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 · 78 ratings  · 12 reviews

Outset your review of The Fine art of Readable Writing

This is a rather important and influential book that has somehow become extremely obscure. Actually, if you read it, you'll understand how modernistic English has evolved along the simpler, more conversational mode it has go. This volume is so influential, if y'all continue spell bank check on Microsoft Word, yous click in the box that says, "readability", and become the Flesch scale which is based off this book.

Bated from it'south importance, information technology was a shine and insightful read. If you're looking to improve your wr

This is a rather important and influential book that has somehow become extremely obscure. Actually, if you read information technology, you'll understand how modern English language has evolved forth the simpler, more conversational way information technology has become. This book is so influential, if you go along spell check on Microsoft Word, yous click in the box that says, "readability", and get the Flesch calibration which is based off this book.

Aside from it's importance, information technology was a shine and insightful read. If yous're looking to amend your writing, don't but pick up Strunk and Wagnel, pick this up, also.

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In this straightforward guide to clear, readable writing, Flesch instructs 4 essential guidelines:
• know your audition
• exist concrete and specific
• contain anecdote
• write but as if conversing

There are a number of examples and refinements on each of these principles, and they are presented in just the fashion he preaches. His points are no less valid today than they were when the book was published in 1949.

My academic training had left me with an inability to write texts with high readability. I take been using the readability tests to measure and amend my writing for some time. Equally before long every bit I saw Flesch's name on the cover, I grabbed it. I should have read it during my school days; information technology could accept helped me a lot.

I assess the degree of usefulness of a book by noting the number of highlights that I make. Higher number of highlights means I establish several interesting things. Following that logic, thi

My academic training had left me with an inability to write texts with high readability. I take been using the readability tests to measure and improve my writing for some fourth dimension. As soon every bit I saw Flesch'southward proper noun on the comprehend, I grabbed information technology. I should have read information technology during my school days; information technology could have helped me a lot.

I appraise the caste of usefulness of a book past noting the number of highlights that I make. Higher number of highlights means I establish several interesting things. Following that logic, this volume ranks among the almost useful books that I take read.

The examples from wide range of publications helped to make his arguments clearer. Especially the side-by-side display of articles near the same topic from competing publications.

People often misunderstand the relevance of readability statistic. You tin detect online posts where people trash the readability tests. They cite the high scores of some difficult novels. Those novels would take been more difficult if the readability was likewise depression. The critics of the tests should read this book.

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A good volume written by a wise men giving wise advice

Required reading for anyone who writes extensively. Considering nigh people accept service-sector jobs that's basically anybody. This book took me awhile to read because each chapter lone is so packed with information that I would expect to absorb earlier moving on. I wouldn't worry so much about the statistical analysis the writer proposes; it's reasonable but not important to me. What was of import was each chapter'southward clear piece of advice.

As a upshot I would instead consider this book a textbook.

Required reading for anyone who writes extensively. Considering most people accept service-sector jobs that's basically everyone. This book took me awhile to read because each chapter alone is so packed with information that I would wait to absorb before moving on. I wouldn't worry so much about the statistical analysis the author proposes; it'south reasonable only non of import to me. What was of import was each chapter's clear piece of advice.

Every bit a outcome I would instead consider this book a textbook. Perchance one of the best textbooks anyone can have. I tin can become to the list of capacity to review something I barely think. I can use a slice of advice as a reference for others. I don't even need rationale considering the advice is common sense. That's why this book is 5 stars: it is always _useful_.

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Jul 23, 2018 Susan rated it liked it

I thought the showtime 3rd of the book adept. The rest where he gets into his Flesch reading method was ok but nothing I cared for. Later on reading what its purpose was, I decided I would not utilize it for my creative writing always again -- it was geared towards business and academic.

I bought this 1949 book on writing randomly at a used book shop and picked it upwardly to read as randomly nigh a year after. I don't remember I'll always apply Flesch'due south readability and human interest formulas, just they and the balance of the book are quite interesting.

Flesch gives intelligent advice, nigh of which still holds true if you recall that he is describing "readable writing," which oft overlaps with just does not ever equal "great writing" or "academic writing." His suggestions a

I bought this 1949 volume on writing randomly at a used book store and picked information technology up to read every bit randomly almost a year later. I don't think I'll ever apply Flesch'due south readability and human interest formulas, but they and the balance of the book are quite interesting.

Flesch gives intelligent advice, almost of which still holds true if you retrieve that he is describing "readable writing," which ofttimes overlaps with but does not always equal "not bad writing" or "academic writing." His suggestions and examples are sound, and his criticisms of the incomprehensible writing churned out past psychology researchers, legal minds, and the like are spot on. I even agreed with many (though not all) of his criticisms of the established "rules" of composition. The only identify he seems totally off is his misuse of Shakespearean examples to prove that certain rules should be broken, often ignoring the fact that Shakespeare was writing (1) within the constraints of poetic lines and (2) during a time when sentence structure and punctuation were significantly different than they are today.

Flesch is an entertaining instructor throughout, both intentionally and unintentionally. I was highly tickled, for example, by the gender roles in the instance passages – which are from the 1940s or earlier – such as the assumption that The Scientific Monthly is "clearly a men'southward magazine" and a bank advertisement that comforted men who would of class never trust their wives with more than a pocket-size allowance and are worried nigh what the widows would exercise with a large life insurance sum. I tin can sense Flesch cringing a bit at the low readability level of that last sentence, so I'll end my review here.

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February 06, 2015 Randy Tramp rated it really liked it

This book contained a wealth of information on writing. The books title makes it obvious as to the intent of the author, such as many points inside the pages. I was challenged in many areas of my writing and will refer to this book for many years to come. The reading took the reader into the "whys" of writing. This book contained a wealth of information on writing. The books title makes it obvious as to the intent of the author, such as many points within the pages. I was challenged in many areas of my writing and will refer to this book for many years to come. The reading took the reader into the "whys" of writing. ...more than

Loved this book. I never thought about writing in such a scientific fashion as Rudolf Flesch approaches it. It'due south very interesting that it's possible to measure the level of readability and human involvement. I read the 1949 edition. Got information technology for 1 Euro just what it teaches you lot is priceless. Loved this volume. I never thought about writing in such a scientific way as Rudolf Flesch approaches it. It'southward very interesting that information technology'southward possible to mensurate the level of readability and human interest. I read the 1949 edition. Got it for 1 Euro but what it teaches you is priceless. ...more

Apr 06, 2018 John Maguire rated it information technology was amazing

This is my fifth or 6th time through the volume. It's the smartest and easiest-to-read book virtually writing ever. There'south an entire graduate caste in fashion in this 1 book. My ain John Maguire'south College Writing Guide draws heavily from it. This is my 5th or 6th fourth dimension through the volume. It's the smartest and easiest-to-read book about writing e'er. There'due south an entire graduate degree in fashion in this i book. My own John Maguire's Higher Writing Guide draws heavily from information technology. ...more than

... in which the author demonstrates that readable writing does not equal proficient writing.

From Wikipedia,

Rudolf Flesch (viii May 1911 – v October 1986) was an author, readability expert, and writing consultant who was an early and vigorous proponent of plain English language in the Usa. He created the Flesch Reading Ease examination and was co-creator of the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test. He was raised in Austria and finished university in that location, studying police. He then moved to the United States

From Wikipedia,

Rudolf Flesch (8 May 1911 – 5 October 1986) was an author, readability proficient, and writing consultant who was an early on and vigorous proponent of manifestly English in the United states. He created the Flesch Reading Ease test and was co-creator of the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test. He was raised in Republic of austria and finished university there, studying law. He and so moved to the United States and entered a graduate program at Columbia University, where he earned a Ph.D in English language.

Flesch was born in Vienna, Republic of austria. He fled to the United States to avoid the imminent invasion of the Nazis, to avert Jewish prosecution. In one case in America, he met Elizabeth Terpenning, whom he married. They had six children: Anne, Hugo, Jillian, Katrina, Abigal, and Janet. Flesch lived the majority of his life with his wife and children in Dobbs Ferry, New York, a small-scale village in southern Westchester canton.
[edit] Professional Data

Not long after finishing his degree, he wrote what became his most famous book, Why Johnny Can't Read, in 1955. The book was a focused critique of the then-trendy movement to teach reading by sight, frequently called the "look-say" method. The flaw of this approach, according to Flesch, was that it required learners to memorize words by sight. When confronted with an unknown word, the learner was stumped. Flesch advocated a render to phonics, the teaching of reading past education learners to sound out words.

Flesch flourished as a writing teacher, plain-English consultant, and author. He wrote many books on the subject of clear, effective communication: How to Test Readability (1951), How to Write Ameliorate (1951), The Art of Plain Talk (1946), The Art of Readable Writing (1949), The ABC of Style: A Guide to Plain English language (1964), and Rudolf Flesch on Concern Communications: How to Say What You Mean in Evidently English language (1972).

Flesch produced three other books of note:

In The Art of Clear Thinking (1951), Flesch consolidates research data and then-recent findings from the fields of psychology and education, and suggests how his readers can utilise that data in their daily life. As he writes in his introduction, "It would exist impudent to tell intelligent, grown up people how to remember. All I have tried to exercise hither is to assemble sure known facts about the human heed and put them in plain English."

In Lite English (1983), Flesch advocated the apply of many colloquial and informal words. The subtitle of the book reveals his bias: Popular Words That Are OK to Employ No Matter What William Safire, John Simon, Edwin Newman, and the Other Purists Say!

And in 1979, Flesch published a volume he had produced while working as a communication and writing consultant to the Federal Communications Committee: How to Write Plain English language: A Book for Lawyers and Consumers. This book was and is a "how to" for writing rules and regulations that must be read and understood by the general public.

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