"A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage" by Bryan A. Garner is a seminal work in the field of legal writing and style. Here is a comprehensive overview of the book:

Key Themes

1. Legal Style and Usage: The book focuses on providing practical advice on how to write clear, jargon-free legal prose. It addresses the myriad usage questions unique to legal writing, such as the differences between terms like "living will" and "advanced directive," "jury-packing" and "jury-tampering," and "national" and "federal" .

2. Clarity and Precision: The need for clarity and precision in legal writing is a central theme. The book aims to help legal writers avoid grammatical blunders and linguistic pitfalls, ensuring that legal language is accessible to all stakeholders .

3. Comprehensive Guide: It is the first and only comprehensive guide to style and usage for the legal writer, filling a significant gap in legal reference literature. The book provides concrete answers and practical solutions to linguistic questions and stylistic dilemmas .

Plot Summary

The book is not a narrative but a reference work. It is organized alphabetically, with entries that define and distinguish between commonly misused words, explain standard usages that other reference works ignore, and provide an unparalleled guide to legal style. The volume includes sparkling essays on topics such as metaphors, sexism, clichés, Latinisms, danglers, split infinitives, and purple prose. It also brims with actual illustrations from judicial opinions, statutes, briefs, and law review articles .

Critical Reception

• Academic Praise: The book has been described as "a work worthy of comparison to H.W. Fowler’s Dictionary of English Usage" by the Harvard Law Review .
• User Reviews: On Goodreads, the book has received high ratings, with many reviewers praising its accessibility, authority, and up-to-date guidance. It is already viewed as the classic book in its field .
• Professional Endorsement: The State Bar of Michigan has recognized Bryan A. Garner as a leading authority in legal writing, and his work has been endorsed by legal professionals and educators for its practical advice and comprehensive coverage .

Author's Background

Bryan A. Garner is the president of LawProse, Inc., a company that has conducted more than 350 writing workshops for lawyers and judges. His experience as a legal editor has significantly influenced his work, making "A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage" a definitive resource in the field of legal writing .

In summary, "A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage" by Bryan A. Garner is a highly regarded reference work that provides essential guidance on legal style and usage. Its comprehensive coverage, practical advice, and scholarly yet entertaining approach make it an indispensable resource for lawyers, judges, students, and anyone involved in legal writing.