1 January 2013. A Suggestion from your Editor… Check Out Don Watson from Oz… GOOD STUFF

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Don Watson is one of the most effective writers of English out there. Here’s a good example (this is the main page for his essays in The Monthly). He hates jargon, he hates weasel words, and he hates imprecision. What’s to dislike? I’ll go even farther… if your work involves the use of words, his writings are de rigueur. I’m not being hyperbolic. If you spend just a little time with Mr Watson, trust me, you’ll catch the good contagion from him, and it’ll do you nothing but good (have a slug off the jug afterwards and kiss your dear ones, that’ll make it a trifecta). Here are his three must-read books:

• Death Sentence: The Decay of Public Language (2003) (ISBN 978-1-74051-278-7)
  
• Watson’s Dictionary of Weasel Words: Contemporary Cliches, Cant and Management Jargon (2004) (ISBN 978-1-74051-366-1)
• Bendable Learnings: The Wisdom of Modern Management (2009) (ISBN 978-1-74166-904-6)

NB: Two of the above have “click to look inside” links… do so. You won’t be disappointed!

They’ve been a great aid to me and my writing… I commend them VERY highly to you. BUY THEM. READ THEM. HEED THEM. Good Stuff, kids… and I don’t say that lightly. I wanted to give a real New Year present to all of my literate friends. This is it… my recommendation. You won’t be disappointed in the least. Also, click here for Weaselwords, also from Oz… keep smilin’… that truly fries their ice and riles ’em…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Barbara-Marie Drezhlo

1 January 2012

Civil New Year

Albany NY 

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