Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace (10th Edition) [Paperback]

Joseph M. Williams (Author), Gregory G. Colomb (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0205747469 | ISBN-13: 978-0205747467 | Publication Date: January 14, 2010 | Edition: 10

Engaging and direct, Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace is the guidebook for anyone who wants to write well.Engaging and direct, Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace is the guidebook for anyone who wants to write well.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Longman; 10 edition (January 14, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0205747469
• ISBN-13: 978-0205747467
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,126 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > Education & Reference > Writing

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Lessons, but Concise?, September 28, 2010

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pwilli! - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace (10th Edition) (Paperback)

This book contains informative lessons on grammar, sentence structure, clarity, concision, etc. The only problem I had with this book is the wordiness of the authors. Sometimes the lessons are extremely repetitive, sure it helps to drill it in your brain, but that's only if you're focused enough to keep reading. If you'd like the lessons in a shorter format, buy Style: The Basics in Clarity and Grace. You get the same lessons without the fluff.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars B.G., June 13, 2010

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B.G. (Texas) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace (10th Edition) (Paperback)

Williams stands out in a crowded field of experts on writing. He delves into more detail than any other expert on the topics of clarity and coherence, providing a systematic approach to diagnosing a piece of writing and correcting its flaws. He even has insights about concepts for which I thought no new insight was possible, such as the concept of topic sentences. While most writing instructors will teach you to use topic sentences and where to place it, Williams goes into extensive detail about what makes a proper topic sentence (what he calls a point sentence)and how it must introduce not only the paragraph's characters and actions, but also the paragraph's themes or concepts. You might uncover the same principles of clear writing if you carefully study several style books, but why work so hard when Williams has distilled and explained the principles already in one book?

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Surprisingly Interesting Read for Writing, September 20, 2011

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cookiemonster - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace (10th Edition) (Paperback)

This was one of the textbooks we used for our college writing course, and I have to admit I don't usually enjoy writing, and particularly, the grammar and style that needs to go into essays. When I heard that we had to do lessons on them with this textbook, I wasn't looking forward to it. But once I started reading, I found it to be quite interesting, as it doesn't emphasize the rules of writing, but more of writing coherently and clearly. The authors are very engaging, rather than just saying this is what you need to do in your writing. If you are looking for a book to help improve your writing style, I would say give it a try!