“Mr. Plotnik challenges his readers to set themselves apart…Genuinely funny.”

“[An] entertaining potpourri of thoughts about words…A helpful little compendium for writers and speaking wishing to brush up on their prose.”

“Richard Waterhouse’ interpretive skills and playful
approach make this thoughtful book on writing shine in the audio format. With
youthful and reasoned enthusiasm, he reads long sentences, lists, and
quotations with razor clarity and sounds authentically engaged with the author’s
ideas and sensibilities. He’s especially effective when reading the examples
offered on oral presentations, which allow listeners to hear how phrasing,
tone, and emphasis can vary. For experienced writers and newbies alike, this is
an invaluable book on how one’s choice of words can influence the formality,
style, and effectiveness of our writing.”

“Funny and fundamentally helpful.”

“With sincerity, humor, and the occasional precision-lobbed ‘grenade,’ Plotnik teaches by example, demonstrating dozens of ways we can ‘abuse’ English and add interest and tension to dozy prose—all without forsaking authenticity and restraint.”

“Plotnick succeeds where many writers fail. he not only enlightens, he entertains. To be guided by such a sure and steady hand is a delight—a romp through the ever-changing trends of taste and style that shape our use of English.”