if captured. An excellent book and a credit to its author. Well done!
An Amazing Story.......2007-03-02
An amazing story of survival behond enemy lines. Well written. The book was hard to put down as you were living the experience yourself. If you like nonfiction accounts of Survival it is a must read!
Rick Wilson
of Rick Wilson Plumbing in Gig Harbor WA
WOW ! What a book !.......2006-12-18
To use an over worked expression, this book is a "page turner". I couldn't put it down. The way it is written, I felt the debilitating cold of a Korean winter all the way to my bones. It was as if I was right there beside the author, trying to load and fire my M-1 with frozen hands as wave after wave of charging foes tried to kill me. I was there as he reluctantly surrendered, and could feel the fear as I waited my turn to be shot down as a helpless POW. Then we are with him as he makes his way back to US lines, 14 days of terror filled escape and evasion, knowing that any mistake would be death. Part 2 of this book is a very informative history. The author tells us about the causes of the Forgotten War, and explores the mind set of the leaders of both sides that caused this war to rage on long after it should have ended. I am truly grateful to the author for his service to our country and for sharing his soul with us by writing his story. I also have renewed admiration and respect for all the GI's who suffered there, especially those whose bones still litter the battlefields of the first war our country lost. Lost by the politics of the homefront, but paid for with the blood of our troops.
Average customer rating:
- Proud of This Book
- A Breath of Fresh Air
- A classic in the making....
- A classic in the making....
- Sure to be a classic
|
Escape from Heart
Lynette Stark
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Fiction
| United States
| History & Historical Fiction
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Other
| Fiction
| Religions
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Issues
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Historical Fiction
| History & Historical Fiction
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Teen Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0152023852 |
Book Description
Heart Colony, founded as a Mennonite community striving to be close to God and nature, becomes a place of fear, denial, and injustice under the cruel and evil direction of a new leader, Hezekiel Whittenstone. Sarah Ruth Heart wants one simple thing-to compete in the countywide spelling bee-but her uncle Hezekiel refuses to allow it. Sarah Ruth struggles with her desire to attend school and compete in the spelling bee, to be attractive to the boy she secretly likes, and to overstep the boundaries dictated by the repressive Hezekiel. Her secret rebellion brings danger to herself and her family, and Sarah Ruth is forced to make difficult decisions about her future-with consequences that are more far-reaching than she ever could have imagined.
Customer Reviews:
Proud of This Book.......2006-12-30
This is my book, and I am proud of it, not just because of the wonderful publisher, Harcourt, and the great editor, Karen Groves, but also because my literary agent, Laura Rennert, of Andrea Brown Literary Agency, believed in me and took a chance.
This book is largely based on a true story of what happened to friends of mine. At the time I could not say that, but circumstances have changed, and they have since said it's okay to tell that. The Mennonite kidnapping of the children from their parents, by another group of Mennonites, although slightly different, did happen, and was in our local newspaper several decades ago. It happened during the time that the prisoner escaped from the jail, stole a nearby fuel truck, because a fuel company is next to the jail, and overturned it. The Mennonites did come to the aid of the town during this event, and as described in my book, they did dig up the fuel-soaked dirt around our county courthouse, which is across from the jail. The catalyst that sent my Mennonite friends out of their colony, which is how they labeled it in our area, and how it is described in newspaper clippings, was when my friend's daughter at the Mennonite school, won the spelling bee and wanted to compete in the county-wide one, just as I described it in my book.
The spelling bee itself was based upon my oldest daughter's spelling bee experience, however. School in the South, where I live and teach school, starts in the first week of August, which is why my book starts with August. Mennonites as a whole are nice people and I respect them. However, like all of us, they suffer sometimes from following the wrong people, or things happen that they cannot control, or that someone in their group causes. The Mennonites in our area, being Southerners, do have guns, because they also hunt, like most Southerners.
Some things did NOT happen in real life in my book, however, and there was no single "Hezekiel." My whole point in my book was that good people, no matter what religion, have to learn how to stand up for what is in their hearts that they know is right, especially if a religious leader is doing something wrong. My point was that even the best of people, like the Mennonites, can have this happen. But that in the end, the best in people will prevail, which is what also happens in my book, and what happened in real life.
I hope to improve as a writer, because I know I need to, and can, and I hope to become one of the best for the sake of the stories I would like to tell, but I am proud of my first effort. I am glad that I can clear up the confusion some critics had regarding my portrayal of Mennonites in this book. I have great respect for the Mennonites, both on and off, the colony in my town.
A Breath of Fresh Air.......2002-06-17
Lynette Stark's Escape from Heart is a breath of fresh air. It is surely a book many middle school students will enjoy. Young women especially, will connect to many of Sarah Ruth Heart's struggles as a young woman. I-N-D-I-V-I-D-U-A-L-I-S-M is Sarah's theme. The quest for it defined her and set a wonderful example for teens. I also found that reading into the Mennonite way of life is an interesting peek into other cultures and beliefs. I am anxious to read Lynette Stark's future books.
Mrs. Jones, Eastview Middle School, Illinois
A classic in the making...........2001-02-02
I am more than touched by this drama of the spirit that surpasses its simplistic setting. Stark delicately weaves into her characters the vibrant colors that would not otherwise be found in the somewhat bleak landscape of the Mennonite colony. I applaud her role as storyteller and educator as I have spent many years studying various facets of American culture and find the task of presenting a studied people in mere words and paragraphs a near impossible task. This classic tale is one for all ages as the search for our own freedom, and the strength to use it, grows with age.
A classic in the making...........2001-02-02
I am more than touched by this drama of the spirit that surpasses its simplistic setting. Stark delicately weaves into her characters the vibrant colors that would not otherwise be found in the somewhat bleak landscape of the Mennonite colony. I applaud her role as storyteller and educator as I have spent many years studying various facets of American culture and find the task of presenting a studied people in mere words and paragraphs a near impossible task. This classic tale is one for all ages as the search for our own freedom, and the strength to use it, grows with age.
Sure to be a classic.......2000-10-12
What a delight! For the young reader, the story is poignant, yet purposeful; for the sophisticated reader, the novel abounds in literary technique, most heavily in symbolism. Because of the subtle nature of the symbolism, it is not distracting to the younger reader--true marks of a literary craftsman.
Average customer rating:
|
Escape from Heart
Lynette Stark
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJBGH8 |
Books:
- Emily Post's Etiquette, 17th Edition (Thumb Indexed)
- Fishing the Delaware Valley
- Fodor's Los Angeles 2007: With Disneyland and Orange County (Fodor's Gold Guides)
- Fodor's Pocket Mexico City (3rd Edition)
- Footprint Barcelona Handbook
- Footprint England, 2nd Edition (Footprint England)
- Frommer's Costa Rica 2004
- Frommer's Portable Paris from $90 a Day, First Edition
- Godden's Guide to English Blue & White Porcelain
- Greece: A Traveler's Literary Companion (Traveler's Literary Companions)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Search Engine Marketing, Inc.: Driving Search Traffic to Your Company's Web Site
- History: Fiction or Science
- Best of Mgm
- Balthus Catalogue Raisonne of the Complete Works
- Digital Compositing for Film and Video, Second Edition
- H. P. Lovecraft: Tales
- Das grosse Blumenbuch: 115 neue Aquarelle
- Controller's Guide to Planning and Controlling Operations
- Creating Value in Financial Services: Strategies, Operations and Technologies
- The Darker Passions: Dracula
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: Why, Commas Really Do Make a Difference!
Talk to the Hand: The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World Today, or Six Good Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door
The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition
Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, Second Edition
The Elements of Style Illustrated
