3 out of 4 stars
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Writing is a prime example of experts being able to make very difficult tasks seem effortless. The books, poetry, essays, articles, and blog posts we encounter every day have to be written by someone, and even the most simplistic writing can take a lot of thought and effort to compose. This process is very rarely easy, especially when English is not your first language. Sometimes you need a little help, whether you’re writing a speech for a high-end politician or just an essay on William Shakespeare’s Hamlet for a literature class. That is where books like Wake Up Your Writing by Frank Gerace, Ph.D., come in handy.
Frank Gerace’s Wake Up Your Writing is a straightforward guide on devices which can be used to enhance and elevate your writing. Gerace divides the lessons into three categories based on their uses: emphasis and clarification, organization and arrangement, and style and display. Gerace goes through each device within these categories—or chapters—alphabetically, providing a definition of the term, an explanation of the device should and should not be used, and examples of the devices being used effectively.
This book provides very useful information, especially for those who are relatively new to the English language. Gerace goes through each of the devices briefly, but his descriptions and examples give the reader a clear, thorough understanding of what these devices are and how they can be useful. He even attempts to keep the reader’s interest by including such things as funny examples of the devices, quotes from well-known texts, and the names of the devices in either Latin, Greek, modern English, or a combination of these at both the beginning and the end of that device’s passage. As the devices are alphabetic within each chapter, readers will also find it fairly easy to find a device which they know the name of but can’t remember what it does or means. Best of all, these devices can be used to spruce up virtually any kind of writing, not just academic or persuasive pieces.
Regardless, those looking to just polish their writing may have more varied experiences with this book. As an English major and struggling writer, I am always looking for ways to improve my writing. I found Gerace’s book to be very useful in reminding me of some of the writing devices which I never seem to remember or have a harder time understanding. However, I already knew most of the terms and often use them subconsciously. Of course, everyone can do with brushing up on the basics, but more advanced writers might not find enough new or unfamiliar information to justify reading the entire book.
Gerace’s writing is very easy to follow and flows well. I especially found the repetition of the device’s name at the beginning and end of its passage. It’s a great example of the devices and high-caliber writing which Gerace is trying to help readers develop. The book’s short length also makes it fairly easily to get through it quickly. Nevertheless, its brevity also serves as part of the book’s downfall. Namely, there is no proper conclusion to the guide. Instead, it transitions from the section on puns to the list of other books from these masterminds. This lack of conclusion left me feeling empty, and I almost could not remember what exactly the author wanted me to take away from the book beyond possibly making my writing better.
There is also an unusual organization in which the book has an introduction and then two different versions of the table of contents. I do not mind the different tables of contents as they are presented in slightly different ways, but I prefer to have the introduction after the table of content. The flow of the book feels interrupted otherwise.
Overall, I give Wake Up Your Writing by Frank Gerace, Ph.D., 3 out of 4 stars. I picked this book up as a way to brush up on my existing writing knowledge and, in a way, it did help me do that. Still, the book is much better suited for ESL readers or even native English speakers who struggle with making their writing pop rather than lie there flat. I also think that adult readers would better appreciate the content than younger readers. Many of the devices, I think, are too advanced for children to think about in their writing, although older teenagers may want to look at Gerace’s work as a way to strengthen their writing for college admissions essays and the tests associated with college applications. I did not notice any major errors so I assume the guide was professionally edited. Nevertheless, I feel that the lack of conclusion and the awkward organization of the introduction and the tables of contents do not allow me to give this book a perfect score.
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Wake Up Your Writing
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