Reddit reviews Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation

That's a great book, too.

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation

• The Writing Life by Annie Dillard -- An example both in the things she says and how she says it of damn good writing. It's short, and influential. I read it three times in twenty four hours the first time I picked it up.
  
  
• [Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/087788918X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=087788918X&linkCode=as2&tag=crysbrya-20) by Madeline L'Engle -- I recommend this for anyone of any faith or lack thereof for L'Engle's discussions on true art, the morality of art, the effect it has on a person's being and possibly the best writing I've ever read of hers, and I love L'Engle's novels, so that's saying something.
  
  
• On Writing Well by William Zinnser -- My personal copy has probably half the book underlined, but my favorite chapter, by far, is Chapter 2, Simplicity. I feel it should be required reading for every author aspirant.
  
  
• The Art of the Personal Essay by Philip Lopate -- This is an anthology, but a better teacher of good personal writing than any how-to book I've ever read.
  
  
• Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss -- You'll never find grammar or punctuation boring again after reading Truss's hilarious and informative treatment of the worthiness of punctuation, in current times and throughout history. (Though I disagree with her dismissal of the interrobang.)

You seem like you'd like this book: Eats, Shoots & Leaves

Eats, Shoots & Leaves The no nonsense guide to punctuation.

The Craft of Research

Craft of Scientific Presentations

Edward Tufte I've never read anything of his, but I see this recommendation from time to time.

Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy Because sometimes you need a vacation. :)

http://www.amazon.com/Eats-Shoots-Leaves-Lynne-Truss-ebook/dp/B000OIZSVY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395354049&sr=8-1&keywords=eats+shoots+and+leaves

If you just look at the cover, its about a panda that will fuck your shit up.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OIZSVY/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1#navbar

Eats shoots and leaves.

I think /u/db_bob meant "I've already decided it wont be. Just looking for every little thing i can do to waylay any what ifs." in response to "Can this be your life until you die?"

I'm a big fan of Lynne Truss' book "Eats, Shoots & Leaves." One big takeaway is what you echoed -- use whatever punctuation and phraseology you (the writer) need to convey what you mean. If it feels like you need a comma, use that comma. Dickish and pretentious writers operate in a different realm but you get the idea.

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation

Your grammar is a good indicator of how you communicate in the real world. If you have trouble forming a cogent sentence in text where you have red squiggly lines to indicate misspelling, or clear violations of norms, like putting two spaces after a period, it indicates that your spoken response in the real world may be lacking.

Grammar is important. Like the Lynn Truss book demonstrates, there is a huge difference between the following statements:

A panda eats shoots and leaves.

A panda eats, shoots and leaves.