Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay: Practical Advice for the Grammatically Challenged (Paperback)

by Richard Lederer (Author), Richard Dowis (Author) "I don't want to talk grammar, I want to talk like a lady," says the irrepressible Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion..." (more)
Key Phrases: safe work behavior, right word order, spelling demons, United States, Abraham Lincoln, New York Times (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
That tireless verbivore Richard Lederer is at it again, this time providing, in cahoots with coauthor Richard Dowis, a quick-and-dirty grammar guide. In a time when Sing and Snore Ernie says, "It feels good to lay down," and Columbia University professor Edward Shapiro employs a whom where who is called for (in his book Shakespeare and the Jews), we are clearly in need of Lederer and Dowis to set us straight. In Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay, the authors steer us away from problematic words and phrases (such as Aren't I); remind us of definitions we may have, er, confused (of, say, flotsam and jetsam, podium and lectern, prone and supine); and teach us to use comprise correctly.

But Lederer and Dowis are hardly anachronous sticklers. Their section on grammatical myths advocates the judicious splitting of an infinitive, using a preposition "to end a sentence with," and even, sometimes, embracing clichés. "Different from" is almost always right, they say, but "if your ear tells you otherwise, choose different than." Their "rule" concerning comma use states that "If the addition or omission of a comma makes the meaning clearer, add it or remove it even if doing so seems to violate some other rule." How refreshing it is to encounter grammarians who do not live in a vacuum, who know that "connotations are often more important than definitions, and that the true meaning of a word or phrase is the effect it has on readers." --Jane Steinberg --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
Lederer's (Anguished English) many fans won't be disappointed by his 13th book. Mixing humor with rigor, he and coauthor Dowis have created a grammar guide for those who like their split infinitives with a side of laughter. Written in breezy, joke-filled prose and broken up into ten chapters, this work clears up confusing word-usage questions (like the difference between lay and lie), gives out spelling and grammar tips, and clears up old writing myths (they argue, for example, that it is just fine to end a sentence with a preposition). They also supply a selection of grammar games. Those wanting simple and joke-free guidance can always rely upon Strunk and White's irreplaceable Elements of Style (1979). But anyone who finds worrying over where to put a comma burdensome will appreciate Lederer and Dowis's load-lightening work. Recommended for high school and public libraries.ANeal Wyatt, Chesterfield Cty. P.L., Richmond, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1st edition (April 11, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312263945
• ISBN-13: 978-0312263942
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #436,715 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay, December 20, 1999

By	"grammargoddess" (North Easton, Mass.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay: Practical Advice For The Grammatically Challenged (Hardcover)

From the Grammar Goddess: This one is wonderful! Richard Lederer not only still finds humor in our language, he even goes over some of the rules that we all need to know but have forgotten. And he explains how to use which and that about as well as it can be explained. If you want to learn and laugh, pick up this book now!

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you are challenged by grammar, start here., August 7, 2000

By	twisesq - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay: Practical Advice For The Grammatically Challenged (Hardcover)

I'm sure my review will contain grammatical errors - alas, I did not learn as much as I could have from this book. But that is my fault, not the fault of the book, for I have always found grammar to be nearly incomprehensable. In my quest to improve my grammar, I have read a number of books, and none have been as useful and well-written as Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay. Sleeping Dogs contains something for everyone: Several chapters are devoted to basic grammatical mechanics, such as the I/me conundrum, alumnus/alumni, etc. One chapter goes through popular misspelled words ("irregardless") and misused words ("head honcho", "graduate college") and explains, in a paragraph each, why the usage is wrong and what the proper usage was. The book goes through about 12 grammatical myths, such as the popular "never end a sentence with a preposition". There are two chapters on punctuation. And throughout the book, there are actual examples of really bad grammar which the authors found in newspapers, news magazines, professional papers, and best of all - comic strips. If grammar is not your forte ("fort"), this is a great book for you.

40 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars strange book, March 4, 2002

By	Thomas B. Gross (Winchester, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay: Practical Advice For The Grammatically Challenged (Hardcover)

This is not really a book about grammar; for example, if you misuse the word "literally" or "penultimate" because who don't know what it means, well, bob's your uncle, but you are not struggling with grammar. The book has a lot of examples like these, but doesn't address many of the really difficult grammatical mistakes that I make and that I hear.

I am extremely surprised, for example, that the author does not mention the use of "Fred and I" when "Fred and me" should be used, in for example "Jane played golf with Fred and me". Strangely, the author does mention the use of "myself" in place of "me" (thus, "Jane played golf with Fred and myself") but seems to think people say "myself" because they feel it pretentious to say "me". I believe they say "myself" because they are not sure if "me" or "I" is correct. Maybe it's just I, but me hear people say "with Fred and I" all the time now, and it's driving I crazy, believe you myself.