More Nitty-Gritty Grammar

Grammar guides can be dry and pedantic, or they can imbue their somewhat tedious subject with warmth and humor. More Nitty-Gritty Grammar is the latter sort. An A-to-Z (OK, A-to-Y) guide, it appeals to contemporary students of grammar--be they actual students, workplace writers, or others--with examples they can relate to. Authors Edith H. Fine and Judith P. Josephson call upon Hideo Nomo to clear up the difference between pitcher and picture; Gov. Jesse ("the body") Ventura to illustrate the proper form for a sobriquet; and Cheese Puffs to clear up the double-negative issue. Elsewhere, they refer to Viagra, carrot smoothies, and the Dixie Chicks. For rules that just won't stick, they provide mnemonics. While the book is devoted mostly to grammar basics, there are elements to delight even the sophisticated grammarian. Among them: a section on the correct use of the en dash and reprints of nearly 60 grammar-related cartoons. --Jane Steinberg