# Recommend me your favorite books on writing, grammar, or style.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-your-favorite-books-on-writing-grammar-or-style/264509>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 15, 2004, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-your-favorite-books-on-writing-grammar-or-style/264509 "2004-09-15T04:27:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-your-favorite-books-on-writing-grammar-or-style/264509/21 "2004-09-16T04:58:56Z")

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If you’re in the market for a usage dictionary on the left side of the Atlantic, i highly recommend Bryan Garner, _A Dictionary of Modern American Usage_.

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**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-your-favorite-books-on-writing-grammar-or-style/264509/22 "2004-09-16T06:42:14Z")

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“loaned”?

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**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-your-favorite-books-on-writing-grammar-or-style/264509/23 "2004-09-16T07:35:41Z")

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> [@Johnny Bravo](#):
>
> My writing interests lean more towards the professional. I’m not a great fiction writer. Journalism, public relations, copyediting, etc.
> 
> Frankly, I don’t need any help with my grammar, I’m just looking for opinions on good books in the genre. Anything will do, even books about fiction writing if they’re well done and interesting. I’m looking to expand both my horizons and my bookshelf.

Two good ones that haven’t been mentioned are

**The First Five Pages** by Noah Lukeman, which has some stuff you probably know, but also some good ways to check on your writing.

**Self-Editing for Fiction Writers** by Renni Browne and Dave King stresses editing techniques, with lots of examples.

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**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-your-favorite-books-on-writing-grammar-or-style/264509/24 "2004-09-16T08:21:09Z")

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> [@Johnny Bravo](#):
>
> Thanks for all the replies. I’ll definately be checking some of these out as funds become available.

Oh dear …  
:o

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-your-favorite-books-on-writing-grammar-or-style/264509/25 "2004-09-16T12:05:25Z")

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> [@pseudotriton ruber ruber](#):
>
> “loaned”?

No, really, no subtext at all. Really.

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