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The Glamour of Grammar  By  cover art

The Glamour of Grammar

By: Roy Peter Clark
Narrated by: Roy Peter Clark
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Publisher's summary

Early in the history of English, glamour and grammar were the same word, linked to enchantment and magical spells. Now grammar brings to mind language bullies and bored-out-of-their-skulls students. Roy Peter Clark, one of America’s most influential writing teachers, wants to change that by putting the glamour back into grammar.

Whether you are composing a novel, a memo, an e-mail, or a blog post, you can immediately apply any of the lessons Clark lays out in 50 short chapters. Covering everything from the parts of speech to why effective writers prefer concrete nouns and active verbs, Clark teaches you how to use periods, commas, and semicolons to their fullest advantage; befriend the lively verb "to be"; avoid “hyper-grammar”; properly place those tricky modifiers; and harness other secrets of powerful prose. Above all, he teaches you how to master grammar to perfect your use of English, to hone meaning, and to charm through your writing.

In a world where we communicate more and more through emails and text messages, how you use language matters - even in 140 characters. The Glamour of Grammar prepares you to captivate with every word.

©2010 Roy Peter Clark (P)2010 Gildan Media Corp

Critic reviews

“Roy Peter Clark is a modern-day Pied Piper - albeit one wearing a Hawaiian shirt and carrying a guitar. Let him lead you through the thicket of grammar to good writing.” (Constance Hale, author of Sin and Syntax)

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Wasteful

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The books is just a wasteful exercise. It just doesn't let the reader get to understand grammar, rather keeps on telling funny stories. Too Bad!!

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good answers for many everyday grammar dilemmas

A tad pompous sometimes - it’s in the grammar scholars’ own nature, they can’t help - but nonetheless a very interesting and informative book.

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5 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Will improve your writing, not your grammar

I suppose improving your writing automatically means you also improve your grammar, but I found this book's title misleading. I've read countless books and still, to be honest, don't know what a predicate is. I listened to this book with the hopes that I could begin to explain English grammar to people. Alas, there's very little grammar to be learned here. Basically, this is The Elements of Style, Part II. Don't know anyone who won't benefit from listening to this; and if it were more accurately titled, I'd give it at least 4 stars.

Btw, I'm not a fan at all of authors reading their own books, but Clark does a good job here.

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3 people found this helpful