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Marlan Warren is a journalist, novelist, editor, playwright, screenwriter, blogger, website designer, and publicist. She is the author of the fictionalized memoir, Roadmaps for the Sexually Challenged: All’s Not Fair in Love or War and the AIDS memoir, Rowing on a Corner. She reviews for Midwest Book Review. Marlan is also a filmmaker.

Monday, July 30, 2018

NOT YOUR GRANNY’S SYNTAX BOOK

If someone tells you that it's wrong to X, where X is something 
native English speakers do regularly, you can be pretty sure the rule is bogus.
̶:The Joy of Syntax, June Casagrande

The first thing that popped into my head when I first began reading June Casagrande's lively, informative The Joy of Syntax: A Simple Guide to All the Grammar You Know You Should Know was me in the backseat of my parents' car circa 1960, listening to Mom and Dad engage in a heated argument over incorrect vs. correct grammar. I don't recall what "rule" they were debating, only the yelling. That's how seriously a grammar mistake can affect us.

When it comes to syntax, I suspect people may be divided into three categories: those who know what syntax is and care; those who heard about it in English class but it didn't stick; and those who do not care at all. The first group contains people who love words or need them to advance their careers, future careers, and/or social standing. Those are the people who stand to get the most out of this book.

Casagrande's style is simple, direct, and friendly-humorous. The book's contents reflect a trove of enlightening trivia such as "Well as an Adverb and an Adjective;" "Dangling Participles and Other Danglers;" "Language Myths" (brace yourself). Part I focuses on "Syntax" and Part II on "Usage and Propriety." The latter goes beyond the average English speaker/writer's grasp of what is grammatically correct and explains that the acceptability of certain words can depend on whether they have been accepted into common usage.

Did you know that if a word is found in the dictionary, it's considered "valid"? Not necessarily appropriate for your dissertation, but not "wrong" in more casual contexts.

Pop Quiz:
True or False?
(1) It is always wrong to say or write "ain't."
(2) "Nauseous" and "Nauseated" can be used interchangeably.
(3) "Tomorrow" is both a noun and an adverb.
(4) Most, if not all, grammar questions can be answered by looking in the dictionary.

Here's a hint: number one is false. Surprised? Want to know why? Read the book. As for the rest...read the book. It won't kill you and you might even learn something.

Title:
The Joy of Syntax: A Simple Guide to All the Grammar You know You Should Know 

Author: June Casagrande

Publisher: Ten Speed Press (July 24, 2018)

Paperback: $14.99   Pages: 272

ISBN-13 9780399581069

Genre: Reference/Writing

Amazon:

Penguin Random House:  


About “The Joy of Syntax” Author
June Casagrande is a veteran journalist and syndicated columnist. She is the author of “Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies” and “Mortal Syntax” (Penguin). She is a former Los Angeles Times staff reporter, and her “A Word, Please” grammar column appears in newspapers in California, New York, Florida, and Texas.

About the Reviewer:
Marlan Warren is an L.A. journalist, novelist, playwright, screenwriter, blogger, and publicist with Roadmap Communications and Book Publicity by Marlan. Her blogs include “Roadmap Girl’s Book Buzz” and “L.A. Now & Then.” Her press releases are published in Broadway World Book News and the BBC Record. She is the author of the novel, “Roadmaps for the Sexually Challenged: All’s Not Fair in Love or War.” Marlan is now in production for the documentary “What Did You Do in the War, Mama?: Kochiyama’s Crusaders” based on her play “Bits of Paradise” about the women of the Japanese American Internment. She was recently named to Yelp’s “Top Publicists in Los Angeles” list. [http://bookpublicitybymarlan.blogspot.com]

Originally posted on L.A. Now & Then Blog
Contact Reviewer With Comments: memoircity at gmail


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