Those who are looking for a stand-alone introductory text on generative syntax which takes the time to actually help you understand the subject should avoid this book at all costs; it's very likely you'll end up throwing it out the window, as I almost did. For those, I'd recommend Radford's text over this one (despite, again, the fact that Radford's is somewhat outdated). Those who are taking a course or are otherwise familiar to some degree with the subject and need a refresher will probably find Carnie's book useful.
In attempting to reduce the barriers of entry to the study of syntax, Carnie has created a book which reads very much like what you might imagine "The Edicts of the Linguistics Gods", snobbishly dumbed down, woefully unsupported - and wildly inconsistent in depth from chapter to chapter.
Reading the book was a nauseating experience that left me physically ill by the end of Chapter 5. I found myself asking "Why?" at the end of nearly every paragraph, but Carnie unfortunately almost never answered, or if he did, succeeded in only confusing me with more pedantic "thou shalt do this" or "thou shalt not do that" sorts of rules ... indeed, quite a prescriptivist approach.
As respite from Carnie I found myself seeking solace in the careful, explicitly reasoned, and genuinely persuasive arguments of another Andrew - Andrew Radford (whose "Transformational Grammar", while somewhat outdated, felt like a refreshing breeze in comparison).
ISBN-13: 978-1405133845
ISBN-10: 1405133848
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Perfect condition, very useful for linguistic courses at school.
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Mr L A Mayorga
Good book, but super late
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 9, 2019
