Writing References #4: 40 of the Best Books on Writing

Who vs. Whom. It’s a classic grammar question. The answer? Beats me. Well, if I don’t have any help, that is. In reality, if I have a writing question that’s got me stumped, I just look up the answer. And, as high-tech as my world tends to be most times, nothing beats a good, old fashioned paper reference.

Previously, I posted about 10 of the Funniest Writing Blogs. If you missed that post, go check it out–you’re guaranteed a laugh from the very particular bloggers who feel so passionately about things like the overuse of quotation marks.

In the second post in the series, I offered readers a list of 20 Online Dictionaries, which included everything from the Dictionary of Philly Slang (our native language), to the RhymeZone, to the Dictionary of Sushi. You can never have too many reference sources, right?

In the third post in the series, I named 30 of the Best Writing Blogs. Some of the blogs focus on legal writing, some are strictly business (writing, that is), and some are whatever they want to be on any given day. Other great writing blogs were added via comments by readers, so be sure to check out those additions, as well.

But today’s post is all about the real thing–books as references. Below are 40 of my most turned-to sources, broken down into four categories: (1) Style and Usage Guides; (2) Business Writing (3) General Writing and Grammar; and (4) Legal Writing.

Please don’t be shy–add your favorites that I may have overlooked in the Comments section.

Style Guides

The Chicago Manual of Style

Univ. of Chicago Press Staff

The Elements of Style,
William Strunk and E.B. White

The Gregg Reference Manual
William Sabin

The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage : The Official Style Guide Used by the Writers and Editors of the World’s Most Authoritative Newspaper
Allan M. Siegal and William G. Connolly

The Redbook: A Manual on Legal Style
Bryan A. Garner, Jeff Newman, and Tiger Jackson

Business Writing

Business Grammar, Style, and Usage: The Most Used Desk Reference for Articulate and Polished Business Writinga nd Speaking by Executives Worldwide
Alicia Abel

The Business Writer’s Handbook (8th Ed.)
Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu

The Language of Success
Tom Sant