Booking Through Thursday: Grammar

This week's Booking Through Thursday topic is all about one of my favorite things:

". . . do you have any grammar books? Punctuation? Writing guidelines? Style books? More importantly, have you read them? How do you feel about grammar in general? Important? Vital? Unnecessary? Fussy?"

OK, I admit I'm a grammar geek. I can say without doubt or embarrassment that I think grammar is necessary – in fact, it's part of the glue that holds civilization together. I realize, of course, that there are times when breaking the rules of grammar is acceptable, even desirable. I do it myself (gasp!). And I think that's all right, so long as we recognize that there are rules.

Now about those books. I'm sure we've got the MLA Handbook, Strunk and White, and a copy of the Chicago Manual of Style around here somewhere. I've read them, or parts of them, in the past, but I haven't spent much time (well, I haven't spent any time) perusing them of late. I used to do a lot of editing work, and style books or sheets were often required reading. Not the most exciting reading matter, of course, but part of the job.

So, call me fussy – I won't mind a bit. Oh, and I'm absolutely thrilled to learn that today is National Grammar Day. In celebration, I'll try extra hard not to split any infinitives.