In the elements of style 1918, william strunk concentrated on specific questions of usageand the cultivation of good writingwith the recommendation make every word tell. The dj, now protected in a poly cover, is in very good minus shape with minor wear, edge wear and wrinkling. Jul 04, 2016 those are the words of eb white, who, having been taught english at cornell university by prof william strunk jr, was commissioned in 1957 by the publishers macmillan to revise strunks. The whitestrunk book was ignored at peril by students ever since it first appeared some three decades ago. While much has changed in the literary landscape since it was first published, the messages in its advice and guidance still resonate and i recommend this to any aspiring writer. Tenney later revised it for publication as the elements and practice of composition 1935. White, by barbara herkert, is a picture book biography worthy of its esteemed subject, e. Strunks the elements of style, widely used in college english courses. The 18 main topics are organized under the headings, elementary rules of usage, elementary principles of composition, a few matters of form, words and expressions commonly misused, and words often misspelled. The charlottes web guy, first as a new yorker article about a certain hardnosed grammar pamphlet authored by whites onetime cornell university professor william strunk jr, and then as a book based on the article about the pamphlet. New listing vintage book the elements of style third edition by e b white and william strunk. The elements of style is the definitive text and classic manual on the principles of english language read by millions of readers.
William strunk taught english at cornell and wrote the first version of the book which was only 43 pagesfor his english students at cornell. The book is the element of style by william strunk, jr. Commissioned by macmillan to revise strunks book, white edited the. As you may recall, white was the author of the classic, stuart little. White was born in mount vernon, new york, the youngest child of samuel tilly white, the president of a piano firm, and jessie hart white, the daughter of scottishamerican painter william hart. He also wrote two childrens classics and revised william s. White, who wrote charlottes web and other classics. Intended for use in which the practice of composition is combined with the study of literature, it gives in brief space the principal requirements of plain english style and concentrates attention on the rules. White greatly enlarged and revised the book for publication by. The elements of style illustrated by william strunk, jr. First, strunk and white werent people who devoted their lives to studying grammar, and they didnt work together to create the elements of style.
A summary of the elements of style by strunk and white. Commissioned by macmillan to revise strunks book, white edited the 1959 and 1972 editions. White was one of the most influential modern american essayists, largely through his work for the new yorker magazine. White biography life, family, children, parents, name. Illustrator lauren castillo won a caldecott honor for her book nana in the city, and author herkert has written other biographies for young readers.
Elwyn brooks white was born on july 11, 1899, in mount vernon, new york, the son of a. This muchloved classic, now in its fourth edition, will forever be the goto guide when in need of a hint to make a turn of phrase clearer or a reminder on how to enliven prose with the active voice. It is considered one of the most enduring and most readable books on american english usage. Parents need to know that a boy, a mouse, and a spider. White, best known today for his childrens books including charlottes web but also a regular columnist for the new yorker and other magazines and a winner of the pulitzer prize.
Aug 18, 2011 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project. Commissioned by macmillan to revise strunk s book, white edited the 1959 and 1972 editions of the elements of style. Im thinking of reading this book, is it worth the time or should i look for another. In 1957 the style guide reached the attention of e. In 2011, time magazine listed the writing styleguide as one of the 100 best and most influential books written in english since 1923. White revised and expanded the original book by his former cornell professor, william strunk jr. The book was known on the campus in those days as the little book, with the stress on the word little. In recent years, stuart little has been turned into a franchise by sony pictures, and in 2006 a second film adaptation of charlottes web was released. White expanded the original sections and added an additional section on style. The elements of style illustrated by william strunk, e. This book is intended for use in english courses in which the practice of composition is combined with the study of literature. White, was the author of beloved childrens books as well as poems, essays, and books for adults. White died in that farmhouse in 1985, and yet his sly, selfdeprecating voice speaks more forcefully than ever. Cornell university professor of english william strunk, jr.
White and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The book s mantra, make every word tell, is still on point. The book frames this within a triplet credited to an influential lecturer. White much enlarged and revised the book for publication by macmillan, in 1959. After revision and enlargement by his former student e. The first writer i watched at work was my stepfather, e. White the classic writing style guide this book aims to give in brief space the principal requirements of plain english style. The elements of style by william strunk free ebook. Strunk and whites the elements of style receives frequent mention in articles about writing originating as a classroom study aid prepared by cornell english professor william strunk in 1918, this widelyused desk reference of english usage, form, and style continues to influence writers after a hundred years. The elements of style, third edition by william strunk jr. Those are the words of eb white, who, having been taught english at cornell university by prof william strunk jr, was commissioned in 1957 by the publishers macmillan to revise strunks. The elements of style illustrated, william strunk, eb.
Salutations wit and wisdom from charlottes web, white, e. White a harper trophy book, 30th printing 1973 classic. The book covers only a small portion of the field of english style, but the. In this video, we examine ten principles of good writing, including make the paragraph the unit of composition, and place the. Every english writer knows strunk and whites the elements of style. Many people between the ages of seventeen and seventy can recite the book s mantramake every word telland still refer to their tattered grade school copy when in need of a hint on how to make a turn of phrase clearer, or a reminder on how to enliven prose with the active voice. Every englishlanguage writer knows strunk and whites famous little writing manual, the elements of style. Nearly one hundred years old, this book was originally written by william strunk, who was e. By the way, the work does have a picture book edition, if that helps. The book covers only a small portion of the field of english style, but the experience of its writer has been that once past the essentials, students profit most by individual instruction based on the problems of their own work, and that each instructor has his own body of theory, which he prefers to that offered by any textbook. In 1957, after strunk s death, it was extensively revised by his former student e. The elements of style edition 4 by william strunk, e.
Oct 02, 1985 the whitestrunk book was ignored at peril by students ever since it first appeared some three decades ago. Published april 16, 1959, strunk and whites the elements of style went on to win critical acclaim and total sales of more than 10 million copies. Guth, appeared in 1976, his collected essays in 1977, and poems and sketches of e. This muchloved classic, now in its fourth edition, will forever be the goto guide when in need of a hint to make a turn of phrase clearer or a reminder. Among whites other works is points of my compass 1962. In a sense, the book was his own personal style guide.
No 23 the elements of style by william strunk and eb white 1959. White was a student in professor strunk s class at cornell, and used the little book for himself. Jul 11, 2017 but today, 118 years after the birth of e. See more ideas about garth williams, eb white and charlottes web. White is also famous for his coauthorship of the elements of style, also known as strunk and white. Whites endorsement of the elements of style quickly led his publisher, macmillan, to ask white to update and expand strunks terse primer on grammar and usage.
In 1959 he revised and published a book by the late william strunk, jr. White was wrong about some of the elements of style. Cornell university english professor william strunk jr. This 2005 revision takes nothing away from the book, but reconsiders the original from a design perspective. Intended for use in which the practice of composition is combined with the study of literature, it gives in brief space the principal requirements of. His classics include charlottes web, stuart little, and the trumpet of the swan. Elwyns older brother stanley hart white, known as stan, a professor of landscape architecture and the inventor of the vertical garden, taught e. Commissioned by macmillan to revise strunks book, white edited the 1959 and 1972 editions of the elements of. In 1957, after strunks death, it was extensively revised by his former student e.
The result, this quiet book, has been in print for forty years, and has. Its the most famous book about english grammar and style. White, which time named in 2011 one of the 100 best and most influential books written in english since 1923. White was a student in professor strunks class at cornell, and used the little book for himself. It is the bestknown and most influential prescriptive treatment of english grammar and usage, and often is required reading and usage in u. The books mantra, make every word tell, is still on point. July 1, 1869 september 26, 1946 was an american professor of english at cornell university and author of the elements of style 1918. The only style manual to ever appear on a bestseller list now refreshed by one of our most beloved illustrators every english writer knows strunk and whites the elements of style. White was a contributor to the new yorker, coauthor of the elements of style and author of charlottes web. It aims to lighten the task of instructor and student by concentrating attention in chapters ii and iii on a few essentials, the rules of usage and principles of. The elements of style paperback september 19, 2016. More significantly, whites novel about some pig and a spider who was a true friend. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Many people between the ages of seventeen and seventy can recite the book s mantramake every word telland still refer to their tattered grade school copy when in need of a hint on how to make a turn of phrase clearer, or a reminder on how to enliven prose with the.