Ocean State Libraries

"In this brilliantly funny and accessible guide to proper punctuation and so much more, Gyles Brandreth explores the linguistic horrors of our times, tells us what weve been doing wrong and shows us how, in the future, we can get it right every time. Covering everything from dangling participles to transitive verbs, from age-old conundrums like {28}lay

"First published in 1947, The Reader Over Your Shoulder remains required reading for anyone who wants to write more clearly and artfully. Editor Alan Hodge and I, Claudius author Robert Graves enjoin the writer to write as if "a crowd of his prospective readers. [were] looking over his shoulder," anticipating possible questions and criticism. They identify the most common blunders writers make and lay out forty-one principles--twenty-five dealing...

"Offers those learning French practical tips to help them avoid the language's most common mistakes, such as switching genders, confusing tenses, and mixing up idioms." --

For years wordsmith and punster Richard Lederer has charmed and delighted fans with his bestselling Anguished English series. In his funniest book yet, readers will again cherish the author's latest chronicle of the goofs and gaffes and fluffs and flubs of our anguished language. And the best part? Everything in here actually occurred. Nothing has been made up! Bloopers from foreign restaurants include: Our wines leave you nothing to hope for. As...