Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss

I have the seventh sense!


Funny! I am one of those people who have a horrible compulsion to edit typos and punctuation; it's actually a relief to hear someone write about it. I am not alone. And wait, I DO have a life, and I HAVE relaxed about correcting people ... lest they get offended.

I did have a few issues with the book. One, it is written for a British audience, and many punctuation rules and examples are British, of course. If you're used to American conventions, the rules may seem "wrong" to you. Two, after reading one chapter on one specific punctuation mark, say the comma, you can get a little fatigued with example after example. So best read this in several sittings.

This isn't a book for everyone. Don't bother with it if ...

• Bad grammar and punctuation (wrong or lack of) just doesn't grate on your nerves, DON'T bother with this book; it will seem like a mountain was made out of a molehill.  
• You're NOT interested in proper punctuation. At the least, one needs to keep an open mind.

I think this book would make a great addition to my Strunk and White. Or maybe they should make an Americanized version?