Clear and Simple as the Truth

Francis-Noel Thomas is professor emeritus of humanities at Truman College, City Colleges of Chicago. Mark Turner is Institute Professor and professor of cognitive science at Case Western Reserve University.

• Acknowledgments vii Clear and Simple as the Truth 1 Chapter One: Principles of Classic Style 5 The Concept of Style 7 Recognizing Classic Style 12 The Elements of Style 17 The Classic Stand on the Elements of Style 24 Truth 24 Presentation 32 Scene 37 Cast 45 Thought and Language 57 Other Stands, Other Styles 66 Trade Secrets 97 Envoi: Style Is Not Etiquette 10 Chapter Two: The Museum 107 Chapter Three: The Studio 187 Introduction 189 Fundamentals: Talk First 189 Fundamentals: Write Second 212 Advanced Writing 215 Conclusion 227 Chapter Four: Further Readings in Classic Prose 229 Notes 239 Index 253

Winner of the 1996 Prix du Rayonnement de la langue et de la litterature francaises, Academie francaise "Their model of 'classic prose' ... elegantly captures the differences between vigorous and turgid writing."--Steven Pinker, New York Times Book Review "[I]n the hands of a good instructor and students who have a solid foundation in writing, the book could be quite empowering."--Choice "[T]his book has value for the technical communicator who has an interest in style, and teachers who teach style in their classes. Thomas and Turner are right about the current crop of books that essentially ignore this way of writing, and their discussion of styles can be valuable to a fuller understanding of the relationship between thought and dress."--Tom Warren, Technical Communication Praise for the first edition: "Whether they can spark a revival in classic writing is uncertain, but Thomas and Turner serve their topic well. A good choice for the serious stylist and those learning the craft."--Library Journal Praise for the first edition: "Thomas and Turner engagingly delineate the attributes of a classic style of writing... In the second half, Thomas and Turner cite examples of classic style in excerpts from the writing of well-known literary figures."--Booklist Praise for the first edition: "Every once in a while a book comes along with the power to alter permanently the view of a subject you thought you knew well. For me this year, that book is Clear and Simple as the Truth."--Denis Dutton, Philosophy and Literature Praise for the first edition: "[For] the mature student, this is indeed a classic. For the connoisseur, it is indispensable."--Thomas D'Evelyn, Boston Book Review Praise for the first edition: "An acclaimed new reference manual."--The Chicago Sun Times