Pocket Guide to Correct Punctuation

Of all the books on grammar and punctuation I've read, this was the most clear, correct and concise.

I serve as copy desk chief for a newsletter business. I serve a small staff of reporters and am often challenged in my judgements regarding copy, especially punctuation. In university, I was a descriptive grammarian much more than a prescriptive grammarian. Sometimes I find it difficult to see the "errors" in copy, and am more intrigued with the writer's decision to represent an idea in such a way.This becomes a sticking point with writers on our staff. They want a reason for the changes I make, and often I am at a loss to explain the more verbose style guides' explanations.I am glad to have Barron's Pocket Guide to Correct Punctuation, if not for the usage details, but for the explanations of punctuation usage. To quote: "It is not strictly logical, but it cannot be too often repeated that punctuation is not a matter of logical 'rules' but simply a system of conventional symbols used to make the meaning of written language clear to the reader" (page 19). I like this attitude.