Adios, Strunk & White: A Handbook for the New Academic Essay

I used this handbook for my freshman english composition class and it opened my eyes to a whole new approach to writing. I've always loved reading and writing, but Glynis and Gary's techniques allowed me to write creatively-- I'm in love with writing now. The examples they use make the writing process accessible in ways it may not have been for a student before, plus they are inspiring and make you want to write about anything and everything. Glynis is actually my current teacher and friend: the way we write in class (according to the book) has made an extraordinary difference in my writing. Adios to boring assignments. - Ivy Leighton, OCC student (on my dad's account. :)

There is a sad state of affairs in the quality of many books about writing - whether they are style guides, technical manuals or writing coursebooks. It isn't just that they aren't especially well-written (which is something that you should be able to take for granted, given the subject matter) - the problem is that they are downright boring. "Adios, Strunk and White" breaks out of this unfortunate mold with spectacular style. The writing is clear, clever and engaging. It respectfully pokes fun at established tradition while providing you with invaluable tools for communicating in a way that will engage your readers. In my own book about writing, I say that "good writing doesn't just tell you something, it captures the imagination." In "Adios, Strunk and White", Gary and Glynis Hoffman do exactly that. They capture the imagination of aspiring writers, and fill them excitement about their ability to write. Don't waste time, get a copy today - your readers will thank you. Danny Iny Author of "Ordinary Miracles - Harness the power of writing and get your point across!" (ISBN 1-4116-7252-6)

I am a college level English composition instructor, and I have been teaching ENC 1101 - Freshman Comp - for 15 years, so I really thought I had tried everything on earth to help guide my students toward writing competent, exciting essays. I introduced this book as a text - with a traditional grammar handbook as a supplement - last Fall, and I have seen amazing results. My students understand what they are reading - the theory and practice behind the skills in the book. This book is so well-written and lively and interesting, my students are reading chapters I have not even assigned just for fun and because they were curious. They actually read on their own for FUN!!!!??? How many times does that happen with a composition textbook???? What this has done so much better than a traditional 'rhetoric' or 'writing' textbook is take my students out of that second grade format of relying on a 3-point thesis/5 paragraph format and inspire them to be bolder, more lively, more exciting writers. Of course, we cover more formulamatic-based writing, as many tasks in college and the real world rely on that 'Barney-fied' 3 point thesis format, but "Adios, Strunk and White" has shown my students how to 'kick it up a notch,' as Emeril Lagasse would say. They have become more attentive, exciting writers because of our use of this book in the classroom, and I KNOW this book has changed the way I think about writing and the teaching of writing!

Whether a teacher or student, writer of fiction or non-fiction, you must read Adios, Strunk and White, Third Edition, by Gary and Glynis Hoffman. I recommended it to my fiction writing critique group and use it in my college courses. Though previous editions have been superb, the Hoffmans have surpassed themselves: the third edition of Adios, Strunk and White has cleaner explanations, plumper excerpts, with the second edition's startling range of examples from high to low, literary to scientific! A round of applause to the Hoffmans.Donna Barnard, author of Sparks: A Reader to Energize Writing

Adios helps me, an English and Philosophy major at Berkeley, to remember why the Word is a tool of redemption. Redemption from drab, i-before-e priestly grammar; redemption from instruction about how to write ABOUT great writers, without telling you how to BECOME a great writer. Moreover, Adios demonstrates that critical thinking and creative writing are not mutually exclusive, but actually require one another. Using wit, accessible theories and plenty of specific examples, the Hoffmans show how to achieve the essential aim of writing: clear, cogent and creative prose. Is there any other Truth? All other decrees are blasphemy. Thank you Gary and Glynis! Your book is a revlelation!