I'm in tenth grade and am using this book in my English class. Take it from me, a girl who has lived through many a boring and completely useless grammar book, that this book is gold. Not only does it explain grammar and mechanics in a simple (hence the title) way, but it actually is interesting (well, as far as grammar goes...). It appeals to the average reader because it uses modern examples, not the junk from the fifties ("Julie helped her mother in the kitchen while Dan helped his father with the car"). For example, on the first "grammar" day, all of my fellow classmates were astounded that it mentioned "Shakespeare In Love" (the movie).

The book is also very well organized and it is easy to find what you are looking for. There is a good index in the back and a "Quick Locator Chart" on the back cover. Each section is easy to understand with useful charts and examples. And the book is very thin, so for all of us who are suffering from horrible backs due to our heavy backpacks, this book is a gift from heaven.

I urge all teachers to use this book in class, and students who need extra help with grammar of mechanics. Some of my friends from other schools actually use this book so that they can understand the grammar they are leaning from their grammar books.

This book is my bible. It's concise, easy to understand, yet absolutely complete. For the natural-born editors and the ESL students alike. No other book simplifies English better.

On the recommendation of one of my college instructors, I have used this reference since its fifth edition (1985). Aside from the rather bland cover, I can't imagine how this valuable resource could have been improved. It is well structured, simple to use, and straight to the point! So, if you have come this far, I strongly urge you to purchase this booklet. You can't go wrong! Hell, if you don't like it, give it away as a gift.

I got my first copy of this book in college, and ordered the 8th edition some time ago. It is ESSENTIAL reference material for anyone who wants to write CORRECTLY and USE the English language correctly. Your writing will improve, and a great side effect is that everyone will think you are incredibly smart! Get and USE this book! Those of us who cringe at the continuous abuse of the English language will thank you!

I am a technical writer with a Bachelors degree in English. I picked up this book in college, and I still use it to this day. Many grammars are lengthy and exhaustive, but this book's light weight and logical break-down of grammar make it the ultimate reference. Whether you are a struggling student, or a professional writer, you need this reference on your bookshelf.

A workbook is also available, which follows this reference to the letter.

A 'Catcher in the Rye' for the Orange generation. Fine Irish social studies writing like this only appears once in a blue moon. Has captured the thoughts of many, on a very touchy subject.

This book is a must for all western historians. It chronicles the life of a man not known by many. The book takes the reader through the life of a brave frontiersman. The West Texas atmosphere is well represented. The book contains photos of a time long past. Being from this area I found the book very interesting. It kept me wanting more and more.

I am an electrical engineer and PE, designing control systems. Although, I have not read this book cover to cover, it is setting on my desk and I use it frequently as a reference. It is an excellent source for creating electrical drawings, whether you are fluent in schematic generation, or just getting started. It contains information at all levels of understanding. I borrowed it from a CAD designer I work with, and it appears to be written for CAD designers. I have looked for a reference book of this nature- they are very hard to find. The reason I am writing this review is I came to amazon.com to buy it- a definite necessity for my professional library!

Even if your educational background is in labor law, this book is vital for understanding the complex procedures of the National Labor Relations Board. Practicing before the NLRB is a very unique experience and you will quickly find the agency has its own way of doing things. I am a lawyer and I use this book every single time I represent a client in any kind of NLRB proceeding. It's expensive, but well worth every penny (besides, it's tax-deductible as a business expense).

A masterpiece of history! Exciting and informative! 5 Stars!

I happen to live in the town and house where John Secor made his fame and fortune. This story is of special interest to me for this reason.

The book is rather dry in the beginning, because I am not involved in his geneaology, however it is meticulous in tracing his roots.

Secor followed his father's footsteps as an engineer, educated in the New York Public School System no less.

He goes on to invent many items which were prede-cessors to rocket propulsion.

I couldn't put it down. For anyone who has been touched by the work that Williams did, this is a must. Higgins takes us on a fascinating intellectual journey with Williams, painstakingly recreating the changing contexts in which Williams' ideas were formed, and giving us the tools to see how they emerged from the debates of the time, from a long struggle between socialism and individualism, which he never really resolved.

One of the problems you have with Williams as a non-academic is that he didn't write simply or clearly - he's hard work. Higgins recreates the great Williams arguments that liberated us from the straightjacket of Leavisite literary criticism, where an elite of critics determined what the "canon of literature" was, and dismissed everything that wasn't in that. The idea of all embracing culture, that culture and literature potentially includes everything that anyone writes - fantastic stuff, and very relevant today in the UK, where some of this appalling stuffiness is returning to orthodoxy with uncomfortable speed.

And in adult education , especially adult literacy, I can see that we owe him so much. I sometimes wonder if the way that the literary establishment excluded ordinary people from taking part has anything to do with the extraordinarily widespread problem in adult literacy - that most of us hate writing.

A must for anyone with a socialist perspective on education.

This books confirms--as if any of you were doubters--that in addition to his writings, Samuel B. was one of the coolest LOOKING human beings who has ever graced our environs. From the beauty of his "eagle" haircut to the absolutely perfect crease in his trousers, this book captures it ALL. He hangs out, drinks coffee, has a smoke, similar to mortals you'n'me. Best bet: look at the pictures in this book while listening to the old Columbia recording of Bert Lahr and E.G. Marshall doing "Waiting For . . .". I'll tell ya, like a Chesterfield, it satisfies!