By Mignon Fogarty
St. Martin’s Press, $5.99, 123 pages
ISBN 9780312573461

Author Mignon Fogarty has written a series of Grammar Girl books, all of which are perhaps the most valuable and informative reference books for the writer or public speaker on the bookshelves today.

“If you master these 101 words, you’re well on your way to foundling like a master of the English language.”

If you find yourself at a loss for words, or using the same words over and over again when writing a speech, you may want to reach for Grammar Girl’s 101 Words to Sound Smart. Mignon is the creator of Grammar Girl and her ability to not only explain in a clear and concise manner the origin of the word, but to also provide the reader with examples of proper usage is both entertaining and effective. There is no doubt that her 101 Words to Sound Smart will do just that if you can put her good advice to use and add them to your creative writing projects. For anyone who writes; whether blogs or greeting cards, and anyone who speaks in public, be it journalism or motivational speaking, this book should be in your reference library!

Reviewed by Doreen Erhardt