August/September 2004

Volume 45, Number 1

Book Review: Eats Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation

by Deb Lockwood

Here is an anomaly: A book about punctuation, written in narrative form, that is an international bestseller. Yes, there really is such a thing! Lynne Truss, an author, television critic, sports columnist, and book reviewer, cuts through the boredom and creates a work that is literate, correct, concise, and chock full of dry wit. A quick read, it's not only a terrific reminder to be on the watch for incorrect punctuation usage, but is also very entertaining.

Truss uses many effective examples of how different punctuation changes the written message. The most relevant example for this review is the one referenced in the book's title. On the back cover of the book, the author explains the situation as follows:

• "A panda walks into a café. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and fires two shots in the air.
• 'Why?' asks the confused waiter, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder.
• 'I'm a panda,' he says, at the door. 'Look it up.'
• The waiter turns to the relevant entry and, sure enough, finds an explanation.
• 'Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.'"

The information in the book is separated into the following chapters:

• Introduction - The Seventh Sense
• The Tractable Apostrophe
• That'll Do, Comma
• Airs and Graces
• Cutting a Dash
• A Little Used Punctuation Mark
• Merely Conventional Signs

Truss speaks of the "ignorance and indifference" (p. 2) we find everywhere these days when it comes to exactness in our language, including our punctuation.

On page 1, Truss begins explaining the painful process that a "true stickler" experiences when he or she is confronted with a punctuation error:

"For the true stickler, you see, the sight of the plural word 'Book's' with an apostrophe in it will trigger a ghastly private emotional process similar to the stages of bereavement, though greatly accelerated. First there is shock. Within seconds, shock gives way to disbelief, disbelief to pain, and pain to anger. Finally (and this is where the analogy breaks down), anger gives way to a righteous urge to perpetrate an act of criminal damage with the aid of a permanent marker."

If punctuation errors have ever stopped you cold, or made you angry, then this is the book for you.

It's the rare book indeed that tackles a potentially dry subject with such a clever treatment. Even though the book is published exactly as it was in the original British edition, and there are a few differences between American and British English usage and punctuation, you will find enough (American) truth to be well satisfied with this work of humor and fact. Reading this book gives you a good refresher for using correct punctuation while allowing you to laugh out loud.

Eats Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
by Lynne Truss. 2003. 1st ed. New York: Gotham Books. [ISBN: 1-592-40087-6. 209 pages. $17.50 (hardcover).]
www.eatsshootsandleaves.com