Overview
āDelightful.ā āMary Norris, The New Yorker
A page-turning, existential romp through the life and times of the worldās most polarizing punctuation mark
The semicolon. Stephen King, Hemingway, Vonnegut, and Orwell detest it. Herman Melville, Henry James, and Rebecca Solnit love it. But why? When is it effective? Have we been misusing it? Should we even care?
In Semicolon, Cecelia Watson charts the rise and fall of this infamous punctuation mark, which for years was the trendiest one in the world of letters. But in the nineteenth century, as grammar books became all the rage, the rules of how we use language became both stricter and more confusing, with the semicolon a prime victim. Taking us on a breezy journey through a range of examplesāfrom Miltonās manuscripts to Martin Luther King Jr.ās āLetters from Birmingham Jailā to Raymond Chandlerās The Big SleepāWatson reveals how traditional grammar rules make us less successful at communicating with each other than weād think. Even the most die-hard grammar fanatics would be better served by tossing the rule books and learning a better way to engage with language.
Through her rollicking biography of the semicolon, Watson writes a guide to grammar that explains why we donāt need guides at all, and refocuses our attention on the deepest, most primary value of language: true communication.
This book title, Semicolon (The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark) - 9780062853066, ISBN: 9780062853066, by Cecelia Watson, published by HarperCollins (May 15, 2022) is available in paperback. Our minimum order quantity is 25 copies. All standard bulk book orders ship FREE in the continental USA and delivered in 4-10 business days.
Unlike Amazon and other retailers who may also offer Semicolon (The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark) - 9780062853066 books on their website, we specialize in large quantities and provide personal service, from trusted, experienced, friendly people in Portland, Oregon. We offer a Price Match Guarantee, and QuickQuote form, to make purchasing quick and easy.
Prefer to work with a human being when you order Semicolon (The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark) - 9780062853066 books in bulk? Our Book Specialists are standing by Monday-Friday 8-5 PST, ready to help!