The Elephants of Style: A Trunkload of Tips on the Big Issues and Gray Areas of Contemporary American English

By Bill Walsh

Advice on good writing from everybody's favorite editorial curmudgeon

Persnickety, cantankerous, opinionated, entertaining, hilarious, wise...these are a few of the adjectives reviewers used to describe good-writing maven Bill Walsh's previous book, Lapsing Into a Comma. Now, picking up where he left off in Lapsing, Walsh addresses the dozen or so biggest issues that every writer or editor must master. He also offers a trunkload of good advice on the many little things that add up to good writing. Featuring all the elements that made Lapsing such a fun read, including Walsh's trademark acerbic wit and fascinating digressions on language and its discontents, The Elephants of Style provides:

• Tips on how to tame the "elephants of style"--the most important, frequently confused elements of good writing
• More of Walsh's popular "Curmudgeon's Stylebook"--includes entries such as Snarky Specificity, Metaphors, Near and Far, Actually is the New Like, and other uses and misuses of language
• Expert advice for writers and editors on how to work together for best results

• Language: English
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
• Release date: Apr 22, 2004
• ISBN: 9780071442756

Bill Walsh

BILL WALSH is a copy editor at The Washington Post, where he has worked since 1997. He is a regular presenter at the annual conferences of the American Copy Editors Society. He is the author of Lapsing Into a Comma and The Elephants of Style.

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Reviews for The Elephants of Style

[xlsg_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Now somewhat dated, still has some good advice presented with wit. If you're only a critical reader, not a writer or editor, don't bother. The Flair! Elan! Panache! chapter was especially fun.

[kaelirenee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ack-my library catalog gave the subject heading for this books as English Language---Usage---Humor. I read it after reading "Grammar snobs are great big meanies." Only one of those books belongs in that subject heading, and it's not this one. Yes, this one is a great usage guide, especially for newspaper writers, especially older ones. But it's not funny. I'm bummed. Sure, it's more entertaining than reading the Chicago Manual of Style (but then, what isn't?), but it's not as funny as "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" or "Grammar Snobs..."