A panda walks into a cafe...
Truss, Lynne Eats, Shoots & Leaves. Profile Books ISBN 1861976127
One of my most heartfelt beliefs is that the burning of books is wrong. In the case of this book, however, I'm willing to make an exception. That said, the copy I read was a loaner: I shall be buying my own copy. Not to burn - though I may leave instructions in my will - but to keep as a one of those books I never read but feel better knowing I have.
The reasons for my schizophrenic opinion of this book is down it being two different books in one. Firstly it's Lynne Truss's attempt to patronise the hell out of the reader whilst simultaneously showing off her superior grasp of pedantry (although I believe she gets it slightly wrong in places). Then secondly it's a damn good - light-hearted - guide to punctuation.
The first book could benefit from the odd footnote. Many of the high-horses onto which the author leaps with such glee really could do with a hint of an explanation. Also, tagging Book #1 text with 'IMHO' in large friendly letters would help the reader feel marginally less letdown by their education. Highly annoying. Just reading the introduction had me looking for the matches...
The second book is superb. Not only does it tell what your English teachers failed to (in my school English mainly seemed to have something to do with sitting-up straight, silence, fear, and dog-food), but it also highlights the areas of uncertainty. Personal style and opinion, it seems, has quite a lot to do which what's right and wrong. Occasionally I did find a bit more explanation would have been beneficial... the oft mentioned 'Two Weeks Notice' (should be 'Two Weeks' Notice' but as this a totally new concept to me I still don't get it) for example.
In all this is a good book which I'd recommend to all. But, after breaking out in a cold sweat over the use (or misuse) of an apostrophe on several occasions, I've decided to punctuate in the correct manner as far as possible - but to forgo correctness in favour of ignorance when it all becomes too much.