LOOK IT UP: A Deskbook of American Spelling and Style

A trusty manual listing all those words which trip up writers six times a day. Elesch distinguishes standard usage (schlock) from slang (kvetch), includes irregular plurals and tenses, gives frequently misspelled words (but omits alternate spellings), and notes which foreign words need accents (cause cÉlèbre) and which don't (coupe). He hates pretentious usage, consistently recommending simpler forms, and tends to simplify spellings (subpena for subpoena). The length of most entries is limited to a phrase or two indicating the troublesome part of the word, although a few--such as capitalization rules--run a page or more. A fine source of current spellings and usage distilled from the most consulted dictionaries and style books-- ours is well-thumbed already.