I'll be the first to admit I resisted reading Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss when it was first published in 2003. The reviews kept talking about how funny it was and I thought . . . well, lets keep this family-friendly and just say that I thought the reviewers had all lost their marbles. When I say the word "funny" what comes to mind? The clothes a 3-year-old picks out for herself? Sure. Cream pie in the face? Okay. Semicolons? Are you kidding me?
But when I saw a copy at the local library book sale last fall, I picked it up. At that point, I was still feeling that it was an obligatory read, the book equivalent of a bowl full of steamed okra. Sure, it'd be nutritious and I might feel virtuous afterwords, but that didn't mean I'd enjoy the experience. Well, let me be the first to admit I was wrong. It is amusing, to the point where I started reading bits of it aloud to whoever would listen. Or more accurately, handing over the book and insisting that they read it, since otherwise, how do you understand the difference in sentences such as these:
A woman, without her man, is nothing.
A woman: without her, man is nothing.
Part of what makes this book so appealing is the author's passion for her subject. She admits she is a punctuation geek. She writes, "While other girls were out with boyfriends on Sunday afternoons, getting their necks disfigured by love bites, I was at home with the wireless listening to an Ian Messiter quiz called Many a Slip, in which erudite and amusing contestants spotted grammatical errors in pieces of prose." Earlier, she describes her passion for punctuation this way: "While we look in horror at a badly punctuated sign, the world carries on around us, blind to our plight. We are like the little boy in The Sixth Sense who can see dead people, except that we can see dead punctuation."
She is also unexpectedly blunt, which I found humorous, but I'm sure some might take offense. For example: "The big final rule for the comma is one that you won't find in any books by grammarians. It is quite easy to remember, however. The rule is: don't use commas like a stupid person."
The author said a few things that really stuck with me as a writer. For example, she said that a semicolon was compliment from the writer to the reader. She writes, "The sub-text of a semicolon is, 'Now this is a hint. The elements of this sentence, although grammatically distinct, are actually elements of a single notion. I can make it plainer for you - but hey! You're a reader! I don't need to draw you a map!'"
I never really thought about why I like semicolons, but this explanation makes a lot of sense to me. I hate having to spell things out. As a writer, I love when readers just "get it." As a reader, I love when I figure out whodunnit before the detective does in a mystery novel (but not so much earlier that I think the detective is an idiot.)
Jewelry InspirationFor these punctuation-inspired earrings, I washed (in the washing machine in a nylon bag) some computer keys and drilled holes in the top. These are lightweight and fun. You can see a larger photo of Just My Type in my Beads & Books shop.
You'll Like This Book If . . .
If you're the kind of person who adores Americas Funniest Home Videos,
you may not enjoy the humor. The humor in this book is more sophisticated than a child smashing his face into a
birthday cake. It's a kind of intellectual word-play,
humor that's funny, but also makes you think. (Even the title is a joke. Hint: what would happen if you left out the comma in the title?) If you're someone who
reads or writes a lot, or someone who feels compelled to point out poorly punctuated signs in stores and movie titles (Two Weeks Notice, anyone?), you'll enjoy reading this book.