WHO WOULDA THUNK IT: “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White is getting a facelift. Penguin Press just released an illustrated version of the book, with artwork by New Yorker Maira Kalman. While she was painting her illustrations to accompany various grammar rules, she found herself singing the text and later dreaming of a Strunk & White opera. According to an Oct. 19 New York Times article, she met with young composer Nico Muhly and a concert was born. Muhly’s Strunk & White-inspired songs were performed Oct. 19 at the New York Public Library. Tenor Matt Hensrud sang from the library’s elevated catwalk: “Do not use a hyphen between words that can be better used as one word: water-fowl, waterfowl.” I’ve owned an impressive number of “Style” copies. Now I’ll have to add an illustrated version, and get the CD of songs whenever that’s released. I can imagine no better way to pass the highway miles than listening to punctuation tips set to music.

- posted by Michael Shay @ 11:19 AM