Among the more useful lessons Zinsser teaches his readers is that all
writers struggle. He dismisses wholesale the notion that some writers are so gifted that they never
have blocks (or what Ayn Rand called "the squirms"). This candid glimpse into the real art of
writing as hard work is as refreshing as it is reassuring.

Zinsser's clarity of writing and
facile touch make reading this text a genuinely fun experience. He practices what he preaches, and
it becomes immediately evident that "a clear sentence is no accident...few sentences come out right
the first time, or even the third time."

Leonardo da Vinci once quipped the beauty is the
purgation of superfluities, and this is one of the great lessons from Zinsser: the elimination of
clutter. Zinsser likens clutter to "the ponderous euphemism that turns a slum into a depressed
socioeconomic area, a salesman into a marketing representative, and garbage collectors into waste
disposal personnel"...all of these extravagances are to be avoided at all costs. The book is replete
with pearls of wisdom, but the most useful can be condensed into three principles: trust your
material[1]; truly respect language[2]; and write with simple eloquence[3].

In short, I cannot
recommend this book enough to those who wish to gain insight into the craft of writing-even if it is
merely to become a better reader. From word choice to style to grammar, Zinsser gently and
skillfully walks the reader behind the scenes of a familiar world, and he clearly demonstrates where
(and how) the ivory tower hits the pavement. I drank deeply from this book, and I'm sure that I will
continue to return to the well over time.

[1] "[R]eaders will bring to a piece of writing all the
emotion a writer could ask for-if he will just get out of the way." -WZ
[2] "You will never make
your mark as a writer unless you develop a respect for words and a curiosity about their shades of
meaning that is almost obsessive." -WZ
[3] "Every successful piece of nonfiction should leave
the reader with one provocative thought that he didn't have before. Not two thoughts, or five-one
thought." -WZ

Turns out it's one of the smarter book purchases. Zinsser wrote a travel article
that fascinated me, a person who skips the boring travel section in the local newspaper.

When I
read a book to improve some aspect of my life, I have to refer to it and put it to practice or it'll
never stick. Not with this book. While reading through it -- and I read it over a period of a few
months -- I remembered and applied the concepts in my writing such as omitting needless words and
qualifiers. Good stuff, enjoyable read, and lessons applied.

It is hard to find a well written book on writing well, but this one
merits the title. The author admits in all honesty that writing is hard, but goes into detail on how
to make it easy. The book is thorough, explaining in "layman's terms" how to write. There are
chapters on everything from grammar usage to how to make your writing funny. The chapter on
"Enjoyment, Fear and Confidence" while writing is most helpful. The author uses anecdotes and clever
humor to keep the reader interested.

This book is a jewel among self help guides... It is worth
every penny of investment and your writing is guaranteed to improve after one lecture.