La gramática descomplicada. (Uncomplicated Grammar)

Reviewed by Dolores M. Koch, New York City -- Críticas, 1/15/2007

Grijelmo is not a grammarian but a journalist who for ten years was the main proofreader of El País, the most important newspaper in Spain. He has written extensively on language, a subject that has always fascinated him. Unlike many books on grammar, his most recent work makes the subject easy to understand, eschewing the old systems inherited from the study of Latin for a more practical approach that deemphasizes memorization. It begins with the basics (letters, syllables, words) and then moves on to sentences and paragraphs. A clearer distinction between prosodic and orthographic accentuation and an explanation of common misplacements of the negative (e.g. Creo que no… instead of No creo que…) would have been helpful, but these are just quibbles. Any Spanish speaker, advanced Spanish student, and even those who hate grammar will find this book useful. In fact, an appropriate subtitle would have been “The Joy of Grammar.” Highly recommended for libraries and bookstores.