A Favorite Classic

Most of my students and some of my colleagues know that I'm a grammar Nazi. I can't help it. I like structure, rules, and good prose. Needless to say, one of my favorite books is Strunk and White's Elements of Style. I've had a copy since I was in high school. It would often sit in a box or on a dusty shelf until some major writing project cropped up (such as the dissertation) and then it would be neglected again. I'd lost the book several times, but somehow it kept popping back up. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it since we moved to Albany and I'm afraid that it may not have survived the big move. I've been aching for it for months hoping it would reappear, but I finally broke down and bought a new edition this weekend. Grading 30 undergraduate papers really makes you appreciate good ol' Strunk and White. I'm really looking forward to reading it again (sad, but true).