My employer has presented me with two books to read to help me write better technical papers and emails. Essentials of English Grammar and Handbook of English Grammar and Usage. I have read through roughly 30% of the first book and have to say it is a painful read. I have thumbed through the second book and I feel it's going to have the same effect. The best way I can describe reading these books is like reading a dictionary.
Is there a book out there that is more engaging to read and still help me hone my writing skills?
Edit
Thanks for all of the input. I just ordered The Elements of Style, Eats, Shoots, & Leaves, Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, and Writing for Computer Science. I will update this again with my opinion on the books.
Answer
Strunk and White's Elements of Style gets a lot of love, although it's also been getting some criticism, lately. But it's more about style than pure grammar.
I enjoyed Eats, Shoots and Leaves, but it's not exactly a basic grammar book. It mostly focuses on punctuation.
I also like the Grammar Girl books, but again, by taking the time to make her lessons fun and interesting, she sacrifices some of the scope of her work, focusing in on fairly limited areas.
What are the weaknesses in your writing, as far as you can tell? If it's straight-up grammar, you may have to resign yourself to working through some fairly dry material.
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