Great Books on Writing

I was just asked if I could recommend some great writing books. I'm looking at my bookshelves stuffed with books wondering where should I begin.

I'm not sure what makes a "great" book, so I've decided to just pick a few I find myself going back to. They were either inspirational or informative, or both.

 1. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. Every time I read this book I find something new to take away.  On that note . . . someone has taken my last copy. OK, I probably loaned it to someone. Luckily, I see you can get a used one on Amazon for about $3.00.

 

2. On Writing by Stephen King.  It's kind of like two books in one — a quick autobiography and then the instructional piece, which is excellent. There are some sections that writing instructors might balk at — like he's not big into outlining. But hell, the guy's Stephen King, like he cares. 

 3. Stein on Writing by Sol Stein. I was told by a developmental editor that everything you need to know is in this book. She was right.

 4.  Eats Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. I didn't think you could write a humorous instructional book on punctuation but it can be done. I know, you're thinking, "We've read your blog. Have you really read that book? Your punctuation is borderline terrible." Well, you should have seen it before I read the book.

 5. Adventures of the Screen Trade by William Goldman. If you're a screenwriter, it's a must. This guy not only packs in loads of information but also includes gossip and the entire script for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It was published back in the dark ages — back when Paul Newman and Robert Redford were young and total hotties — but it's worth the read.

OK, that's what comes to mind.   Any you want to add?