In 'Clear and Simple as the Truth', Francis-Noël Thomas and Mark Turner unveil the art of clear writing through an intriguing exploration of narrative and metaphor. The authors challenge traditional notions of clarity, offering fresh insights into how language shapes thought and understanding. With compelling examples and practical advice, this book empowers readers to communicate with precision and elegance. Discover how the craft of writing can be both a liberating and enlightening journey of self-expression. Prepare to rethink your relationship with language and uncover the truth behind effective communication!
By Francis-Noël Thomas, Mark Turner
Published: 2011
""Clarity is not just a matter of surface precision; it’s about discovering the underlying simplicity in complexity, where truth resides.""
For more than a decade, Clear and Simple as the Truth has guided readers to consider style not as an elegant accessory of effective prose but as its very heart. Francis-Noël Thomas and Mark Turner present writing as an intellectual activity, not a passive application of verbal skills. In classic style, the motive is truth, the purpose is presentation, the reader and writer are intellectual equals, and the occasion is informal. This general style of presentation is at home everywhere, from business memos to personal letters and from magazine articles to student essays. 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 hole-in-one. Furthermore, ten-step programs to better writing exacerbate the problem by failing to recognize, as Thomas and Turner point out, that there are many styles with different standards. The book is divided into four parts. The first, "Principles of Classic Style," defines the style and contrasts it with a number of others. "The Museum" is a guided tour through examples of writing, both exquisite and execrable. "The Studio," new to this edition, presents a series of structured exercises. Finally, "Further Readings in Classic Prose" offers a list of additional examples drawn from a range of times, places, and subjects. A companion website, classicprose.com, offers supplementary examples, exhibits, and commentary, and features a selection of pieces written by students in courses that used Clear and Simple as the Truth as a textbook.
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“"Clarity is not just a matter of surface precision; it’s about discovering the underlying simplicity in complexity, where truth resides."”
Clear and Simple as the Truth
By Francis-Noël Thomas, Mark Turner
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Francis-Noël Thomas is a renowned author and academic known for his contributions to literary criticism and contemporary literature. He is celebrated for his insightful explorations of narrative techniques and storytelling. Among his notable works are 'The Literature of the French Revolution' and 'The Return of the Story,' where he examines the intersection of history and narrative form. Thomas's writing style is characterized by its analytical depth and eloquent prose, effectively bridging the gap between scholarly examination and accessible storytelling.
Mark Turner is a renowned author and cognitive scientist, celebrated for his innovative exploration of language and thought in his writing. He has published several notable works, including 'The Literary Mind' and 'Cognitive Dimensions of Social Science,' where he integrates insights from cognitive science into literary analysis. Turner's writing style is characterized by its clarity, depth, and an interdisciplinary approach that bridges literature and cognitive theory. His contributions have significantly impacted both the fields of literature and cognitive science, establishing him as a thought leader in understanding the relationship between language, thought, and narrative.
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