Much ADO about a Lot: How to Mind Your Manners in Print and in Person

by Mary Newton Bruder

Describes common grammer pitfalls and clever ways to avoid them. Presents funny anecdotes, and unusual questions and answers. DLC: English language--Grammar. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786865172
• ISBN13: 9780786865178
• Release Date: March 2000
• Publisher: Hyperion Books
• Length: 278 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Couldn't agree more!

I just read the excerpt and ordered this book. I learned English in Germany, and we had to go through the grueling and rather boring grammar and sentence structure drills (in German it's subject-object-verb). Yet, had I not had this foundation, I would have drowned in American regional slang such as "I says", brrrrhh! - I want this book because I'm sure I'll learn a thing or two without falling asleep over it. I've considered myself a scholar of this amazing language for the past 19 years, but it's never been a drudgery as long as I had the right tools. From what I've read so far, this book might just rank in the top five.

the importance of grammar (with a smile)

The title of this book really caught my eye when I was perusing store shelves this evening and I ended up in a cozy chair in the back of the bookstore totally absorbed in this fantastic read. Mary Newton Bruder is a natural at writing about the importance of grammar without making the reader feel like a big idiot for not knowing all there is to know. She provides humour, like "Typos for the Weak" (those little weirdnesses that happen with spell-check;-) and she helps the reader strengthen their chops by featuring fun quizes throughout the book. The bottom inch or so of almost every page is dedicated to a Weird Word: a word that a reader didn't know the correct spelling, meaning, or pronounciation of and had to ask the author to clue them in on it. I enjoyed Mary Newton Bruder's style, it was very laid back and humourous, forgiving and understanding, while that it IS important to have decent grammar in today's world. I admit, I need this book! I don't think anyone will feel they are being lectured or put down in any way, or made to feel stupid. This book embraces people at all levels of skill and encourages all of us to make an effort to improve communication and honor the English language while keeping the tone light and fun.

Not just about grammar per se

The Grammar Lady's gem of a book, Much Ado About a Lot, is not just about grammar per se, but about improved communications, both spoken and written. You'll smile all the way through Mary Newton Bruder's delightful primer concerning our totally absorbing language -- English! R.A. Miller, Advertising Copywriter, Wilmington, DE

Much Ado About A Lot

An entertaining grammar book? It might sound like an oxymoron, but Mary Newton Bruder's book about grammar is entertaining, funny and enlightening. I laughed often while reading it. My husband wanted to know what was so humorous, and he was shocked to learn I was reading a book about grammar! "Much Ado About A Lot," is easy to read and will become an indispensable reference book for professional communicators, teachers, office workers and others who want to communicate clearly. Thank you, Grammar Lady!

A Breath of Fresh Air!

At last! A wonderful reference for any writer, editor, copyeditor, and proofreader to keep within arm's reach while plying their trade! More than a "how to/here's why," this clear and understandable guide is deliciously salted with the Grammar Lady's own asides and observations, making it as entertaining (you'll find yourself chuckling aloud!) as it is insightful. Applications for life, as well as for the written word - that's why, once in your possession, "Much Ado" promises to all-to-soon lose its initial good looks to become a dog-earred, much-loved reference for any lover of the English language. (Grammar Lady, when can we expect the sequel? )