To Comma or Not to Comma: The Best Little Punctuation Book Ever!

As a writer, I appreciated this easy to read, easy to understand punctuation book. It's notable in its many examples given for every punctuation rule. After resisting the Oxford Comma for years, an example in Miller's little book convinced me to adopt it.No Oxford Comma: We invited the dogs, my sister and her friends. Are the sister and her friends, dogs? The Oxford Comma nicely clears up the confusion: We invited the dogs, my sister, and her friends.Recommended for any writer who hasn't mastered the rules of punctuation, and who has?

The Chicago Manual of Style covers everything on punctuation, but as such it is an encyclopedic tome. It's fine for looking up very specific questions, but I can't imagine anyone reading it from cover to cover. I can imagine doing such with Comma or Not to Comma.I have not read the entire book, though it is short and well organized, making it not only an easy read, but easy to find answers to one’s questions. Multiple examples with commentary bring home the points. I recently participated in helping edit an anthology. We found the commas the most problematic. One of two official editors went through the book four times, finding numerous changes each time. I became dizzy in the process. Therefore, I read this book's secition on commas and the attendant appendix. As an author, I appreciated being able to review the main points and some finer ones in a short amount of time. I feel confident I can confirm the rules I might not remember in short order, and leave tricky questions for the tome.A pleasant surprise is that all punctuation marks and their proper use are covered. When to use quotes vs. italics was useful.I believe the book would be particularly valuable for those professionals who are not engaged in writing full time, but want to be correct in the writing of reports, memos, newsletters, and the like.My only criticism is petty. As an author I wantedto rewrite sample sentences in a simpler or better way, of course, ruining the example in the process.I recommend this book for everyone who wants to punctuate correctly.

I love how each chapter has an overall subject that is then separated into different ways that punctuation is used. It's also broken down in the list readers can click on in ebook form. The quizlets and final test allowed me to test myself, and identify what areas I need to study more. This is now one of my favorite books I plan to reference as needed.

This little book explains punctuation in a clear and easy-to-remember way. I highly recommend it.

Returned since not what I wanted! Written in a very strange format.

This book is very helpful, especially since I finished high school a long time ago, and have forgotten so much that I learned there.

I would give this book five (5) stars, but the author does not mention the use of the comma to set off absolute, noun, and adverbial evaluative and viewpoint phrases.Either the author does not know about the use, placement, and punctuation mechanics of the aforementioned, or she just overlooked them altogether.Other than this discrepancy, she has written a useful practical book, How to Read a Book, recommended.

The explanation helped my grandson to understand and master the usage of the comma in high school assignments. All students will greatly benefit them in their school assignments.

Great reference, great author.