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For some reason, each time I use The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White (quite often, actually), a wave of nostalgia comes upon me. It's not that the information in this book is not still applicable and perfectly up to date, which it is, but rather that the tone is so kindly and authoritative at the same time. It's just how I imagine a loving grandfather would have instructed me in the intricacies of English, if I had known my grandfather, if English had been his first language, and if he had been interested in grammar and usage. Strunk (who originally wrote the book for the edification his students at Cornell in 1919) and White (who first revised the book for general publication in 1957) know what to do, punctuation-, grammar-, and usage-wise, and they are eager to share it with the rest of us, so that we can all be better writers, employing a subtle humor in the examples that precisely illustrates their points.

Now, after several updates over the intervening years, we have a brand new edition that includes the paintings of the incomparable Maira Kalman. Kalman is best known (in my circles) as a children's book illustrator and New Yorker cover artist, but she also works with some well known clothing designers, like Kate Spade and Isaac Mizrahi. Her paintings of various examples of usage and grammar are lively, engaging, and as fun as a barrel of monkeys. You just know Kalman had a grand old time choosing what was to be illustrated and working on the pictures. This new edition is a perfect gift for anyone who writes or wants to write.