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Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style gets a lot of publicity in articles about writing and deservedly so. This (almost) 100 year old desk-reference book has earned the reputation as being a writer’s best friend.

In 1918, Cornell English Professor William Strunk, wrote The Elements of Style. Strunk’s purpose in writing this reference book was for students to have quick access to the most important elements of English language usage, form, and style. Almost 100 years later, this reference book continues to heavily influence writers.

After Strunk passed away in 1946, essayist E.B. White was approached to augment and edit the guide to appeal to a wider audience. When White passed away in 1985, The Elements of Style was in its third edition.

The current edition has been, according to E.B. White’s stepson Roger Angell, "modestly updated" to include references to word processors and to acknowledge feminist concerns about pronoun usage.

The Elements of Style has grown from Strunk’s original 43 pages to 105, but is still a compact, pocket handbook for the writer on-the-go to common questions.

The guide is arranged in five sections:

• Elementary Rules of Usage
• Elementary Principles of Composition
• A Few Matters of Form
• Words and Expressions Commonly Misused
• An Approach to Style
  

The first four sections are easy to glance through, and the index quickly leads you to the point of grammar you want and there is a 60 word glossary that defines basic terms. The fifth section, "An Approach to Style," provides a useful reminder that there is more to producing distinctive prose than just getting the grammar correct.

The Elements of Style has earned its long popularity as a concise guide to correct English usage. It can provide a writer with the "elements," but "style" arises from the personality of the writer.