The New Well-Tempered Sentence: A Punctuation Handbook for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed

Karen Elizabeth Gordon writes excellent references for writers.

I find that most grammar books fail to give complete coverage to punctuation thus leaving writers repeatedly stranded in situations that are not touched on in the text. This is a whole book dedicated to nothing but punctuation. It gives the most extensive coverage that I have found to the subject, and it has the added benefit of not being boring. It's not a joke book. Don't expect deep belly laughs, and the style is occasionally a little silly. I don't care. For me, the most important things are that the information it provides is extensive and its style is imaginative and pleasant to read.

This book is a fun way to brush up and learn about punctuation. It reads more like a story than an instruction book and has many examples. Some of the examples are a little out there, which make you pause as you try to figure them out – and not in a good way. I understand that the author was trying to inject humor and have fun with a subject that is, let’s face it, pretty bland for most of us.

This book was recommended by a friend who's an editor. She guaranteed I'd enjoy it, and I certainly do.Punctuation and other writing rules can be oh so tedious, but not so for Ms. Gordon's manual. I find myself laughing frequently while reading it. The sentences are constructed in such a way as to chisel themselves in one's mind, simply because of their enjoyable wording. Two of my favorites: for exclamation points, "How exciting to see you in traction again!"; and when demonstrating the use of the comma for salutation and serial items, "Dear Rosie and Nimrod, Thank you for the hospitality, the cold bath water, the stale beer, and everything."Don't even get me started on the wardrobe composed in part of water moccasins and a spring-loaded girdle.

I love this book. It covers the rules of punctuation in a simple and clear style with charming, often amusing examples. It's a great book for adults who need help with their grammar but don't want to wade through something that looks like a school textbook, and I've given it to younger students as well. As a side note, I don't see any reason why you need the new edition, as the old one works fine if you have it; that review is for the book as whole, not just the rewrite

This book offers one of the most provocative, entertaining, and memorable experiences I've ever had in revisiting the 'rules & rational' behind English sentence structure. I bought it for a friend who is bi-lingual and wants to strengthen her English writing skills. The author makes learning this potentially boring subject matter delightful and absolute fun! That is, of course, unless you are extremely formal and not prone to being either "innocent, eager or doomed'.

Fun read. Karen Elizabeth Gordon makes grammar and syntax interesting stuff and easy to learn. I find the way she writes in a light banter attractively fresh and thus I remember it. She helps me cover a lot of ideas quickly.

Humor+info...if you are condemned to study English grammar, this book will relieve some of the pain.

This is a great little book on sentence writing. I love all the humorous examples. Wish I'd known there is an updated version.

Any of Karen Elizabeth Gordon's books on the use of language are essential for a writer's book shelf, or anyone interested in the correct use of written English. Not only does this book explain the convolutions and quirks of punctuation concisely, it does so with wit, so it's fun to read while you check out a point you're not sure of, or simply want to learn more about how to use punctuation properly.

Wer English wirklich lernen will.... muß dieses Buch auswendig lernen! Und es ist sehr amusant! You wanna know English? You betta read that!

Couldn't be more pleased.

book for my daughter