Waterstones Gwynne's Grammar
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Price: £14.99
Brand: Waterstones
Description: Grammar is the science of using words rightly, leading to thinking rightly, leading to deciding rightly, without which - as both common sense and experience show - happiness is impossible. Therefore: happiness depends at least partly on good grammar.' So writes Mr Gwynne in his small, but perfectly formed new book. Mr Gwynne believes passionately that we must regain our knowledge of the lost science of grammar before it is too late. Formerly a successful businessman, Mr Gwynne has for many years been teaching and tutoring just about every sort of subject to just about every sort of pupil in just about every sort of circumstance. His teaching methods are very much the traditional, common-sense ones, refined over the centuries, that were almost everywhere until they were abolished in the 1960s. Being disappointed in the standards of grammar he encountered in his pupils, Mr Gwynne, over time, wrote this wonderful, succinct and yet comprehensive little book - because nothing quite as suitable already existed. This edition also includes Strunk's classic guide to style, explaining how to write well and the main pitfalls to avoid. Beautifully designed, easy to understand and a joy to read, Gwynne's Grammar may be the best little book you will ever have in your life.
Category: Books
Merchant: Waterstones
Product ID: 9780091951450
Delivery cost: 2.99
ISBN: 9780091951450
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Author: amazinlgyme
Rating: 5
Review: I had heard of Gwynn's Grammar before, yet left buying it until I felt more confident about my own writing skills in particular and, not wanting to feel intimidated by expert accuracy of such a rich and diverse language with all its complex punctuation! The author of this language precision bible, Gwynne illustrates the meaning and importance of English proficiency and, just as in the same fashion that Lynn Truss, the famous author of 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves' waxes stealth lyrical about the basics of good old-fashioned manners - passionate about the subject mater at hand; satirical and entertaining in all of her works. Although this ultimate introduction to Grammar by Gywnne isn't full of hysterical encounters with people who do not make diligent effort to write and speak proficient English; it does at least challenge some of the underlying reasons as to why many of us have succumbed to evolving tongue and literature. More poignant, is how speaking and writing the very same language arrives at two very individual junctions - punctuation being the largest contributor of how we successfully (or not), convey precise meaning in our writing efforts. Undoubtedly, the inclusion of Strunk's Guide to writing Style towards the end, quintessentially more than a useful inclusion; you are reminded of a time when manners and courtesy were of significant importance in the past, and why we are blessed to have contemporary writers on this subject, whose job it is to compliment the works of English literacy authors, and so as to enlighten holistic readers; eager and keen to employ the capable talents and skills, they are often uniquely shy of exploring the world of creativity. This book then, an inspirational guide for anyone who has a love of the English language and wishing to cultivate their own knowledge base or wanting to write more confidently. I would most definitely recommend this to anyone who simply loves reading a variety of genre; yet requires a lot of commitment and patience to grasp everything in the studios context it is written - I am not intimidated by it as I thought I might be; yet it is one of those fantastical skill experiments that does indeed, challenge an aspiring writer like myself.
Author: Gazza
Rating: 3
Review: I bought this book not for Gwynne’s Grammar but for the free copy of William Strunk’s The Elements of Style, which is a short and very good book, covering both aspects of style and grammar. Sorry to say that I agree with most of the remarks made by another Amazon reviewer (“English Teacher”) who writes: “Students of Gwynne’s methods might well write a formal essay, but would never learn to love and to play with the English language.” I agree with this. English language is never constant, and never will be; it is always changing, whether we like what it changes into or not. Years ago, language was like that of Chaucer and Shakespeare. All wonderful stuff, but we don’t sound, or write, like that today. I also agree with the further comment made by the English Teacher, quoting from George Orwell’s essay - ‘Politics and the English Language’ - that good writing comes from “letting the meaning choose the word, and not the other way around.” I found this to be the case when reading and writing assignments at university; nothing sounded more boring than the perfectly written piece of work that ticked all the correct boxes for grammar. It often seemed almost like the opposite mattered more. (Well, at least sometimes!) Don’t misunderstand me here. I’m not saying that mastering spelling, punctuation and grammar doesn’t count. Of course, it does. It’s just that grammar is not the only thing in writing. But reading Mr Gwynne’s book gives the distinct impression that it is. (Now, should I have ended that sentence with “is”? Maybe not, but my point is that it doesn’t really matter, so long as the meaning comes through – and it can often come through stronger, when not following the rules of grammar.) What grammar can often do is give a stiltedness to what otherwise could have been a more creative piece of work. A better book, in my view, is Steven Pinker’s The Sense of Style. Gwynne’s book would get two stars, but because of the free copy of Strunk’s Elements of Style, three stars seems more appropriate.
