The bestselling grammar book has been updated and revised to include the latest and greatest on the basics and subtleties of English, and features a new chapter on the language of the Internet.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
The second edition of O'Connor's delightful guide to good English offers a new chapter on e-mail etiquette that ought to make many people-even grammar snobs-feel a tad guilty: "E-mail," she writes, "is no excuse for lousy English." Let your audience determine your attention to tone and mechanics; use salutations and signatures; resist the urge to indiscriminately forward mail; and leave those emoticons and abbreviations at home, she says. Commonsense stuff-but every once in a while, it's nice to be reminded. The rest of the volume is similar to the first: witty, economical and fun to read, it explains the secrets to grammar in refreshingly jargon-free sentences illustrated by numerous examples ("'I assure you,' said the grieving widow, 'I ensured he was insured to the hilt'"). When is "majority" plural, and when singular? How does saying "Trixie loves spaghetti more than I?" mean something completely different than "Trixie loves spaghetti more than me?" While the volume is certainly handy to someone struggling with grammar basics-there are few style guides so breezy-the "Verbal Abuse" section will appeal to language experts and purists, especially those who decry the use of partner as a verb, or grow with a direct object (as in "grow the business"). As for those who like to use dialogue as a verb, "Don't talk to them," O'Connor says.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Review
Woe Is I is great fun. -- Susan Isaacs
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More About the Author
Patricia T. O'Conner, a former editor at The New York Times Book Review, has written five books about the English language--the bestselling Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English; Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language (with Stewart Kellerman); Words Fail Me: What Everyone Who Writes Should Know About Writing; Woe Is I Jr.: The Younger Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English; and You Send Me: Getting It Right When You Write Online (with Stewart Kellerman).
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Do you suffer from dangling modifiers? Does fretting over knowing where to place your commas give you a rash? Do "farther" and "further" throw you for a loop? Do you run screaming at the mere thought of using a semicolon? If so, then Patricia T. O'Conner's "Woe Is I" is your best medicine.
Writing in a pun-filled style that uses sentence examples ripped right out of such pop culture staples as "The Simpsons" and "The Honeymooners", O'Conner covers everything from punctuation perfidy to vexing vocabulary. Best of all, once she tells you the correct usage, she lets you know that rules truly are made to be broken, giving us the scoop on just how (and when) to break them--while still maintaining some sense of grammatical decorum.
If the mere thought of cracking open "The Chicago Manual of Style" causes palpitations, then you'll reach for this one knowing that the author does a wonderful job of simply getting to the point. With only 230 pages of text in an easy to handle trade paperback size (and set with an easy-on-the-eyes typeface), this is not an imposing tome. You don't have to be an Oxford-educated English Department chairman to appreciate this one.
"Woe is I" is a book everyone can use. No matter what your profession or station in life, if you speak English, you'll want this as a reference. Six stars, if that were possible.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
With "Woe is I," O'Connor has created a modern masterpiece. A broad range of grammar topics are covered, including pronouns, punctuation, split infinitives, clichés to avoid, easily confused words (e.g., anxious versus eager), words that are frequently misspelled, and "words" that really aren't words (e.g., irregardless). You also will find a helpful section on email in this new expanded edition.
Fortunately, the guide isn't a stuffy schoolbook; it's actually pretty witty. The most enjoyable section concerns "rules" of grammar that can be bent in all but the most formal writing, such as ending a sentence with a preposition. In addition, examples touch upon great literature (e.g., Shakespeare) as well as popular culture (e.g., Harry Potter), making the book quite entertaining. I actually laughed out loud several times, not something one usually does when reading about grammar! O'Connor also strikes a good balance between being a strict grammarian and being pragmatic - she clearly understands her audience. Some sections aren't as detailed as some readers might like, perhaps the only debit.
I read "Woe is I" in a few hours, and I plan on rereading it every year as a refresher. I will keep this book by my computer - I know I'll be using it often. Most highly recommended for writers of all types.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'll keep this short and sweet. I manage a group of technical writers at work. For consistency in the professional world of writing, they use the Chicago Manual of Style as the definitive source. Secretly, our lead writer told me she likes "Woe is I" better. I know why: It is much easier to use, has a great index, is fun to read (no one will ever say that about the Chicago Manual of Style), and covers all the essentials.
I highly recommend "Woe Is I" to everyone that cares about grammar. For those people, like me, that just want a quick reference to help them write well enough, this is perfect. If you are a professional, buy "Woe Is I" to complement your Chicago Manual of Style. I bet you will use "Woe Is I" more often :)
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Woe is I
Excellent guide to improve one's writing skills...it was recommended and my daugther loves it! According to my daughter, the english teacher says Woe is I...is their BIBLE! Read more
Published 7 months ago by Angie
Grammar WARS
This book is awesome. My high school English teacher had it in her classroom. Now it's on my book shelf. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Laurajdub
A wonderful reference and FUNNY!
The author tells you what's right and what not to worry about. She helps you remember the correct way to say/write the things most of us mess up from time to time.
Published 10 months ago by Bruce Philpott
Easy read, highly recommended
I'm a senior in college, who has always had difficulty with grammar and mechanics. This is a fun, easy-to-read book with plenty of examples and tricks, to help you avoid common... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Ian Jeffries
Good book
Although I ordered this book as an old one, I have received it in a very good condition
Published 20 months ago by Said
Great Book
I use this book because it is a fun and witty way to deal with a boring subject. It has earned the right to stay on my bookshelf, as one of the several quick reference tools, that... Read more
Published on March 22, 2010 by DER
A little too basic for me
Many of the Amazon reviewers said this book is valuable for both novices and experienced professionals, and it's funny to boot. I read four chapters and put the book aside. Read more
Published on March 4, 2010 by Leo Scanlon
Witty and Serious at the Same Time
"Woe Is I" is as much fun to read as it is instructive. Ms. O'Conner puts her points across without being stuffy or doctrinaire. Read more
Published on September 28, 2009 by Ann J. Kirschner
Slow delivery
Although it came at the very last date given, I was surprised when the other two books I ordered at the same time, came 2 weeks earlier. Read more
Published on September 22, 2009 by Lois E. M. Grebe
very usefull
This book goes straight to the point. Very usefull, specially when you're a non native speaker and want to find a grammar book not boring!!!
Published on August 5, 2009 by Corinne Coster
Inside This Book
(learn more)
First Sentence:
When a tiny word gives you a big headache, it's probably a pronoun. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
stuffed piranha, good lob Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Verbal Abuse, The Raven, New York, American English New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
When a tiny word gives you a big headache, it's probably a pronoun. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
stuffed piranha, good lob Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Verbal Abuse, The Raven, New York, American English New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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