The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation:...

I was teaching a class last month and someone asked me a fairly obscure grammar question. I didn't know the answer but I was so glad that I had brought a copy of the "Blue Book" with me (as I always do). The book is an easy-to-use resource for busy people who know that correct grammar and punctuation is essential if you want to present a professional image.

I recently picked up the BBOG and want to sing its praises! Ms. Straus's compilation is easy to read, technically precise, and packed with useful examples. It's an invaluable reference for practical writing and a great learning tool for mastering those pesky counter-intuitive nuances that separate decent writing from masterful scholarship. I write for a living and soon after buying this book, I condensed my half-a-dozen writers' reference books into one source, The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation. I won't say "This book has changed my life"; it's a grammar book. But it has done one thing - answered each and every one of my grammar- and punctuation-related questions. What more can you ask for than one-stop shopping for your everyday grammatical needs!

This book serves a purpose that no other book, in my experience as a manager, does. Ms. Straus offers easy-to-understand rules, clear examples, and practice quizzes. She has structured the book and the Table of Contents in a way that makes any topic you're seeking clarification on easy to find. I've taken her seminar, so I know that she is an expert in this field, a highly sought-after trainer, and generous besides. She has offered the entire contents of this book on her website to let everyone know exactly what they will get when they purchase it. I have much more confidence in my writing skills because of this book and am very grateful for it and for Ms. Straus's efforts.

I couldn't disagree more with "a student's" review of this outstanding book. This book serves a purpose that no other book, in my experience as a manager, does. Ms. Straus offers easy-to-understand rules, clear examples, and practice quizzes. I've taken her seminar so I know that she is an expert in this field, a highly sought-after trainer, and generous besides. She has offered the entire contents of this book on her website free to help those who cannot afford to purchase the book as well as to let everyone know exactly what they will get when they do purchase it. I have much more confidence in my writing skills because of this book and am very grateful for it and for Ms. Straus's efforts.

I've been teaching business writing for more than 25 years. My workshop students always have questions about grammar and punctuation-how to use semicolons, whether it's okay to end a sentence with a preposition, when to capitalize a noun, and more. This workbook answers those kinds of questions crisply and clearly, and it includes lots of exercises to facilitate learning. The book is a great resource for anyone who thinks that correct usage is important-and it is! Janis Fisher Chan, co-founder of Write It Well and author of business writing books that include E-Mail: A Write It Well Guide--How to Write and Manage E-Mail in the Workplace; Professional Writing Skills, and How to Write Reports and Proposals.