09 January 2008

User's Guide Available


My latest book, The English Language: A User's Guide, is now available from Amazon.com. It's a revised and much expanded version of the guide I've had on-line for donkey's years — nearly as long as there's been a World Wide Web.

I originally wrote the thing for students in my own classes, and university students are still my most important audience. But I've also written it for business writers, people who find themselves expected to write but not confident about grammar, style, usage, mechanics and so on. Here's how one reviewer describes it:

Anyone who spends time at all reading or writing, whether for purpose or pleasure, will delight in The English Language: A Users Guide. Lynch’s book is not just informative and gracefully written but also it’s downright fun to read. I learned more in ten minutes grazing Lynch’s book than I would have in an hour plodding through just about any other writers’ guide, plus I found myself laughing out loud in the process! It’s a pleasure to recommend this wonderful book."
— James Lake, Louisiana State University

So, just in case my expected $1.2 billion doesn't materialize, perhaps I'll be able to make a buck or two on the guide. If you teach, bully your students into buying it. Hell, make 'em buy two — it's good for 'em. Builds character.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

damn it all. i simply love your wit and your work. rutgers kids do not know how lucky they have it. i wish i had such an inspiring professor like you down here at penn but not much success so far. on a separate note, your guide on amazon is sold out. i am too late.

i would love to see you publish simple web comics if you have the time but we all know demanding the english language is. on that note i leave you with a link to a humorous web comic.
http://xkcd.com/209/

Jack Lynch said...

Thanks for the kind words. I'm a Penn person from way back (undergrad '85-'98, grad '93-'98), and know there are some mighty fine professors there. If you're looking for an inspiring English class, check out Michael Gamer and Al Filreis, both as good as it gets.