Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

Absolutely brilliant!!!, 16 Apr 2008
This book is worth its weight in gold for anyone who needs to write essays and I have recommended it to many of my friends. I have always been able to write decent enough essays, getting A grade GCSEs and A/ B grade Alevels, but my undergraduate essays never quite seemed to reach the top marks. I couldn't quite understand this though because I always got top marks for my scientific reports, literature reviews, and exams yet my essays never seemed to go above a 2:1. If I put in a huge amount of effort I would be able to reach a high 2:1, while hardly any effort would get me a low 2:1, I just couldn't seem to break out of it! That was until I read this book.

This book was an absolute delight to read. It is extremely well written, interesting and engaging. To be honest, I just couldn't put it down. It was as though everything clicked into place for me - I could see exactly where I'd been going wrong. The book breaks down the process of essay writing into steps starting from how to think about essay questions, how to make notes and read background material, right through to writing style and proof reading. It is broken down in a way which is easy to follow and apply. But more than just improving your essays, this book provides advise on how to think more creatively - so you can reach those 1st class grades. However good your essays currently are, Greethams book will undoubtedly improve them, and I would reccommend it to every undergraduate!

Before I read this book I always found essay writing a laborious and painful process which I usually procrastinated about and spent many days dreading having to actually get down and do. This book actually made the whole process of essay writing much more enjoyable, and actually much quicker. My essays now take much less time (from background reading to final draft), get better marks, and are more enjoyable to write - what more could any student want. The first essay I wrote after finishing this book got a 1st, and I have never got anything less than a 1st for any essay since.

It is now nearly 2 years since I read this book and I have recently graduated (with a 1st). I deceided to write this review because I feel so indebted to Greetham's book for transforming my academic experience.

The only guide you need for essays, 01 Jan 2008
Having been stuggling to find a good guide to essay writing my prayers were answered when i happen to stubble across this one. 'How to write better essays' is everything you need to know to write better essays from time management, researching, structure etc... Easy to read and filled with practical exercises to help build up your skills. Love this quide!

It worked for me., 08 Oct 2007
This is a good book that is packed with useful advice that really makes a difference. We were told to buy a really useless book that was supposed to make you better at legal reasoning and essay writing but it was a total waste of time so I bought this book instead and it has really made my marks better. It was a bit dull in places and there could have been a bit more effort made to make the whole thing easier to follow but the results make it worth the effort of ploughing through it as you end up with all sorts of ideas about how to make your work better. It worked for me.

How to write better essays., 09 Feb 2006
This book is horribly unengaging. It is difficult to simply pick up and read because the boring nature of the subject is presented in dull, lifeless format.

The content is superb if you persevere; greetham goes into great depth from interpreting the essay title through to presentation. I have improved from low 60's to high 60's over christmas in my second year of a degree from using this book.

So; if you do not need visual stimulus to keep you engaged then this is for you.

my grades went from C's to A's..., 06 Jan 2006
If you've only written essays at GCSE or A level then it can be a huge leap into a different territory when you begin writing undergraduate level assignments. This book fills in the gaps in a totally accessible way and is suitable for all study levels.
After reading it and putting the techniques into practice my grades went from C's to A's - need I say more!

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

Absolutely brilliant!!!, 16 Apr 2008
This book is worth its weight in gold for anyone who needs to write essays and I have recommended it to many of my friends. I have always been able to write decent enough essays, getting A grade GCSEs and A/ B grade Alevels, but my undergraduate essays never quite seemed to reach the top marks. I couldn't quite understand this though because I always got top marks for my scientific reports, literature reviews, and exams yet my essays never seemed to go above a 2:1. If I put in a huge amount of effort I would be able to reach a high 2:1, while hardly any effort would get me a low 2:1, I just couldn't seem to break out of it! That was until I read this book.

This book was an absolute delight to read. It is extremely well written, interesting and engaging. To be honest, I just couldn't put it down. It was as though everything clicked into place for me - I could see exactly where I'd been going wrong. The book breaks down the process of essay writing into steps starting from how to think about essay questions, how to make notes and read background material, right through to writing style and proof reading. It is broken down in a way which is easy to follow and apply. But more than just improving your essays, this book provides advise on how to think more creatively - so you can reach those 1st class grades. However good your essays currently are, Greethams book will undoubtedly improve them, and I would reccommend it to every undergraduate!

Before I read this book I always found essay writing a laborious and painful process which I usually procrastinated about and spent many days dreading having to actually get down and do. This book actually made the whole process of essay writing much more enjoyable, and actually much quicker. My essays now take much less time (from background reading to final draft), get better marks, and are more enjoyable to write - what more could any student want. The first essay I wrote after finishing this book got a 1st, and I have never got anything less than a 1st for any essay since.

It is now nearly 2 years since I read this book and I have recently graduated (with a 1st). I deceided to write this review because I feel so indebted to Greetham's book for transforming my academic experience.

The only guide you need for essays, 01 Jan 2008
Having been stuggling to find a good guide to essay writing my prayers were answered when i happen to stubble across this one. 'How to write better essays' is everything you need to know to write better essays from time management, researching, structure etc... Easy to read and filled with practical exercises to help build up your skills. Love this quide!

It worked for me., 08 Oct 2007
This is a good book that is packed with useful advice that really makes a difference. We were told to buy a really useless book that was supposed to make you better at legal reasoning and essay writing but it was a total waste of time so I bought this book instead and it has really made my marks better. It was a bit dull in places and there could have been a bit more effort made to make the whole thing easier to follow but the results make it worth the effort of ploughing through it as you end up with all sorts of ideas about how to make your work better. It worked for me.

How to write better essays., 09 Feb 2006
This book is horribly unengaging. It is difficult to simply pick up and read because the boring nature of the subject is presented in dull, lifeless format.

The content is superb if you persevere; greetham goes into great depth from interpreting the essay title through to presentation. I have improved from low 60's to high 60's over christmas in my second year of a degree from using this book.

So; if you do not need visual stimulus to keep you engaged then this is for you.

my grades went from C's to A's..., 06 Jan 2006
If you've only written essays at GCSE or A level then it can be a huge leap into a different territory when you begin writing undergraduate level assignments. This book fills in the gaps in a totally accessible way and is suitable for all study levels.
After reading it and putting the techniques into practice my grades went from C's to A's - need I say more!

Very, very irritating, 16 Nov 2008
There are a few newspaper-sponsored style guides out there, for people who want to write the kind of English that those papers happen to favour, and "Guardian Style" is, by a long way, the most annoying one available. If you start from the idea that good style in a paper should be as close as possible to plain educated speech, then this book will help to explain why the Guardian is such an annoying paper to read, especially if you are the sort of person who it is clearly aimed at. I am, I think, the Guardian's idea of one of its kinds of reader, and yet while I find its news coverage fairly adequate (although when I really want to know what's going on I read the Financial Times) I find their op-ed content insufferable. "Guardian Style" is chiefly of forensic interest: it will show you the many ways in which a supposedly left-liberal paper fails, over and over again, to have the courage of its supposed convictions.

If you really want to read a good guide to journalistic style, I recommend the "Economist Style Guide". The Economist's uncritical reverence for the free market is genuinely loony, but its attitude to language is sensible and manages to be straightforward without being too obviously biased - unlike the Guardian, which (as this book demonstrates) would be printed in Newspeak if the publishers thought they could get away with it.

badly written, 12 Apr 2008
If you have ever wondered why the writing in the Guardian is often so appalling, here is your answer. The irritating tone of this guide is snotty and pompous; embodying a kind of Guardian speak faux-piety poorly disguising smug complacency.

Strangely Brilliant, 12 Dec 2007
While it sounds dry and obvious to say that this is the guide to grammar and word usage for the newspaper The Guardian, that is what this is.

However, the result is far far more compelling and enjoyable than the description. This book is like a mad cross between the 'Grammar is important' ethos of Eats Shoots and Leaves and the random fun of Schott's Miscellany and is better than either.

While I could continue to describe the contents of the book, citing my favourite entries, whatever I say is going to sound boring. Trust me, if you enjoy language you will enjoy this book a lot (not alot).

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

Absolutely brilliant!!!, 16 Apr 2008
This book is worth its weight in gold for anyone who needs to write essays and I have recommended it to many of my friends. I have always been able to write decent enough essays, getting A grade GCSEs and A/ B grade Alevels, but my undergraduate essays never quite seemed to reach the top marks. I couldn't quite understand this though because I always got top marks for my scientific reports, literature reviews, and exams yet my essays never seemed to go above a 2:1. If I put in a huge amount of effort I would be able to reach a high 2:1, while hardly any effort would get me a low 2:1, I just couldn't seem to break out of it! That was until I read this book.

This book was an absolute delight to read. It is extremely well written, interesting and engaging. To be honest, I just couldn't put it down. It was as though everything clicked into place for me - I could see exactly where I'd been going wrong. The book breaks down the process of essay writing into steps starting from how to think about essay questions, how to make notes and read background material, right through to writing style and proof reading. It is broken down in a way which is easy to follow and apply. But more than just improving your essays, this book provides advise on how to think more creatively - so you can reach those 1st class grades. However good your essays currently are, Greethams book will undoubtedly improve them, and I would reccommend it to every undergraduate!

Before I read this book I always found essay writing a laborious and painful process which I usually procrastinated about and spent many days dreading having to actually get down and do. This book actually made the whole process of essay writing much more enjoyable, and actually much quicker. My essays now take much less time (from background reading to final draft), get better marks, and are more enjoyable to write - what more could any student want. The first essay I wrote after finishing this book got a 1st, and I have never got anything less than a 1st for any essay since.

It is now nearly 2 years since I read this book and I have recently graduated (with a 1st). I deceided to write this review because I feel so indebted to Greetham's book for transforming my academic experience.

The only guide you need for essays, 01 Jan 2008
Having been stuggling to find a good guide to essay writing my prayers were answered when i happen to stubble across this one. 'How to write better essays' is everything you need to know to write better essays from time management, researching, structure etc... Easy to read and filled with practical exercises to help build up your skills. Love this quide!

It worked for me., 08 Oct 2007
This is a good book that is packed with useful advice that really makes a difference. We were told to buy a really useless book that was supposed to make you better at legal reasoning and essay writing but it was a total waste of time so I bought this book instead and it has really made my marks better. It was a bit dull in places and there could have been a bit more effort made to make the whole thing easier to follow but the results make it worth the effort of ploughing through it as you end up with all sorts of ideas about how to make your work better. It worked for me.

How to write better essays., 09 Feb 2006
This book is horribly unengaging. It is difficult to simply pick up and read because the boring nature of the subject is presented in dull, lifeless format.

The content is superb if you persevere; greetham goes into great depth from interpreting the essay title through to presentation. I have improved from low 60's to high 60's over christmas in my second year of a degree from using this book.

So; if you do not need visual stimulus to keep you engaged then this is for you.

my grades went from C's to A's..., 06 Jan 2006
If you've only written essays at GCSE or A level then it can be a huge leap into a different territory when you begin writing undergraduate level assignments. This book fills in the gaps in a totally accessible way and is suitable for all study levels.
After reading it and putting the techniques into practice my grades went from C's to A's - need I say more!

Very, very irritating, 16 Nov 2008
There are a few newspaper-sponsored style guides out there, for people who want to write the kind of English that those papers happen to favour, and "Guardian Style" is, by a long way, the most annoying one available. If you start from the idea that good style in a paper should be as close as possible to plain educated speech, then this book will help to explain why the Guardian is such an annoying paper to read, especially if you are the sort of person who it is clearly aimed at. I am, I think, the Guardian's idea of one of its kinds of reader, and yet while I find its news coverage fairly adequate (although when I really want to know what's going on I read the Financial Times) I find their op-ed content insufferable. "Guardian Style" is chiefly of forensic interest: it will show you the many ways in which a supposedly left-liberal paper fails, over and over again, to have the courage of its supposed convictions.

If you really want to read a good guide to journalistic style, I recommend the "Economist Style Guide". The Economist's uncritical reverence for the free market is genuinely loony, but its attitude to language is sensible and manages to be straightforward without being too obviously biased - unlike the Guardian, which (as this book demonstrates) would be printed in Newspeak if the publishers thought they could get away with it.

badly written, 12 Apr 2008
If you have ever wondered why the writing in the Guardian is often so appalling, here is your answer. The irritating tone of this guide is snotty and pompous; embodying a kind of Guardian speak faux-piety poorly disguising smug complacency.

Strangely Brilliant, 12 Dec 2007
While it sounds dry and obvious to say that this is the guide to grammar and word usage for the newspaper The Guardian, that is what this is.

However, the result is far far more compelling and enjoyable than the description. This book is like a mad cross between the 'Grammar is important' ethos of Eats Shoots and Leaves and the random fun of Schott's Miscellany and is better than either.

While I could continue to describe the contents of the book, citing my favourite entries, whatever I say is going to sound boring. Trust me, if you enjoy language you will enjoy this book a lot (not alot).

Why buy this book?, 07 Nov 2008
I purchased this book on the basis of the 15 excellent reviews it already had on Amazon as I was having difficulty learning hiragana; I was simply drawing the characters over and over. Having read a general introduction the book began with "these are the first ten characters, draw them out until you know them then do the following exercise... I didn't need a whole book to tell me that, it seemed to make the rest of the book irrelevant so why read any further?

Simple workbook...... unbelieveable results!, 08 Jul 2008
This has to be the best learning tool ANYONE can use when attempting to learn Hiragana. I have just started to learn Japanese and felt it important to learn both Hiragana and Katakana. Over the past week I have been using this for about an hour a day and have already attained near fluency in Hiragana.....PAINLESSLY!
Seriously I have just worked through each page and am astounded with the results! I felt it would take months of dilligent study to remember the "countless" Hiragana, but the brilliantly structured approach and clever excercises made it SO easy I just had to share my feelings. While only half way thorough the book I was SO impressed I decided to purchase both the "Let's Learn Katakana" and "Let's Learn Kanji" from the same series.
I hope this review will help anybody wondering whether to purchase this or not.... please do if you want results FAST!

Sugoi (great) learning material, 28 Feb 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn hirigana over a month, but i was quickly proved wrong as the book made the process easy, fun and very quick to learn and I was finished in about 2 weeks. This book is really worth the money if you are willing to put in the time, then rewards reaped are bountiful. Everything from stroke order to what kind of stroke is shown making the process easier to follow rather than throwing you into the deep end with no help. I have also bought the katakana version and attempting to learn that too.
I really do recommend any budding person trying to learn the Japanese language to start with hirigana using this book. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I have.

The Best Book I've Come Across For Learning Hiragana, 02 Jan 2008
This has to be by far the best book that I have found for learning to read and write Hiragana. Many other books out there just show charts and guides - but they don't teach it to you, or have special exercises laid out.
With this book and as little as 20 minutes a day, I have been able to go from being able to read absolutely no Hiragana, to virtually anything now written in Hiragana in just a week and a half.
I would recommend this book wholeheartedly to anyone wishing to learn Hiragana as you can learn it confidently and competatively, solely with this book.
To anyone who buys this book I hope you find as useful as I have,
Ganbatte!

Amazing, 12 Oct 2007
I've always wanted to learn Japanese, not just speaking, but writing as well. I finished this book a little while ago, and just recently finished the Katakana workbook too. It's put me at a great advantage for college!
I would seriously recommend this book to anyone

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

Absolutely brilliant!!!, 16 Apr 2008
This book is worth its weight in gold for anyone who needs to write essays and I have recommended it to many of my friends. I have always been able to write decent enough essays, getting A grade GCSEs and A/ B grade Alevels, but my undergraduate essays never quite seemed to reach the top marks. I couldn't quite understand this though because I always got top marks for my scientific reports, literature reviews, and exams yet my essays never seemed to go above a 2:1. If I put in a huge amount of effort I would be able to reach a high 2:1, while hardly any effort would get me a low 2:1, I just couldn't seem to break out of it! That was until I read this book.

This book was an absolute delight to read. It is extremely well written, interesting and engaging. To be honest, I just couldn't put it down. It was as though everything clicked into place for me - I could see exactly where I'd been going wrong. The book breaks down the process of essay writing into steps starting from how to think about essay questions, how to make notes and read background material, right through to writing style and proof reading. It is broken down in a way which is easy to follow and apply. But more than just improving your essays, this book provides advise on how to think more creatively - so you can reach those 1st class grades. However good your essays currently are, Greethams book will undoubtedly improve them, and I would reccommend it to every undergraduate!

Before I read this book I always found essay writing a laborious and painful process which I usually procrastinated about and spent many days dreading having to actually get down and do. This book actually made the whole process of essay writing much more enjoyable, and actually much quicker. My essays now take much less time (from background reading to final draft), get better marks, and are more enjoyable to write - what more could any student want. The first essay I wrote after finishing this book got a 1st, and I have never got anything less than a 1st for any essay since.

It is now nearly 2 years since I read this book and I have recently graduated (with a 1st). I deceided to write this review because I feel so indebted to Greetham's book for transforming my academic experience.

The only guide you need for essays, 01 Jan 2008
Having been stuggling to find a good guide to essay writing my prayers were answered when i happen to stubble across this one. 'How to write better essays' is everything you need to know to write better essays from time management, researching, structure etc... Easy to read and filled with practical exercises to help build up your skills. Love this quide!

It worked for me., 08 Oct 2007
This is a good book that is packed with useful advice that really makes a difference. We were told to buy a really useless book that was supposed to make you better at legal reasoning and essay writing but it was a total waste of time so I bought this book instead and it has really made my marks better. It was a bit dull in places and there could have been a bit more effort made to make the whole thing easier to follow but the results make it worth the effort of ploughing through it as you end up with all sorts of ideas about how to make your work better. It worked for me.

How to write better essays., 09 Feb 2006
This book is horribly unengaging. It is difficult to simply pick up and read because the boring nature of the subject is presented in dull, lifeless format.

The content is superb if you persevere; greetham goes into great depth from interpreting the essay title through to presentation. I have improved from low 60's to high 60's over christmas in my second year of a degree from using this book.

So; if you do not need visual stimulus to keep you engaged then this is for you.

my grades went from C's to A's..., 06 Jan 2006
If you've only written essays at GCSE or A level then it can be a huge leap into a different territory when you begin writing undergraduate level assignments. This book fills in the gaps in a totally accessible way and is suitable for all study levels.
After reading it and putting the techniques into practice my grades went from C's to A's - need I say more!

Very, very irritating, 16 Nov 2008
There are a few newspaper-sponsored style guides out there, for people who want to write the kind of English that those papers happen to favour, and "Guardian Style" is, by a long way, the most annoying one available. If you start from the idea that good style in a paper should be as close as possible to plain educated speech, then this book will help to explain why the Guardian is such an annoying paper to read, especially if you are the sort of person who it is clearly aimed at. I am, I think, the Guardian's idea of one of its kinds of reader, and yet while I find its news coverage fairly adequate (although when I really want to know what's going on I read the Financial Times) I find their op-ed content insufferable. "Guardian Style" is chiefly of forensic interest: it will show you the many ways in which a supposedly left-liberal paper fails, over and over again, to have the courage of its supposed convictions.

If you really want to read a good guide to journalistic style, I recommend the "Economist Style Guide". The Economist's uncritical reverence for the free market is genuinely loony, but its attitude to language is sensible and manages to be straightforward without being too obviously biased - unlike the Guardian, which (as this book demonstrates) would be printed in Newspeak if the publishers thought they could get away with it.

badly written, 12 Apr 2008
If you have ever wondered why the writing in the Guardian is often so appalling, here is your answer. The irritating tone of this guide is snotty and pompous; embodying a kind of Guardian speak faux-piety poorly disguising smug complacency.

Strangely Brilliant, 12 Dec 2007
While it sounds dry and obvious to say that this is the guide to grammar and word usage for the newspaper The Guardian, that is what this is.

However, the result is far far more compelling and enjoyable than the description. This book is like a mad cross between the 'Grammar is important' ethos of Eats Shoots and Leaves and the random fun of Schott's Miscellany and is better than either.

While I could continue to describe the contents of the book, citing my favourite entries, whatever I say is going to sound boring. Trust me, if you enjoy language you will enjoy this book a lot (not alot).

Why buy this book?, 07 Nov 2008
I purchased this book on the basis of the 15 excellent reviews it already had on Amazon as I was having difficulty learning hiragana; I was simply drawing the characters over and over. Having read a general introduction the book began with "these are the first ten characters, draw them out until you know them then do the following exercise... I didn't need a whole book to tell me that, it seemed to make the rest of the book irrelevant so why read any further?

Simple workbook...... unbelieveable results!, 08 Jul 2008
This has to be the best learning tool ANYONE can use when attempting to learn Hiragana. I have just started to learn Japanese and felt it important to learn both Hiragana and Katakana. Over the past week I have been using this for about an hour a day and have already attained near fluency in Hiragana.....PAINLESSLY!
Seriously I have just worked through each page and am astounded with the results! I felt it would take months of dilligent study to remember the "countless" Hiragana, but the brilliantly structured approach and clever excercises made it SO easy I just had to share my feelings. While only half way thorough the book I was SO impressed I decided to purchase both the "Let's Learn Katakana" and "Let's Learn Kanji" from the same series.
I hope this review will help anybody wondering whether to purchase this or not.... please do if you want results FAST!

Sugoi (great) learning material, 28 Feb 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn hirigana over a month, but i was quickly proved wrong as the book made the process easy, fun and very quick to learn and I was finished in about 2 weeks. This book is really worth the money if you are willing to put in the time, then rewards reaped are bountiful. Everything from stroke order to what kind of stroke is shown making the process easier to follow rather than throwing you into the deep end with no help. I have also bought the katakana version and attempting to learn that too.
I really do recommend any budding person trying to learn the Japanese language to start with hirigana using this book. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I have.

The Best Book I've Come Across For Learning Hiragana, 02 Jan 2008
This has to be by far the best book that I have found for learning to read and write Hiragana. Many other books out there just show charts and guides - but they don't teach it to you, or have special exercises laid out.
With this book and as little as 20 minutes a day, I have been able to go from being able to read absolutely no Hiragana, to virtually anything now written in Hiragana in just a week and a half.
I would recommend this book wholeheartedly to anyone wishing to learn Hiragana as you can learn it confidently and competatively, solely with this book.
To anyone who buys this book I hope you find as useful as I have,
Ganbatte!

Amazing, 12 Oct 2007
I've always wanted to learn Japanese, not just speaking, but writing as well. I finished this book a little while ago, and just recently finished the Katakana workbook too. It's put me at a great advantage for college!
I would seriously recommend this book to anyone

RMT Rocks!, 05 Jul 2002
I study History and English joint honours at UCL, and was struggling with essay assignments. Until I bought this book. In a word, RMT rocks! His guide is funny, to the point, and very, very, cool. I would never have thought learning to write essays could be fun - but this book proved me wrong. I've lent it to all my friends too (sorry, RMT!). But I can recommend buying this - all the other reviewers here are right: this is the best book of its kind. My essays went up from 3rd/low 2.ii to mid-high 2.1. Can't say more than that, really.

The best of the bunch - by far, 31 May 2002
I'm a third-year student of English at the University of Leeds. I bought this book at the beginning of the year, and I haven't looked back since. Not only is this the funniest book of its kind; it is absolutely stunningly good. I've checked out ALL the others, and if you want to save yourself some time, get this one. Richard Marggraf Turley must be some kind of god - he knows EXACTLY what tutors want to see in an essay, and tells you EXACTLY how do do it. Like the other reviewers here, my grades went up by a whole class since I got this book - and I've earned two firsts so far this semester.

this book is the best!, 31 Dec 2001
I heard about this book from a friend. Apparently lots of people are using it now. I don't usually use study guides - and I never write reviews on the internet - but this one was different. All the things I'd struggled with before were explained in plain terms - things like linking expressions and structure. I was so impressed by the way the author sets everything out in a logical and easy to understand way. This book really is the best. I can honestly say that I got better marks for my last two essays because I used it. Richard Marggraf Turley seems to know just what my tutors wanted to see.

bang up-to-date, funny, and completely relevant, 23 Dec 2000
I have to agree with everything the reviewer from Leeds says: this book rules! My grades have gone up across the board (I'm a joint honours student, English and history). Marggraf Turley's book makes you feel like you've got a friendly tutor sitting right next to you when you're writing your essays. I can't recommend this one strongly enough!

bang up-to-date, funny, and completely relevant, 23 Dec 2000
I have to agree with everything the reviewer from Leeds says: this book rules! My grades have gone up across the board (I'm a joint honours student, English and history). Marggraf Turley's book makes you feel like you've got a friendly tutor sitting right next to you when you're writing your essays. I can't recommend this one strongly enough!

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

Absolutely brilliant!!!, 16 Apr 2008
This book is worth its weight in gold for anyone who needs to write essays and I have recommended it to many of my friends. I have always been able to write decent enough essays, getting A grade GCSEs and A/ B grade Alevels, but my undergraduate essays never quite seemed to reach the top marks. I couldn't quite understand this though because I always got top marks for my scientific reports, literature reviews, and exams yet my essays never seemed to go above a 2:1. If I put in a huge amount of effort I would be able to reach a high 2:1, while hardly any effort would get me a low 2:1, I just couldn't seem to break out of it! That was until I read this book.

This book was an absolute delight to read. It is extremely well written, interesting and engaging. To be honest, I just couldn't put it down. It was as though everything clicked into place for me - I could see exactly where I'd been going wrong. The book breaks down the process of essay writing into steps starting from how to think about essay questions, how to make notes and read background material, right through to writing style and proof reading. It is broken down in a way which is easy to follow and apply. But more than just improving your essays, this book provides advise on how to think more creatively - so you can reach those 1st class grades. However good your essays currently are, Greethams book will undoubtedly improve them, and I would reccommend it to every undergraduate!

Before I read this book I always found essay writing a laborious and painful process which I usually procrastinated about and spent many days dreading having to actually get down and do. This book actually made the whole process of essay writing much more enjoyable, and actually much quicker. My essays now take much less time (from background reading to final draft), get better marks, and are more enjoyable to write - what more could any student want. The first essay I wrote after finishing this book got a 1st, and I have never got anything less than a 1st for any essay since.

It is now nearly 2 years since I read this book and I have recently graduated (with a 1st). I deceided to write this review because I feel so indebted to Greetham's book for transforming my academic experience.

The only guide you need for essays, 01 Jan 2008
Having been stuggling to find a good guide to essay writing my prayers were answered when i happen to stubble across this one. 'How to write better essays' is everything you need to know to write better essays from time management, researching, structure etc... Easy to read and filled with practical exercises to help build up your skills. Love this quide!

It worked for me., 08 Oct 2007
This is a good book that is packed with useful advice that really makes a difference. We were told to buy a really useless book that was supposed to make you better at legal reasoning and essay writing but it was a total waste of time so I bought this book instead and it has really made my marks better. It was a bit dull in places and there could have been a bit more effort made to make the whole thing easier to follow but the results make it worth the effort of ploughing through it as you end up with all sorts of ideas about how to make your work better. It worked for me.

How to write better essays., 09 Feb 2006
This book is horribly unengaging. It is difficult to simply pick up and read because the boring nature of the subject is presented in dull, lifeless format.

The content is superb if you persevere; greetham goes into great depth from interpreting the essay title through to presentation. I have improved from low 60's to high 60's over christmas in my second year of a degree from using this book.

So; if you do not need visual stimulus to keep you engaged then this is for you.

my grades went from C's to A's..., 06 Jan 2006
If you've only written essays at GCSE or A level then it can be a huge leap into a different territory when you begin writing undergraduate level assignments. This book fills in the gaps in a totally accessible way and is suitable for all study levels.
After reading it and putting the techniques into practice my grades went from C's to A's - need I say more!

Very, very irritating, 16 Nov 2008
There are a few newspaper-sponsored style guides out there, for people who want to write the kind of English that those papers happen to favour, and "Guardian Style" is, by a long way, the most annoying one available. If you start from the idea that good style in a paper should be as close as possible to plain educated speech, then this book will help to explain why the Guardian is such an annoying paper to read, especially if you are the sort of person who it is clearly aimed at. I am, I think, the Guardian's idea of one of its kinds of reader, and yet while I find its news coverage fairly adequate (although when I really want to know what's going on I read the Financial Times) I find their op-ed content insufferable. "Guardian Style" is chiefly of forensic interest: it will show you the many ways in which a supposedly left-liberal paper fails, over and over again, to have the courage of its supposed convictions.

If you really want to read a good guide to journalistic style, I recommend the "Economist Style Guide". The Economist's uncritical reverence for the free market is genuinely loony, but its attitude to language is sensible and manages to be straightforward without being too obviously biased - unlike the Guardian, which (as this book demonstrates) would be printed in Newspeak if the publishers thought they could get away with it.

badly written, 12 Apr 2008
If you have ever wondered why the writing in the Guardian is often so appalling, here is your answer. The irritating tone of this guide is snotty and pompous; embodying a kind of Guardian speak faux-piety poorly disguising smug complacency.

Strangely Brilliant, 12 Dec 2007
While it sounds dry and obvious to say that this is the guide to grammar and word usage for the newspaper The Guardian, that is what this is.

However, the result is far far more compelling and enjoyable than the description. This book is like a mad cross between the 'Grammar is important' ethos of Eats Shoots and Leaves and the random fun of Schott's Miscellany and is better than either.

While I could continue to describe the contents of the book, citing my favourite entries, whatever I say is going to sound boring. Trust me, if you enjoy language you will enjoy this book a lot (not alot).

Why buy this book?, 07 Nov 2008
I purchased this book on the basis of the 15 excellent reviews it already had on Amazon as I was having difficulty learning hiragana; I was simply drawing the characters over and over. Having read a general introduction the book began with "these are the first ten characters, draw them out until you know them then do the following exercise... I didn't need a whole book to tell me that, it seemed to make the rest of the book irrelevant so why read any further?

Simple workbook...... unbelieveable results!, 08 Jul 2008
This has to be the best learning tool ANYONE can use when attempting to learn Hiragana. I have just started to learn Japanese and felt it important to learn both Hiragana and Katakana. Over the past week I have been using this for about an hour a day and have already attained near fluency in Hiragana.....PAINLESSLY!
Seriously I have just worked through each page and am astounded with the results! I felt it would take months of dilligent study to remember the "countless" Hiragana, but the brilliantly structured approach and clever excercises made it SO easy I just had to share my feelings. While only half way thorough the book I was SO impressed I decided to purchase both the "Let's Learn Katakana" and "Let's Learn Kanji" from the same series.
I hope this review will help anybody wondering whether to purchase this or not.... please do if you want results FAST!

Sugoi (great) learning material, 28 Feb 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn hirigana over a month, but i was quickly proved wrong as the book made the process easy, fun and very quick to learn and I was finished in about 2 weeks. This book is really worth the money if you are willing to put in the time, then rewards reaped are bountiful. Everything from stroke order to what kind of stroke is shown making the process easier to follow rather than throwing you into the deep end with no help. I have also bought the katakana version and attempting to learn that too.
I really do recommend any budding person trying to learn the Japanese language to start with hirigana using this book. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I have.

The Best Book I've Come Across For Learning Hiragana, 02 Jan 2008
This has to be by far the best book that I have found for learning to read and write Hiragana. Many other books out there just show charts and guides - but they don't teach it to you, or have special exercises laid out.
With this book and as little as 20 minutes a day, I have been able to go from being able to read absolutely no Hiragana, to virtually anything now written in Hiragana in just a week and a half.
I would recommend this book wholeheartedly to anyone wishing to learn Hiragana as you can learn it confidently and competatively, solely with this book.
To anyone who buys this book I hope you find as useful as I have,
Ganbatte!

Amazing, 12 Oct 2007
I've always wanted to learn Japanese, not just speaking, but writing as well. I finished this book a little while ago, and just recently finished the Katakana workbook too. It's put me at a great advantage for college!
I would seriously recommend this book to anyone

RMT Rocks!, 05 Jul 2002
I study History and English joint honours at UCL, and was struggling with essay assignments. Until I bought this book. In a word, RMT rocks! His guide is funny, to the point, and very, very, cool. I would never have thought learning to write essays could be fun - but this book proved me wrong. I've lent it to all my friends too (sorry, RMT!). But I can recommend buying this - all the other reviewers here are right: this is the best book of its kind. My essays went up from 3rd/low 2.ii to mid-high 2.1. Can't say more than that, really.

The best of the bunch - by far, 31 May 2002
I'm a third-year student of English at the University of Leeds. I bought this book at the beginning of the year, and I haven't looked back since. Not only is this the funniest book of its kind; it is absolutely stunningly good. I've checked out ALL the others, and if you want to save yourself some time, get this one. Richard Marggraf Turley must be some kind of god - he knows EXACTLY what tutors want to see in an essay, and tells you EXACTLY how do do it. Like the other reviewers here, my grades went up by a whole class since I got this book - and I've earned two firsts so far this semester.

this book is the best!, 31 Dec 2001
I heard about this book from a friend. Apparently lots of people are using it now. I don't usually use study guides - and I never write reviews on the internet - but this one was different. All the things I'd struggled with before were explained in plain terms - things like linking expressions and structure. I was so impressed by the way the author sets everything out in a logical and easy to understand way. This book really is the best. I can honestly say that I got better marks for my last two essays because I used it. Richard Marggraf Turley seems to know just what my tutors wanted to see.

bang up-to-date, funny, and completely relevant, 23 Dec 2000
I have to agree with everything the reviewer from Leeds says: this book rules! My grades have gone up across the board (I'm a joint honours student, English and history). Marggraf Turley's book makes you feel like you've got a friendly tutor sitting right next to you when you're writing your essays. I can't recommend this one strongly enough!

bang up-to-date, funny, and completely relevant, 23 Dec 2000
I have to agree with everything the reviewer from Leeds says: this book rules! My grades have gone up across the board (I'm a joint honours student, English and history). Marggraf Turley's book makes you feel like you've got a friendly tutor sitting right next to you when you're writing your essays. I can't recommend this one strongly enough!

Excellent Book, 27 Jan 2008
Very very highly recommended.
Good for beginners and those who can read the Naskh script. I had previously found handwriting really hard to interpret but now I can see much more clearly. Fun to do and really easy to follow; it's set out at a perfect pace and you can finish the book quickly. I love this. More than 10/10.

Exactly what it says ..., 15 May 2006
Toptrumper from Palgrave - takes the reader through the riq'a script (the more fluent script used by adult), outlining the differences between the aforementioned and the naskh script - the printed script taught to children and beginners in Arabic. Somewhat different, and it appears moreso the more fluent one becomes (early days in studying, could be wrong).

Takes you through the letters one by one - ample exercises (written IN the book, hurrah) to practice the newly-learnt skills, with vocab being introduced here and there throughout. An excellent resource for the total beginner to Arabic - highly reccomended.

* * * * * 5 Stars.

Simply the Best!, 25 Aug 2008
The Elements of Style is a short, timeless and foundational book on writing style and grammar. It is exceptionally well written and an essential writers desk reference. The authors stripped away all the fluff and kept the best of the best to help anyone write more clearly and concisely.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Best Little Book About English, 17 Jan 2008
This little book is considered classic and timeless by many professors and students. I find it very helpful. It inspired me to write my own book about English.


Brandon Simpson

An important little book..., 28 Nov 2007
"The Elements of Style" was recommended to me by Stephen King in his book "On Writing". I see it as basically filling in the gaps that King left in his book. King's book was more concerned with the practical matters of writing, whereas, TEOS is all about LANGUAGE and how to use it, which King only touched upon.

And this book certainly packs a lot of information and advice, especially given that it is only 85 pages long. It has five chapters. The first chapter is called ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE and contains eleven grammatical tips, from the use of commas and semi-colons to structuring of a sentence. The second chapter, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION, is more about writing style and ways to keep your writing punchy and fresh. Chapter 3, A FEW MATTERS OF FORM, mostly concerns physical presentation of your work and may be more suitable to formal letter writing that fiction, but may be useful to other forms nonetheless. Chapter 4 is about WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED and includes some of my pet hates, including those who turn "I couldn't care less" into "I could care less", thus completely destroying the meaning of the phrase. I also learned a few new things from this section. The fifth chapter is called AN APPROACH TO STYLE and contains 21 general tips, or "reminders", about how to keep your writing consistent and stop it going bad. A lot of my description here sounds very general and vague, and makes most of the sections sound the same, but trust me that it all makes sense and has a point in the book that I just can't quite explain - I need a bigger vocab!

There are one or two minor problems with the book. For example, as Stephen King points out, it says that the most important part of a sentence should always go at the end - but is "With a hammer he killed Frank" really better than "He killed Frank with a hammer"? I don't think so, either. Also, it seems to me that a lot of this advice, particular when it comes to grammar, depends on your own comforts and preferences and those of your editor and/or publisher. That doesn't mean we should pay it no heed, but I do believe that you can quite easily get away with ignoring half of this book's advice and still be a respected, published writer.

But overall, an excellent little book that I think every writer should read, whether they are beginners or highly experienced. The writing style of Strunk himself is straightforward and formal, occasionally venturing into humour and informality, which means that you are likely to learn something by reading it, but unlikely to be bored while doing so.

Highly recommended to writers of all talents.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable, 13 Sep 2007
Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Good for read, 25 Jul 2007
This book taught me write how to do it good and clarity.

Recommends itself.

Absolutely brilliant!!!, 16 Apr 2008
This book is worth its weight in gold for anyone who needs to write essays and I have recommended it to many of my friends. I have always been able to write decent enough essays, getting A grade GCSEs and A/ B grade Alevels, but my undergraduate essays never quite seemed to reach the top marks. I couldn't quite understand this though because I always got top marks for my scientific reports, literature reviews, and exams yet my essays never seemed to go above a 2:1. If I put in a huge amount of effort I would be able to reach a high 2:1, while hardly any effort would get me a low 2:1, I just couldn't seem to break out of it! That was until I read this book.

This book was an absolute delight to read. It is extremely well written, interesting and engaging. To be honest, I just couldn't put it down. It was as though everything clicked into place for me - I could see exactly where I'd been going wrong. The book breaks down the process of essay writing into steps starting from how to think about essay questions, how to make notes and read background material, right through to writing style and proof reading. It is broken down in a way which is easy to follow and apply. But more than just improving your essays, this book provides advise on how to think more creatively - so you can reach those 1st class grades. However good your essays currently are, Greethams book will undoubtedly improve them, and I would reccommend it to every undergraduate!

Before I read this book I always found essay writing a laborious and painful process which I usually procrastinated about and spent many days dreading having to actually get down and do. This book actually made the whole process of essay writing much more enjoyable, and actually much quicker. My essays now take much less time (from background reading to final draft), get better marks, and are more enjoyable to write - what more could any student want. The first essay I wrote after finishing this book got a 1st, and I have never got anything less than a 1st for any essay since.

It is now nearly 2 years since I read this book and I have recently graduated (with a 1st). I deceided to write this review because I feel so indebted to Greetham's book for transforming my academic experience.

The only guide you need for essays, 01 Jan 2008
Having been stuggling to find a good guide to essay writing my prayers were answered when i happen to stubble across this one. 'How to write better essays' is everything you need to know to write better essays from time management, researching, structure etc... Easy to read and filled with practical exercises to help build up your skills. Love this quide!

It worked for me., 08 Oct 2007
This is a good book that is packed with useful advice that really makes a difference. We were told to buy a really useless book that was supposed to make you better at legal reasoning and essay writing but it was a total waste of time so I bought this book instead and it has really made my marks better. It was a bit dull in places and there could have been a bit more effort made to make the whole thing easier to follow but the results make it worth the effort of ploughing through it as you end up with all sorts of ideas about how to make your work better. It worked for me.

How to write better essays., 09 Feb 2006
This book is horribly unengaging. It is difficult to simply pick up and read because the boring nature of the subject is presented in dull, lifeless format.

The content is superb if you persevere; greetham goes into great depth from interpreting the essay title through to presentation. I have improved from low 60's to high 60's over christmas in my second year of a degree from using this book.

So; if you do not need visual stimulus to keep you engaged then this is for you.

my grades went from C's to A's..., 06 Jan 2006
If you've only written essays at GCSE or A level then it can be a huge leap into a different territory when you begin writing undergraduate level assignments. This book fills in the gaps in a totally accessible way and is suitable for all study levels.
After reading it and putting the techniques into practice my grades went from C's to A's - need I say more!

Very, very irritating, 16 Nov 2008
There are a few newspaper-sponsored style guides out there, for people who want to write the kind of English that those papers happen to favour, and "Guardian Style" is, by a long way, the most annoying one available. If you start from the idea that good style in a paper should be as close as possible to plain educated speech, then this book will help to explain why the Guardian is such an annoying paper to read, especially if you are the sort of person who it is clearly aimed at. I am, I think, the Guardian's idea of one of its kinds of reader, and yet while I find its news coverage fairly adequate (although when I really want to know what's going on I read the Financial Times) I find their op-ed content insufferable. "Guardian Style" is chiefly of forensic interest: it will show you the many ways in which a supposedly left-liberal paper fails, over and over again, to have the courage of its supposed convictions.

If you really want to read a good guide to journalistic style, I recommend the "Economist Style Guide". The Economist's uncritical reverence for the free market is genuinely loony, but its attitude to language is sensible and manages to be straightforward without being too obviously biased - unlike the Guardian, which (as this book demonstrates) would be printed in Newspeak if the publishers thought they could get away with it.

badly written, 12 Apr 2008
If you have ever wondered why the writing in the Guardian is often so appalling, here is your answer. The irritating tone of this guide is snotty and pompous; embodying a kind of Guardian speak faux-piety poorly disguising smug complacency.

Strangely Brilliant, 12 Dec 2007
While it sounds dry and obvious to say that this is the guide to grammar and word usage for the newspaper The Guardian, that is what this is.

However, the result is far far more compelling and enjoyable than the description. This book is like a mad cross between the 'Grammar is important' ethos of Eats Shoots and Leaves and the random fun of Schott's Miscellany and is better than either.

While I could continue to describe the contents of the book, citing my favourite entries, whatever I say is going to sound boring. Trust me, if you enjoy language you will enjoy this book a lot (not alot).

Why buy this book?, 07 Nov 2008
I purchased this book on the basis of the 15 excellent reviews it already had on Amazon as I was having difficulty learning hiragana; I was simply drawing the characters over and over. Having read a general introduction the book began with "these are the first ten characters, draw them out until you know them then do the following exercise... I didn't need a whole book to tell me that, it seemed to make the rest of the book irrelevant so why read any further?

Simple workbook...... unbelieveable results!, 08 Jul 2008
This has to be the best learning tool ANYONE can use when attempting to learn Hiragana. I have just started to learn Japanese and felt it important to learn both Hiragana and Katakana. Over the past week I have been using this for about an hour a day and have already attained near fluency in Hiragana.....PAINLESSLY!
Seriously I have just worked through each page and am astounded with the results! I felt it would take months of dilligent study to remember the "countless" Hiragana, but the brilliantly structured approach and clever excercises made it SO easy I just had to share my feelings. While only half way thorough the book I was SO impressed I decided to purchase both the "Let's Learn Katakana" and "Let's Learn Kanji" from the same series.
I hope this review will help anybody wondering whether to purchase this or not.... please do if you want results FAST!

Sugoi (great) learning material, 28 Feb 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn hirigana over a month, but i was quickly proved wrong as the book made the process easy, fun and very quick to learn and I was finished in about 2 weeks. This book is really worth the money if you are willing to put in the time, then rewards reaped are bountiful. Everything from stroke order to what kind of stroke is shown making the process easier to follow rather than throwing you into the deep end with no help. I have also bought the katakana version and attempting to learn that too.
I really do recommend any budding person trying to learn the Japanese language to start with hirigana using this book. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I have.

The Best Book I've Come Across For Learning Hiragana, 02 Jan 2008
This has to be by far the best book that I have found for learning to read and write Hiragana. Many other books out there just show charts and guides - but they don't teach it to you, or have special exercises laid out.
With this book and as little as 20 minutes a day, I have been able to go from being able to read absolutely no Hiragana, to virtually anything now written in Hiragana in just a week and a half.
I would recommend this book wholeheartedly to anyone wishing to learn Hiragana as you can learn it confidently and competatively, solely with this book.
To anyone who buys this book I hope you find as useful as I have,
Ganbatte!

Amazing, 12 Oct 2007
I've always wanted to learn Japanese, not just speaking, but writing as well. I finished this book a little while ago, and just recently finished the Katakana workbook too. It's put me at a great advantage for college!
I would seriously recommend this book to anyone

RMT Rocks!, 05 Jul 2002
I study History and English joint honours at UCL, and was struggling with essay assignments. Until I bought this book. In a word, RMT rocks! His guide is funny, to the point, and very, very, cool. I would never have thought learning to write essays could be fun - but this book proved me wrong. I've lent it to all my friends too (sorry, RMT!). But I can recommend buying this - all the other reviewers here are right: this is the best book of its kind. My essays went up from 3rd/low 2.ii to mid-high 2.1. Can't say more than that, really.

The best of the bunch - by far, 31 May 2002
I'm a third-year student of English at the University of Leeds. I bought this book at the beginning of the year, and I haven't looked back since. Not only is this the funniest book of its kind; it is absolutely stunningly good. I've checked out ALL the others, and if you want to save yourself some time, get this one. Richard Marggraf Turley must be some kind of god - he knows EXACTLY what tutors want to see in an essay, and tells you EXACTLY how do do it. Like the other reviewers here, my grades went up by a whole class since I got this book - and I've earned two firsts so far this semester.

this book is the best!, 31 Dec 2001
I heard about this book from a friend. Apparently lots of people are using it now. I don't usually use study guides - and I never write reviews on the internet - but this one was different. All the things I'd struggled with before were explained in plain terms - things like linking expressions and structure. I was so impressed by the way the author sets everything out in a logical and easy to understand way. This book really is the best. I can honestly say that I got better marks for my last two essays because I used it. Richard Marggraf Turley seems to know just what my tutors wanted to see.

bang up-to-date, funny, and completely relevant, 23 Dec 2000
I have to agree with everything the reviewer from Leeds says: this book rules! My grades have gone up across the board (I'm a joint honours student, English and history). Marggraf Turley's book makes you feel like you've got a friendly tutor sitting right next to you when you're writing your essays. I can't recommend this one strongly enough!

bang up-to-date, funny, and completely relevant, 23 Dec 2000
I have to agree with everything the reviewer from Leeds says: this book rules! My grades have gone up across the board (I'm a joint honours student, English and history). Marggraf Turley's book makes you feel like you've got a friendly tutor sitting right next to you when you're writing your essays. I can't recommend this one strongly eno