Clear and simple as the truth
by Francis-Noël Thomas · first published 1994
83% recommend11% neutral6% critical
Why HN recommends it
Rigorous look at writing as a choice among styles, centered on classic style: a plain, spoken-like voice that presents truth to the reader. Suits writers who want to understand style, not just follow rules.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Everyone talks about style, but no one explains it. The authors of this book do; and in doing so, they provoke the reader to consider style, not as an elegant accessory of effective prose, but as its very heart. At a time when writing skills have virtually disappeared, what can be done? If only people learned the principles of verbal correctness, the essential rules, wouldn't good prose simply fall into place? Thomas and Turner say no. Attending to rules of grammar, sense, and sentence structure will no more lead to effective prose than knowing the mechanics of a golf swing will lead to a hol
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…primarily object to the stylistic advice in S&W, which it calls "vapid" but "mostly harmless". The real objections are to the grammatical claims and advice.) Two books on writing I strongly recommend: Clear and Simple as the Truth: Writing Classic Prose[2], exerpt here[3]. Style: Towards Clarity and Grace - this one has gone through countless versions as the publisher seems to re-release it every academic year. (Make used copies…
on “Some things I've learnt about writing” ↗…https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3393233-the-sense-of-str... Unfortunately, [3] is a bit tedious, IMO, go for [1], which is the best book about writing, bar none. Second best in principle is Thomas' & Turner's "Clear and simple as the truth", but it is hardly applicable to scientific (or technical) writing. If you're thinking about writing essays, get T&T.
on “The Science of Scientific Writing (1990)” ↗…Grace, The Basics of Clarity and Grace), all of them are fine. Get the cheapest or fastest to deliver or whatever. Don't think about which one to get. The other great book about writing is Thomas&Turner's Clear and Simple as the Truth. It teaches Classical Style, which is less fitting to technical documentation, as the authors discuss themselves.
on “Ask HN: How to level up your technical writing?” ↗I love "Clear and Simple as the Truth" for a very authoritative voice which can present complex things without dumbing down: (Non-aff) http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Simple-As-Truth-Writing/dp/06910... And "Style: Towards Clarity and Grace"…
on “A Classic 'Nontextbook' on Writing” ↗…reminds us to "remember that what you write is often the only change you'll get to present yourself to someone whose business or money or good will you need"; and much more. • The equally excellent book, Clear and Simple as the Truth[2]. In this rigorous work, Thomas and Turner describe a style of writing that rests "on the assumptions that it is possible to think disinterestedly, to know the results of disinterested thought, and…
on “Undervalued Engineering Skills: Writing Well” ↗…to include. They don't have to make it into the final draft---but they could. :-) You might also want to read some books about good writing. Strunk & White is good. Their advice is "keep it simple." Clear and Simple as the Truth is sort of a step past that to a slightly more artful style. Another book I enjoyed was The Artist's Way, which despite the title has a lot about writing. I don't know anything about professional therapy,…
on “Undervalued Engineering Skills: Writing Well” ↗…to consist not of anecdotal bits and pieces, but of a coherent system of principles more useful than "Write short sentences." • • • For non-fiction writing, I also vigorously recommend "Clear and Simple as the Truth" by Thomas and Turner[1]. It has fantastic practical advice; the entire second half of the book is filled with concrete examples—both "the exquisite and the execrable". [1] https://press.princeton.edu/titles/9445.html
on “Write Simply” ↗Currently still reading, but will finish tomorrow: "Clear and Simple as the Truth" by Francis-Noël Thomas and Mark Turner. This is the only book I know that discusses that there are several styles of writing and that exhibits one particular style that the authors call "classic style".…
on “Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?” ↗…are a couple books on two different styles which might be more applicable for the work. They are on actual explicit styles of writing, although the second pretends all writing should look like that. Clear and Simple as the Truth by Thomas & Turner (Classic style). Nonafflink: http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Simple-As-Truth-Writing/dp/06910... Example of classic style: When I was a boy, there was but one permanent ambition among…
on “Learn Python The Hard Way: a new book by Zed Shaw” ↗This topic seems to have legs, so I'll recommend another book in this area: Clear and Simple as the Truth: Writing Classic Prose[1] (by Francis-Noel Thomas and Mark Turner). They are far more thoughtful about style (what it is and how to teach it) than most writing guides. They acknowledge that there is…
on “Writing Clear, Concise, Sentences” ↗…change with each edition, but which keeps the words style, lessons, clarity and grace on its cover. His book sounds exactly like it. Turner and Thomas, the scholars he does mention, have their own book, Clear and Simple as the Truth. It's a good one.
on “Steven Pinker: Writing In The 21st Century” ↗…pedagogical tool than sound style advice. Nothing wrong with using it, but it's often used poorly, and it's easier to say don't use it at all than to explain how to use it well. My favourite "style guide" is Clear And Simple As The Truth: Writing Classic Prose by Francis-Noël Thomas & Mark Turner, which takes the time to explain what it means by "style" and has almost nothing to say about passive voice and adverbs.
on “Shell scripts to improve your writing” ↗The best book on understanding what style means: Clear and Simple as the Truth. Every other book just has confusing "this is The Correct Way", which is wrong, it all depends. Once you understand style, either try for style they mostly talk about in that book (classical style),…
on “What books can I read to improve my writing?” ↗…and got some squiggly lines. There are some style books that offer advice that is both useful and true. - Sense of Style, by Steven Pinker - Artful Sentences: Syntax As Style, by Virginia Tufte - Clear and Simple as the Truth: Writing Classic Prose, by Francis-Noel Thomas and Mark Turner If people really want to know what's what where grammar is concerned, they should look at "A Student's Introduction to English Grammar"…
on “Some Writing Advice: Don’t Take Others’ Advice” ↗FWIW, a couple of books that have helped—and continue to help—me write better: • On Writing Well[1], by the inimitable William Zinsser • Clear and Simple as the Truth[2], by Thomas and Turner I've written some more about the above two books here[3], in a different thread. [1] https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7881675.William_Zinsse... [2] https://press.princeton.edu/titles/9445.html…
on “Must and Must Not: On writing documentation” ↗