The Elements of Style

By William Strunk, E B White,

Book cover of The Elements of Style: The Classic Writing Style Guide

Book description

The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E. B. White - The Classic Writing Style Guide - This book aims to give in brief space the principal requirements of plain English style. It aims to lighten the task of instructor and student by concentrating attention (in Chapters II and…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Elements of Style as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This book is now more than a century old and has sold countless millions in numerous editions.

In my book about writing books I argue that this brief volume is not one book at all, but two books. Each part offers a different, some might say a contradictory view of what we mean when we talk about a writer’s “style.”

The original handbook was written by William Strunk Jr., a professor at Cornell, in 1918.  E.B. White was one of his students. Strunk preached consistency in grammar, usage, brevity, and rhetorical techniques. If you wanted to be a good writer,…

From Roy's list on writing and why they matter.

Want books like The Elements of Style?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 26 books like The Elements of Style.

Browse books like The Elements of Style

Book cover of Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Book cover of On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
Book cover of Politics and the English Language

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,593

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in grammar, the English language, and rhetoric?

Grammar 15 books
Rhetoric 56 books