Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation (2003)

Although Eats, Shoots & Leavesis well-written and witty, I just didn’t like it. The reason? Simple: Lynne Truss is pretentious. It’s clear that she believes her way is the only right way, looking down on the hoi polloi that dares to punctuate the ‘wrong way’. At times (a lot of times), Eats, Shoots & Leavesreads like an Op-Ed as she sprinkles her own opinion among historical and grammatical facts. Moreover, the book is completely disorganized. Some chapters read like a grammar textbook, while others are rambling history lessons. (Chapter 4 is just a grab bag with whatever Truss felt like throwing in.) If you want to learn about grammar, just grab a textbook. If you want a history lesson on punctuation, just check out Shady Characters by Keith Houston. Eats, Shoots & Leaves offers both, but in too unsystematic and little a quantity to be of much use. ( )

What does this book teach?

- Apostrophes are important; you should use them.
- Commas are important; you should use them.
- Colons are important; you should use them.
- Semi-colons are important; you should use them.
- Exclamation marks are important; you should use them.
- Question marks are important; you should use them.
- Quotation marks are important; you should use them.
- Dashes are important; you should use them.
- Hyphens are important; you should use them.

But that's not all what I learnt. The writer also tells where to use what, and where not. ( )

I'll admit I have many pet peeves – too many when I start to think about it. One of them is misused punctuation, which is especially prominent on handmade signs, be it at the front of grocery stores, on marquees, wherever. (A documentary I watched recently showed a sign inviting "employee's and families" to an event. Argh!) Lynne Truss shares that pet peeve, but unlike me she went and wrote a book about it. I could never have done so, since outside of obvious things like possessive apostrophes, I'm not very stringent with punctuation, especially commas. Truss is very strict in the use of punctuation, but also very clear, commonsensical and funny. The title, the cover and the "punctuation repair kit" inside the cover clearly indicate her sense of humor. Every so often I pick up a book on writing to improve my own. I'm glad I came across this one in a used bookstore. Even after reading it I keep it on my shelf at work as a handy reference when doubts about punctuation use spring up. ( )

bought at Bogie's and enjoyed every time I've picked it up - Feb 18, 2021 ( )

For someone who is obsessed with grammar like myself, this is a joy to read, full of humour and correct punctuation! ( )