Eats, Shoots & Leaves

The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation

By: Lynne Truss

Narrated by: Lynne Truss

Length: 1 hr and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

In 2002, Lynne Truss presented Cutting a Dash, a well-received BBC Radio 4 series about punctuation, which led to the writing of Eats, Shoots & Leaves. The book became a runaway success in the UK, hitting number one on the best seller lists and prompting extraordinary headlines such as "Grammar Book Tops Bestseller List" (BBC News). With more than 500,000 copies of her book in print in her native England, Lynne Truss is ready to rally the troops on this side of the pond with her rousing cry, "Sticklers unite!"

Through sloppy usage and low standards on the internet, in email, and now text messages, we have made proper punctuation an endangered species. In Eats, Shoots & Leaves, former editor Lynne Truss dares to say, in her delightfully urbane, witty, and very English way, that it is time to look at our commas and semicolons and see them as the wonderful and necessary things they are. If there are only pedants left who care, then so be it.

This is a book for people who love punctuation and get upset when it is mishandled. From George Orwell shunning the semicolon, to New Yorker editor Harold Ross' epic arguments with James Thurber over commas, this lively history makes a powerful case for the preservation of a system of printing conventions that is much too subtle to be mucked about with.

©2003 Lynne Truss (P)2004 BBC Audiobooks, Ltd.

Critic reviews

"You don’t need to be a grammar nerd to enjoy this one.... Who knew grammar could be so much fun?" (Newsweek)

"Witty and instructive.... Truss is an entertaining, well-read scold in a culture that could use more scolding." (USA Today)

"Truss is William Safire crossed with John Cleese’s Basil Fawlty." (Entertainment Weekly) 

Eats, Shoots & Leaves

Cute, but because it is a collection of radio broadcasts, it becomes very formulaic and predictable. Enjoyable for a quick listen, but seemed long, although it was only an hour in length.

Educational and witty

The information made me rethink and look around me more distinctly.
My grade school teachers strictly fought tirelessly against run on sentences. Yet, it was not addressed here.

The Deadly Consequences of Punctuation.

This isn't the book! I say that because it is obvious from the title of this program if one reads the whole thing, but it seems many didn't bother and then were disappointed with the product for being what it says it is.
This is the radio broadcast that inspired the book. It's a very clever program that helps a person think about punctuation and its uses. It shows, for instance, how a misplaced coma can have deadly consequences. "Let's eat grandpa!" means something entirely different than "Lets eat, grandpa!". Lynne Truss uses such examples to show the usefulness of punctuation. And that is the usefulness of this program it arouses interest in punctuation and alerts the listener to the need for punctuation.
Of course, there is talk of how punctuation is used properly and different mistakes made with punctuation and why. The history of punctuation and the uses of different marks was also interesting. However, the show is by no means exhaustive in its treatment of punctuation. Most of the individual segments are maybe 10 minutes long. Also, there are no chapter breaks in this program. That seems like it would have been an easy thing to do. The whole program is one hour and runs through the entire broadcast in one fell swoop. No re-listening to just that segment on the comma.

interesting listen

good book, well narrated, really takes me back to my elementary school days and remind me of the good old classical grammar structures of days past.

Disappointed

I wanted to listen to the best-selling book referenced several times. This is a radio boradcast that inspired the book.

Fun punctuation stories

Lively due to the personaliries involved and their discussions about punctuation. I found the history of current punctuation fastenating.

Great if you need some help with writing!

I really enjoyed this book and it really helped me with my writing, but I think it was just the recordings of the radio show that the book is based on because it didn't flow like most audio books. I plan on buying the actual book to compare.

Delightful

An entertaining and concise exploration of the use of punctuation that was thoroughly delightful and educational.

Well worth the listen

Hysterical. A real treat. I received this hardback book years ago as a gift. I am glad a revisited the topic updated in the Audible version.

Enjoyable

Enjoyable. Disappointed it is not the book but happily pleased. Will listen to it again.