Clear and Simple as the Truth
#2516 of 2,654 all-time
Clear and Simple as the Truth
Noel and Turner
3 people recommended it in 2 threads, 2021–2022.
What people on Hacker News said
Clear and Simple as the Truth is the best writing book that I've read - it answered these questions for me thoroughly, and the writing is delightful. I've read it cover to cover twice, and find myself enjoying a few quotes on occasion.
Great painters are often less skillful than mediocre painters; it is their concept of painting—not their skills—that defines their activity. Similarly, a foreigner may be less skillful than a native speaker at manipulating tenses or using subjunctives, but nonetheless be an incomparably better writer. Intellectual activities generate skills, but skills do not generate intellectual activities.
This is the only book I know that discusses that there are several styles of writing and that exhibits one particular style that the authors call "classic style".
My goodness, "Clear and Simple as the Truth" is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. They also lay out a theory about what writing actually is (how thought is translated to language) as well as providing an appeal about why one should write in classic style.
Where it comes up
- Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021? 2021 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: What book have you re-read 3x or more? 2022 · 1 recommendation