Re: Wired Style Guide

["Elaine R. Firestone" <elaine -at- CALVAL -dot- GSFC -dot- NASA -dot- GOV>]

I haven't seen the book, personally, but we've been talking about it on the
technical communications list.  These are two postings that I haven't
trashed yet (contributors' names excluded to ensure their privacy):

><snip>
>The author's interview contains this quote:
>"My book, Wired Style: Principles of English Usage in the Digital Age,
>came about because I always believed grammar and writing had a bad rep,
and >wanted to have fun and to treat them with a touch of irreverence."

>I enjoy reading books containing touches of irreverence, but none has
>ever been a style guide.

Well, maybe the style guide for Mad Magazine, or the National Lampoon would
sell more copies than the GPO, or the MS style guide. And, if style guides
worked on an installed base basis like Windows, editing would certainly be
more fun.



> I enjoy reading books containing touches of irreverence, but none has
> ever been a style guide.

The NY Times ad uses the following blurb for the book: "I once had a
friend call up and tell me, 'Whosis wants to talk to you about whatsis.'
He needed this book." -- Roger Ebert, film critic for /The Chicago
Sun-Times/

I guess I should have realized what a recommendation like that
portended.


Elaine R. Firestone
elaine -at- calval -dot- gsfc -dot- nasa -dot- gov
elaine -at- seawifs -dot- gsfc -dot- nasa -dot- gov