ATEG Members:
I need two people who haven't reviewed before to review two new books
for an upcoming issue of ATEG Journal.
The reviews would be due to me on October 15, 2006, as an attachment in
Word. Each review should be about one single-spaced page (submit the
review to me as two double-spaced pages) and should be fair (no
sarcasm, please), clear, show the value or the lack of value of the
book in the college classroom, and briefly summarize the contents of
the book.
The review should follow the format used in the ATEG Journal in
matters of presentation (heading, paragraphing, references, etc.).
After I critique the review, the reviewers should be willing to make
suggested changes, usually in mechanics and clarity, and re-submit the
corrected manuscript for my proofing as soon after receiving it as
possible. I know we're all busy, but I need reviewers to be on time.
The tenor of the discussions on the ATEG website suggests that these
two books would be of interest to ATEG members.
The first book is Artful Sentences: Syntax as Style by Virginia
Tufte, who co-wrote an earlier book called Grammar as Style
several years ago. As the title suggests, this work attempts to teach
certain writing skills by studying the syntax of professional writers.
According to the book's blurb, the work "provides a systematic,
comprehensive range of models for aspiring writers."
As you well know, more and more textbooks in grammar devote sections to
the link between grammar and writing.
The second book is Grammar by Diagram, second edition, by Cindy
L. Vitto. The work uses Reed-Kellogg diagrams to teach a wide-range of
concepts in grammar, including punctuation skills. As you might gather,
it tends to be traditional in its approach.
I have copies of both books, but reviewers will need to get their own
copies from the publishers whose addresses I can supply, if need be.
Usually, if you tell book companies that you are reviewing the book,
they will rush it to you in a few days.
Let me hear from you. Please don't send me resumes, but a brief
statement outlining your qualifications and interest in the book would
be helpful.
I know book reviews don't count as much as articles in scholarly
journals, but my experience has been that many promotion and tenure
committees do give reviews some weight in making decisions.
If two people are equally qualified, for want of any other mechanism, I
usually choose the one I get first.
Best wishes,
Marshall Myers
Book Review Editor
ATEG Journal
p.s. I still need to hear from you in the elementary, middle, and
high schools. If there is a textbook used at any of those levels that
you think should be reviewed, let me know. I think it is very important
that we college profs know what's going on in the grammar classrooms in
other places than the college classroom. I reviewed Image Grammar
by public school teacher Harry Noden, but that was years ago.