for the first time I'm reading a book with a highlighter and pen handy. after 25 pages of On Writing Well, it looks like every one will be marked by the time I finish.

it took me hours to get this far, not because the writing is inaccessible or full of metaphor, but because it is so simple and overthought. I find myself re-reading sentences, even paragraphs, marveling at the word choice, like the sentence “today [distractions] also include a galaxy of electronic devices for receiving entertainment and information” (page 8). as I read and re-read I wonder if Zinsser picked galaxy without a second thought or if it came from dozens of iterations, crafting the sentence into the final gem that was published.

for the next generation, where emails, IM, and SMS have already replaced voicemail, hallway meetings, and gossiping over tea, this book should be required reading. anyone who uses a keyboard or pen would benefit from it.