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cara_j's review against another edition
4.0
My New Year's resolution is to read nonfiction for 30 minutes each morning. Economical Writing provides a good set of rules for writing with illustrative examples. Though I disagree about the advice for emails, I'm planning to implement other suggestions.
onesime's review against another edition
5.0
This slim book probably taught me more about writing in a week than two and a half years of Language Skills and Culture did. Although the book targets economists specifically, I recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their writing.
stumolan's review against another edition
5.0
A slim volume that I can't wait to return to while I write. McCloskey is firm and proscriptive but never unbending in her recommendations. She wants us all to be better writers and readers. I cannot wait to try.
morganrasco0315's review against another edition
5.0
Funny & informational! Definitely would recommend if you want to improve your writing skills.
vonmustache's review against another edition
4.0
McCloskey provides lots of useful advice in this book. Her argument is that clarity should be the aim of all writing; waste and ego should be tossed out.
I disagree with her assessment of the old adage of “say what you’re going to say, say it, say what you’ve said,” especially in academic prose. She assumes an ideal reader with infinite time and patience, but so much of academic reading is gutting. There is not one type of reader, and what a reader who scans every page may find redundant, a gutter may find clearer. It doesn’t make sense to me that we would prioritize one over the other.
Other than that small disagreement, I throughly agreed with McCloskey’s ideas. I still have a lot to learn about writing.
I disagree with her assessment of the old adage of “say what you’re going to say, say it, say what you’ve said,” especially in academic prose. She assumes an ideal reader with infinite time and patience, but so much of academic reading is gutting. There is not one type of reader, and what a reader who scans every page may find redundant, a gutter may find clearer. It doesn’t make sense to me that we would prioritize one over the other.
Other than that small disagreement, I throughly agreed with McCloskey’s ideas. I still have a lot to learn about writing.
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