A Dictionary of Modern American Usage (Hardcover)

by Bryan A. Garner (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
If they had to state a preference, surely all individuals who ever had occasion to write (be it a memo, love letter, quick e-mail, college essay, or novel) would opt for using appropriate, grammatically correct English. The problem isn't in the intent, it's in the availability and accessibility of clear, understandable answers. Most writers (professional and amateur) get by on what sounds right, their memory of compound predicates and serial commas being a little fuzzy. They might turn to a dictionary or even a thesaurus (or, more likely, depend on the convenience of the computer spell-checker and thesaurus functions), but grammar books are rarely cracked outside of high school English classes.

But what if there were a book that explained the rules of grammar and usage and that was precise yet easy to understand? A book that was useful, and didn't make you feel like a dunce for not knowing where to put the period when you use quotation marks? A Dictionary of Modern American Usage, written by Bryan Garner and published by Oxford University Press, could be the start of a new movement, a brave new world in which people cheerfully polish their prose, where participles rarely dangle and "less" was not substituted incorrectly for "fewer." Garner, a lawyer and lexicographer, has created a scholarly and readable masterpiece. He clarifies the dos and don'ts of commas and quotation marks, explains why it's not so awful to end sentences with prepositions, and tackles common confusions, such as lay and lie, flaunt and flout, and assure, insure, and ensure. Erudite and dryly witty, spectacularly organized and up to date, and attentive to both basic usage and advanced nuances, A Dictionary of Modern American Usage is destined to become the reference of choice for students, scribes, editors, executives, and language devotees. --Stephanie Gold

Review
OK, all you grammarians out there--here's a book to make sure you're saying it right. A Dictionary of Modern American Usage by Bryan Garner is a lively 700-page compendium of good grammar tempered (but not tainted) by common practice. -- Parade

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 752 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (December 3, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195078535
• ISBN-13: 978-0195078534
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.7 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #267,642 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This belongs in the library of all editors & writers., January 21, 2000

By	an amazon.com customer (California) - See all my reviews

This is an amazing book! I use it every single time that I edit anything, and this is one book I don't mind carrying with me to clients' sites. Garner's book has extensive coverage of most aspects of our language, broken down by individual words and phrases; his thorough cross-referencing helps the user successfully navigate throughout the entire book. Garner provides numerous examples of correct and incorrect usage of every word covered, and for each incorrect usage, he provides a suggested revision. If more than one variation of a word usage or phrase is possible (e.g., "different from" vs. "different than"), Garner tells the reader which term or phrase is used more frequently (or is more preferable) under which circumstances. It is so refreshing to see a book that provides so many rewrites instead of just criticizing poor word usage/style; the rewrites alone provide invaluable assistance to the writer and editor alike. To top if off, Garner's writing style is humorous, friendly, and quite approachable-not a hint of arrogance or condescension. Garner's upbeat, helpful attitude, along with his citing of many examples of venerable publications/authors erring in some way, makes it very difficult to feel bad about not knowing the proper usage of some word or phrase. My only criticism of his book is that he doesn't cover every single word or phrase that vexes me-but this is a minor "nit" and doesn't occur often enough to deter me from using his book on a daily basis and recommending his book to all my colleagues.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than Lovinger's, August 22, 2000

By A Customer

I bought both Lovinger's book (Penguin) and Bryan A. Garner's book for a reference library, and I find Garner's book much more thorough. Just opening up both books and comparing the type sizes and layouts shows how much more information is packed into Garner's book than Lovinger's. Garner is also meticulous about citing where he found his examples. The citations give the usage heft very much like the historical examples given for definitions in the OED. To be fair, Lovinger provides good examples, too, but they don't include the citation and are probably constructions of the author rather than real-world examples. Garner's book stands taller than Lovinger's because it also includes rehtorical and grammatical entries as well as word and usage entries. You won't find an entry for "ergative verbs" or "etymology" or "euphuism," to name just a random few from the Es. Wouldn't you rather have a usage dictionary that contains such things in case you ever want to know more about them? For these reasons, I'd say go with Garner's book. (That is, if you need something more detailed and contemporary than the second edition of H. W. Fowler's Modern English Usage; the best there is.)

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DMAU is a perfect antidote for poor usage, April 19, 1999

By A Customer

Mr. Garner's book should be on your bookshelf if you want to be recognized for excellent usage of English. To illustrate good and bad usage, DMAU is full of documented examples from books and periodicals, as well as references to Fowler and Follet. Fortunately, Mr. Garner knows more often than not which contemporary usage battles to take sides on and which are better left conceded to the "liberal linuguists." Thus, the reader can focus on the goal of developing crisp, clear meaning in written and oral communication. Because poor communication is so prevelent in business and industry, you can be recognized as a "transaction cost" cutter in your organization if you master the techniques laid out by Mr. Garner. And with that kind of recognition, the book is sure to pay for itself several times over.