Plain Words

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Language Arts, Grammar, Writing & Publishing, Composition & Creative Writing
Cover of the book Plain Words by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers, Penguin Books Ltd
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers ISBN: 9780241960356
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd Publication: March 27, 2014
Imprint: Penguin Language: English
Author: Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
ISBN: 9780241960356
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Publication: March 27, 2014
Imprint: Penguin
Language: English

'Be short, be simple, be human.'

When Sir Ernest Gowers first wrote Plain Words, it was intended simply as a guide to the proper use of English for the Civil Service. Within a year, however, its humour, charm and authority had made it a bestseller. Since then it has never been out of print.

Six decades on, writer Rebecca Gowers has created a new edition of this now-classic work that both revises and celebrates her great-grandfather's original. Plain Words has been updated to reflect numerous changes in English usage, yet Sir Ernest's distinctive, witty voice is undimmed. And his message remains vital: our writing should be as clear and comprehensible as possible, avoiding superfluous words and clichés - from the jargon of 'commercialese' to the murky euphemisms of politicians.

In a new preface, this edition draws on an extensive private archive, previously hidden away in family cupboards and attics, to tell the story behind a book that has become an institution: the essential guide to making yourself understood.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

'Be short, be simple, be human.'

When Sir Ernest Gowers first wrote Plain Words, it was intended simply as a guide to the proper use of English for the Civil Service. Within a year, however, its humour, charm and authority had made it a bestseller. Since then it has never been out of print.

Six decades on, writer Rebecca Gowers has created a new edition of this now-classic work that both revises and celebrates her great-grandfather's original. Plain Words has been updated to reflect numerous changes in English usage, yet Sir Ernest's distinctive, witty voice is undimmed. And his message remains vital: our writing should be as clear and comprehensible as possible, avoiding superfluous words and clichés - from the jargon of 'commercialese' to the murky euphemisms of politicians.

In a new preface, this edition draws on an extensive private archive, previously hidden away in family cupboards and attics, to tell the story behind a book that has become an institution: the essential guide to making yourself understood.

More books from Penguin Books Ltd

Cover of the book The Distracted Preacher and Other Tales by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book The Treasure Chest by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book The Crazy Christmas Joke Book by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book Of the Abuse of Words by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book Mr Slater, Gladiator: Genie Street: Ladybird Read it yourself by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book Poems of John Keats by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book Will to Live by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book The Last Days of Socrates by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book The Gifts of Reading by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book Behind Dead Eyes by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book The Last Vote by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book Letters To Aston by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book Parenting is Child's Play by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
Cover of the book Crap CVs by Rebecca Gowers, Ernest Gowers
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy