The Sense of Style: Summary Review
This is a summary review of The Sense of Style containing key details about the book.
What is The Sense of Style About?
The Sense of Style is a book that provides guidelines for clear and effective writing in the digital age, exploring the relationship between linguistic science and traditional style rules.
The Sense of Style applies science to the process of writing, and explains its prescriptions by citing studies in related fields – e.g., grammatical phenomena, mental dynamics, and memory load – as well as history and criticism, to “distinguish the rules that enhance clarity, grace, and emotional resonance from those that are based on myths and misunderstandings”.
Summary Points & Takeaways from The Sense of Style
Some key summary points and takeaways from the book includes:
* Writing should be clear, concise, and engaging.
* Avoid using jargon, overly complex sentences, and vague words.
* Write for the reader, using concrete examples and familiar terms.
* Use active voice instead of passive voice.
* Vary sentence length and structure for interest and emphasis.
* Pay attention to grammar, punctuation, and style.
* Embrace the process of revision and editing.
Who is the author of The Sense of Style?
Steven Arthur Pinker is a Canadian-American cognitive psychologist, psycholinguist, popular science author and public intellectual. He is an advocate of evolutionary psychology and the computational theory of mind.
Book Details
- Print length: 368 pages
- Genre: Writing, Nonfiction, Language
The Sense of Style Chapters
Chapter 1 :Good writing
Chapter 2:A window onto the world
Chapter 3:The curse of knowledge
Chapter 4:The web, the tree, and the string
Chapter 5:Arcs of coherence
Chapter 6:Telling right from wrong.
What is a good quote from The Sense of Style?
Top Quote: “As people age, they confuse changes in themselves with changes in the world, and changes in the world with moral decline—the illusion of the good old days.” – The Sense of Style Quotes, Steven Pinker
What do critics say?
Here’s what one of the prominent reviewers had to say about the book: “Erudite and witty… With its wealth of helpful information and its accessible approach, The Sense of Style is a worthy addition to even the most overburdened shelf of style manuals.” — Shelf Awareness
* The editor of this summary review made every effort to maintain information accuracy, including any published quotes, chapters, or takeaways. If you’re interested in furthering your personal growth, you may want to explore my list of favorite self-improvement books. These books, which have had a significant impact on my life, are carefully curated and come with summaries and key lessons.
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an impact-driven creator at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 life goals around the globe. Tal's journey and recent book, The Art of Fully Living, inspired him to found Elevate Society.















