The Elements of Style, by Strunk and White, Illustrated by Maira Kalman
I’m sure you recognize the name E.B White, the author of Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little.
When he was a student at Cornell, he partnered with a teacher ( William Strunk Jr.) to revise the classic, iconic, beloved style manual, The Elements of Style. Everyone looooooves it, people literally carry it around, and it’s probably sitting somewhere in your, or your parents’ house.
It never grabbed me. I know, I know, undeniably useful. All well and good, but something about the layout or, idk…. It just never really connected.
Perhaps Maira Kalman felt the same way, because in 2005 she and Viking released this version, which to me is so much easier to use.
She added clarity to a book on clarity, which I appreciate very much.
You may disagree, and prefer the classic format. Either way, have a copy near you when you edit, revise, or re-write. You need this. That em-dash isn’t going to sort itself out.