Write Right!: A Desktop Digest of Punctuation, Grammar, and Style [Paperback]

Jan Venolia (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1995 | ISBN-10: 0898156769 | ISBN-13: 978-0898156768 | Edition: 3rd

This popular desktop guide to punctuation, grammar, and style was first published two decades ago. Now in its third revision, Write Right! reflects how the language has changed since the book first appeared. The updated information in this new version makes it even more useful as a handy guide. Write Right! simplifies the most important points of written English. The quotations from literature and politics that demonstrate proper usage add an element of fun to the book's practical advice. Lists of frequently misspelled and misused words help the writer avoid embarrassing mistakes. Write Right! belongs at your side - at work, in the home, or at school.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An invaluable tool for executives, secretaries, students...it illustrates the right and wrong ways by easy-to-grasp examples. -- Los Angeles Times

About the Author

JAN VENOLIA has been helping people improve their writing for more than 30 years. A veteran writer and editor, Jan lends her expertise to workshops and conferences. She lives in Gualala, California. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 153 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press; 3rd edition (March 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898156769
• ISBN-13: 978-0898156768
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,672,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I am a copy editor who uses this book religiously., September 27, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Geenville, Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Write Right!: A Desktop Digest of Punctuation, Grammar, and Style (Paperback)

I use it as as an authority on grammar, punctuation, and style. This wire-bound, mid-size reference is a gem. It contains almost everything--if not everything--I have ever had to look up. It is concise, making it an easy read. Despite its being concise, Jan Venolia gives thorough, comprehendable explanations of the way words are supposed to be put together.

This book exemplifies its title.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Relief for Beginners, October 6, 2002

By 

STL (Redlands, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Write Right!: A Desktop Digest of Punctuation, Grammar, and Style (Paperback)

I'm just beginning to teach a freshman writing course at a local college for the first time. Although I have a master's degree in English, I should confess that I've used grammar by "feel." That is to say, I didn't know the rules, but I have read a lot, and I just wrote by instinct. I'm not defending this approach, just explaining!

So now I'm faced with the necessity of teaching grammar to my freshmen students. Alas! After a couple of embarrassing and week lectures, I went to the bookstore to get help. I spent about four hours looking for grammar books I could stand to read myself, and that would help me learn enough to teach my students. Most of the books were very technical and overly-detailed for me, and surely for my students as well. However, I found this book, along with a couple of others that were truly a relief in their clarity, fun approach, and pared down lessons.

So, for anyone else who's just starting out studying grammar, I highly recommend this book. It's simple, relevant, understandable, and whimsical. It's not scary, too technical, and too much information. I don't think you'll be disappointed, unless you really WANT to learn every detail.

Also, the other books I found that were helpful were Grammar for Smart People by Barry Tarshis, and The Everything Grammar and Style Book by Susan Thurman. There's another one called Woe is I that I didn't buy but am thinking about doing so. All of these even look fun, so I brought them in to show my students. I thought perhaps if they saw that grammar books don't have to be boring, boring, and more boring, they might someday possibly maybe consider thinking about buying one of them.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Write Right! is Right On!, October 1, 2000

By 

Dan Poynter "Author-Publisher-Speaker" (Santa Barbara, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Write Right!: A Desktop Digest of Punctuation, Grammar, and Style (Paperback)

As an author and a publisher, I find this book an essential reference. I keep it next to my dictionary, within easy reach. (The earlier editions) have been my constant companion for over 20 years. Jan Venolia makes the rules for punctuation, grammar and style easy to find and easy to understand. Her examples in the form of historical quotations make the rules comprehensible. This fascinating book will be a constant reference for every author, publisher, and bibliophile. And you can't beat the price. [e-mail]