Fucking Apostrophes

By Simon Griffin

'At last, a book that tells you exactly where to stick your apostrophe ... funny and useful, the perfect stocking filler.' David Marsh, Guardian

Apostrophes are a pain. The rules about how to use them are complicated, and have evolved haphazardly. Originally written as advice by a copywriter for designers - wont to insert and remove apostrophes at will, for visual effect - this is a light-hearted pocket-sized guide to getting the things right.

Simon Griffin lets off steam so that we don't have to, showing precisely why 'Rhianna and Jennifer's photos were all over the internet' is quite different to 'Rhianna's and Jennifer's photos' or what words apostrophes are replacing in sentences such as 'He'd like you to buy him some cocaine', or 'They've got it all on camera.'

Elegantly produced, this is the perfect gift for any pedant, as well as an indispensable guide in all our moments of grammar-related frustration.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Icon Books
• Release date: Nov 3, 2016
• ISBN: 9781785781421

Simon Griffin

Simon Griffin has been a writer for nearly 40 years, but it’s only in the last two that people have actually used their own personal money to buy what he’s written. In 2016 his book Fucking Apostrophes became an international best-seller, featuring in the Guardian, BBC Radio 5Live and on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. He currently lives with his wife and two children in Leeds, where he uses slightly less vulgar words to earn a living as a freelance copywriter. See more at www.simon-griffin.com.

Book preview

Fucking Apostrophes. The title says it all. Despite what some might claim, the rules about how to use them are complicated, and have evolved haphazardly. This is a light-hearted guide to getting the fucking things right.

Simon Griffin lets off steam so that we don’t have to, thoughtfully explaining the difference between omission (Kim’s balancing a champagne glass on her backside) and possession (Kim’s backside may have been photoshopped), as well as the murky world of attributive nouns (Walter’s teachers manual said nothing about cooking meth).

This is the perfect gift for any pedant, as well as an indispensable guide in all our moments of grammar-related frustration.

‘At last, a book that tells you exactly where to stick your apostrophe … funny and useful, the perfect stocking filler.’

David Marsh, The Guardian

Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of the information regarding fucking apostrophes, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for damages that may result from the use of information contained within.

FUCKING APOSTROPHES

FUCKING APOSTROPHES

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A guide to show you where you can stick

Reviews for Fucking Apostrophes

[murderbydeath · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Assistant Principle I share an office with showed me this book for its audacious title, and when I saw it at the bookshop, of course I had to buy it; both for its audacity and its content since I have become a grammar nerd. Can I just tell you, it's a great little book! Only about 50 pages or so, Griffin keeps things very concise and very easy to reference. He keeps it simple: each chapter is an instance where apostrophes are used (omission, possession, etc.) and he shows examples of each in context, as well as examples and 'translations' of what wrong usage looks like. If apostrophe usage is a grey area, he offers a short explanation of why. At the end, "in case you couldn't be bothered to read the last 50 pages" he includes a short reference listing the examples of what apostrophe to use and when, with more examples. Those examples, by the way, make learning the grammar fun. A couple of examples: The men's team swapped samples. Walter's teachers manual said nothing about cooking meth. My only complaint is that he does abuse the humour of the title itself: after awhile the phrase "fucking apostrophe", used for every instance of apostrophe in a book about them, becomes a little tired and loses its humorous impact. Humor aside, this is going to be a handy little reference book for those times we're stumped on whether or not something calls for an apostrophe.