I know everyone read Lynne Truss’ book Eats, Shoots & Leaves in 2004 and I finally finished reading the book that I started in June this past week. I had dusted off Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style in preparation for writing my third book (I always like to be sure I’m NOT *as* rusty when I start a book) and that inspired me to read something a little more current. Ah, yes. What better than Eats, Shoots & Leaves to get me in gear?

Well, if I could’ve stopped editing her book for mistakes that I found (and wondering how many of them were US vs. UK usage issues), I’m sure I’d have enjoyed it more. What did I find online today (and not even looking for it, truly — it was just a link in a friend’s blog)?

Richard Jenkyns’ wonderful article on The Mother Tongue. In it, he refers to Louis Menand’s New Yorker review of Eats, Shoots & Leaves.

He began by observing that Truss’s first punctuation mistake comes in her dedication and found many more errors and inconsistencies, as well as poor argument.

That’s my kind of guy!

Anyway, fun book, if not 100% accurate for my needs. Do the punctuation game on the author’s book site for fun. And leave it at that.

Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!