Thread: Strunk & White.
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Old 04-29-2013, 07:15 AM   #5
rhadin
Literacy = Understanding
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I basically agree with the article author that Strunk & White is vastly overrated and not a book I would recommend to anyone who wants to understand American English grammar. The book tries to distill complex topics into 5-word sentences that are easy to remember, but it really fails at what is more important than remembering a generalization, that is, to understand the reasoning behind what ultimately can be condensed to 5-word platitudes.

If you are looking for guidance on usage, there are much better books available, although they do cost more than Strunk & White and can't be read in a minute-and-a-half like S&W. If you want to know about grammar, there are far better books available, such as Whose Grammar Book is This Anyway by C. Edward Good, which is a B&N reprint for $7.98.

S&W gained a myth-like following because it was short and succinct, which meant that both teachers and 6th graders could read it and understand it without much difficulty. Teachers accepted it because it is hard to combat a rule that says "be clear" and there was no need to delve into the reasoning for the rule.

If the only way you can justify an editorial decision is to cite S&W, then the decision is likely to be on very shaky grounds.
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