Customer Reviews

Adios, Strunk and White: A Handbook for the New Academic Essay, Third Edition

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is not awful. But it is not a replacement for Strunk and White's Elements of Style. Elements of Style has many advantages-- It's clear, it's short and the direction can steer no one wrong. Adios, by contrast, is a long, dense book, and might do for helping established students or writers, but is simply too large for a beginner to use. With the Elements in place, a writer can go forth and choose his or her own path. The authors of this book seem to be informed by television and video games and the magic of computers and miss the fact that good writing is good writing, no matter what the flavor of the month in popular culture might be.
I have taught writing, and I would no more use this book to teach writing than I would throw typewriters at my students to teach them typing. I had high hopes for this book, expectations that were not met. If nothing else, this book serves to show that The Elements of Style is still a valuable tool for the modern writer, one that remains useful and the first book of choice to turn to when looking for a beginning guide to writing.

I am a college level English composition instructor, and I have been teaching ENC 1101 - Freshman Comp - for 15 years, so I really thought I had tried everything on earth to help guide my students toward writing competent, exciting essays.

I introduced this book as a text - with a traditional grammar handbook as a supplement - last Fall, and I have seen amazing results.
My students understand what they are reading - the theory and practice behind the skills in the book.
This book is so well-written and lively and interesting, my students are reading chapters I have not even assigned just for fun and because they were curious. They actually read on their own for FUN!!!!??? How many times does that happen with a composition textbook????
What this has done so much better than a traditional 'rhetoric' or 'writing' textbook is take my students out of that second grade format of relying on a 3-point thesis/5 paragraph format and inspire them to be bolder, more lively, more exciting writers.

Of course, we cover more formulamatic-based writing, as many tasks in college and the real world rely on that 'Barney-fied' 3 point thesis format, but "Adios, Strunk and White" has shown my students how to 'kick it up a notch,' as Emeril Lagasse would say.

They have become more attentive, exciting writers because of our use of this book in the classroom, and I KNOW this book has changed the way I think about writing and the teaching of writing!

Adios helps me, an English and Philosophy major at Berkeley, to remember why the Word is a tool of redemption. Redemption from drab, i-before-e priestly grammar; redemption from instruction about how to write ABOUT great writers, without telling you how to BECOME a great writer. Moreover, Adios demonstrates that critical thinking and creative writing are not mutually exclusive, but actually require one another. Using wit, accessible theories and plenty of specific examples, the Hoffmans show how to achieve the essential aim of writing: clear, cogent and creative prose. Is there any other Truth? All other decrees are blasphemy. Thank you Gary and Glynis! Your book is a revlelation!

I've taught writing for 12 years, and this is one of the best books I've come across in that time. The only reason I didn't give it five stars has nothing to do with the authors--... A book on writing should be especially well-checked for typos and layout errors, but this one has more than its fair share. Still, this is a good book, and I look forward to using it in my teaching.

I used this handbook for my freshman english composition class and it opened my eyes to a whole new approach to writing. I've always loved reading and writing, but Glynis and Gary's techniques allowed me to write creatively-- I'm in love with writing now. The examples they use make the writing process accessible in ways it may not have been for a student before, plus they are inspiring and make you want to write about anything and everything. Glynis is actually my current teacher and friend: the way we write in class (according to the book) has made an extraordinary difference in my writing. Adios to boring assignments. - Ivy Leighton, OCC student (on my dad's account. :)

Whether a teacher or student, writer of fiction or non-fiction, you must read Adios, Strunk and White, Third Edition, by Gary and Glynis Hoffman. I recommended it to my fiction writing critique group and use it in my college courses. Though previous editions have been superb, the Hoffmans have surpassed themselves: the third edition of Adios, Strunk and White has cleaner explanations, plumper excerpts, with the second edition's startling range of examples from high to low, literary to scientific! A round of applause to the Hoffmans.
Donna Barnard, author of Sparks: A Reader to Energize Writing

This books is perfect for anyone wanting to add maturity to their writings. This book helped me understand a lot of concepts and techniques and I'm sure it will help all those who read it. Give it try and be amazed!

The book takes a unique, instructive view towards writing mechanics. Instead of cramming technical terms down your throat and expecting you to remember all of them, they use creative analogies and imagery to teach professional writing techniques. I give it three stars for the condition of the product and its unique style, however some of the techniques they use are what many who went to grade school before 2000 would label as run-on sentences, hence the name Modern English. It will be hard to wrap my head around writing sentences that feel and sound wrong but you don't get a choice in the curriculum of college courses.

Having had the pleasure of not only reading the Hoffman's book, but being a student in their class, I have to fully express my satisfaction with the book. It is my new Bible for english. What first struck me as unusual(considering the bland, tasteless writing I had been taught most of my educational carreer), I realized, was merely fulfillilng my earnest craving for creativity and originality. This book gets you back to the core of what writing is all about--doing it well while having fun--something teachers nowadays don't know much about. I wholeheartedly enjoyed the text, and constantly refer to it for points of enhancement in all avenues of communication. I always refer my friends and colleagues to this novel whenever they are in a writing rut, and need a little creative kick!

There is a sad state of affairs in the quality of many books about writing - whether they are style guides, technical manuals or writing coursebooks. It isn't just that they aren't especially well-written (which is something that you should be able to take for granted, given the subject matter) - the problem is that they are downright boring.

"Adios, Strunk and White" breaks out of this unfortunate mold with spectacular style. The writing is clear, clever and engaging. It respectfully pokes fun at established tradition while providing you with invaluable tools for communicating in a way that will engage your readers.

In my own book about writing, I say that "good writing doesn't just tell you something, it captures the imagination." In "Adios, Strunk and White", Gary and Glynis Hoffman do exactly that. They capture the imagination of aspiring writers, and fill them excitement about their ability to write.

Don't waste time, get a copy today - your readers will thank you.

Danny Iny
Author of "Ordinary Miracles - Harness the power of writing and get your point across!" (ISBN 1-4116-7252-6)