The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker
4.04 on Goodreads
One reviewer on Amazon lauded this book as the antidote to The Elements of Style, and many reviewers seemed to concur that this makes for a good chaser to Strunk and White's classic guide. I was excited to get into this one, since it promised a different perspective on the craft than most books on the topic of writing.
Pinker is a psychologist, and a linguistics expert. The description of his book, echoed by rave reviews from his fans, promises to bring the discussion of style into the twenty-first century. By implication, this is not simply a book that tells you what you must (or must not) do, but one that explores what makes for good writing, and, more importantly, why. It delivers on this front quite well, whilst simultaneously peeling away the layers of grammar fanaticism that has led to the horrors of 'split infinitive' hysteria, and those people who lurk in comments sections waiting to tell you "You should never begin a sentence with And or But." You know the type. Pinker brings together some fascinating discussion on grammar, editorial style, and psycholinguistics; this almost made up for the baffling structural choices that saw the final chapter become some kind of rambling glossary of common grammatical misconceptions and their antidotes.
And yet...
The key point of the book hinges on the superiority of the 'Classical' mode of writing which privileges clarity above all else. Pinker uses a lot of long winded analogies, examples and counter examples, all to say something most fiction writers are already very familiar with. Those three little words that have sent some writers in comments threads into fits of rage: 'show, don't tell' (this being said, the fact of its continued controversy in some online spaces would seem to vindicate Pinker on this count).
Whilst Pinker elaborates on the necessity of clear and relatable analogies, metaphors, and examples (as opposed to abstractions), he frequently threatens to drown the baby with the bathwater. Much of the book overcomplicates the notions it strives to clarify and promote. I frequently wanted to take a red pen and pair it back down to its essentials.
What are others saying about it?
I wasn't surprised to find reviewers who had a similar outlook to my own. The reviews were numerous and lengthy, so I will summarise. Gripes I found in common with other reviewers:
Pinker couldn't seem to make his mind up whether he wanted to write a philosophy of writing, or a reference book. It is all over the place.
Things go down hill after the third chapter.
He spends a lot of time bragging about his wife.
He over complicates and over explains (especially from chapter four onwards).
Final Verdict:
A very generous three stars. If you're interested in the reasoning behind good style, and hope to improve the clarity of your prose, you may find this an interesting read, but be prepared to work for it. If you're looking for a straightforward set of grammar explanations, you're better off not entering this particular maze.
Buy the book here (this is a sponsored link and will provide this struggling creative with financial support).
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