“Elements of Style” Celebrates 50th Anniversary

I became aware of “The Elements of Style” as a sophomore at West Catholic High School in Philadelphia in 1970. I didn’t pay much attention at the time; it seemed like a pretentious compendium of archaic rules whose only purpose seemed to be to suck the life out of my writing.

Today, the little book authored by William Strunk Jr., and updated E.B. White occupies a prominent spot on my desk and is consulted often to answer tricky questions of word usage, punctuation, form and composition, even moreso than my trusty AP stylebook. It feels good just to have it next to my computer, as if its contents will clear up confusing sentences and stubborn subclauses by osmosis. I should know the rules by now, but every once in a while it helps to open the book at any page and read for five minutes. Inevitably, I’ll learn something new (or at least refresh my memory).

Brian Scott has an interesting post about the upcoming 50th anniversary of the first publication of “The Elements of Style” over at Write Better, the official blog of LousyWriter.com.An event in New York City on April 16 will mark the momentous occasion.

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