The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style

If you're ever afraid that you've mistaken "it's" and "its," or if the sight of everyone reading "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" makes you terrified to write a note, you'll want a copy of this book on your desk. Although a good usage manual depends on the reader having some sense of style (enough to look up uncertain techniques or phrases), too many treat you either like a child or an English teacher, scolding you or explaining their advice in impenetrable jargon. (Many such books don't seem to have taken their own advice about simplicity and clarity.) "The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage" is the exception, a book about language that's well-written and inviting, one that doesn't make you feel like you're back in your grandmother's parlor having every sentence corrected. As one of the other reviewers notes, the range of sources and examples is phenomenal--one way you can double-check your phrasing is to see if you'd want to sound like the writers in Garner's citations. But I'm even more impressed with the simple organization and headings. I sometimes have trouble finding advice in a writer's reference because I can't recall the technical term for what I'm trying to do, but entries in Garner's book are easy to find and richly cross-referenced. Most important, Garner's ear for English is impeccable, and you'll want it listening (as it were) over your shoulder. He acknowledges long-held rules but--where applicable--demonstrates their obsolescence; he also recognizes new usages and gives fair warning of the connotations you risk if you use them before they've become standard.

Are you searching for the openness and grace required to get your ideas across? You can win the reader's admiration and approval if you will banish tediousness and breath life into your writing. This dictionary is the concise, witty resource you need to fix those problems and to feel better overall. You may be doing your hard won insights and profound convictions a disservice if you don't keep a copy handy.

Has the information I need as a resource book

It would help if the type was a little larger, but this is an excellent American usage dictionary.

I keep a couple of usage dictionaries and such around to help me consistently work to write better and better. I would suggest that anyone majoring in a writing-intensive field, whether undergraduate or graduate (especially graduate), should make sure to have a copy of this book and a copy of Strunk and White's Elements of Style. Garner wrote a longer usage and style dictionary, but this abridged version is perfectly adequate and a lot easier to use. This is a very convenient reference book and, size-wise, something that is easy to take with you if you want to work at the library or somewhere else away from home.

As a reading and writing teacher, this usage manual has been helpful and instructive. I have enjoyed geeking out on the nuances of word meanings in different contexts, misused phrases, and tight, informative essay entries. Is it hone in or home in? What's the difference between reoccur and recur? This book will have the answer.

I love the book and find it invaluable. The Kindle edition is immensely frustrating because there are no links between the list of contents and their location, rather the TOC has just 6 entries. However, like a dictionary, there are many entries. The list of essays takes 7 pages but this excellent list provides no links to them. So, you are left to use search to find an entry, or page forward and backward to locate the desired entry. Linking cross references in entries would be useful... expected! I mean, it is an electronic book.Get the print edition instead... if you actually want to make use of the book.5 stars for content. 1 star for Kindle edition.

Ani Hurwitz, NYC PR pro and another grammar brat, recommended this book with glee in her voice. Professional writers enjoy having a few of these things around, for instant rulings on commonly encountered knots such as "which vs. that." Bryan Garner's American usage rule book is an uncommon delight. It does its basic job with panache, but there's so much added linguistic pleasure between these covers. When you find yourself (as I did) reading random entries for their wit, precision, and style, you have a winner. A distinguished, modern addition to your "how should I properly put this?" reference shelf. Excellent casual reading material for the guest bathroom, too.

Very useful reference.

Punctuation, where to put parenthesis marks, inverted commas, grammar guide for everything you haven't learned on American usage of grammar.