REVIEWS

“There are many guides to English that the avid student can pick up, but quite a few, I think, actually do more harm than good, such as ponderous rulebooks meant for rote memorization. But every now and then comes a charmer of a book that delights as well as it instructs. English Plain and Simple is one such gem...a volume that I believe should be on every literate Filipino's desk. I’m impressed, I'm envious—and most of all I'm honored to have been asked to introduce such a fine example of Filipino prose in English at its very best.”—JOSE DALISAY, JR., PhD, Director of the Institute of Creative Writing, University of the Philippines

“Open this book to any page and you'll find a gem of an essay, crafted around an important lesson in usage and style. It’s such fun to dip into, you may not notice how much you're learning in the process. His engaging lessons teach students of English—and many of us should know it by now—how to communicate more clearly, convincingly, elegantly. If you love the English language as I do, Carillo's is just the type of book you'll love having at hand.”—JULIA KIRBY, Senior Editor, Harvard Business Review, USA

“This book by Carillo stands out in the genre. For this is one man’s valiant crusade for simple and correct usage of the language, stripped of everything deadly that he abhors: legalese, corporatese, bureaucratese, academese, and other forms of gobbledygook. It is charming and interesting reading...”—NENI STA. ROMANA-CRUZ, Journalist, Book Author, and Book Reviewer, Philippines

“The book blows a sharp, revivifying breath of cold—and not altogether comfortable fresh air—down the dank and musty corridors of English use and misuse. It should be compulsory reading for all politicians, academics, bureaucrats, marketing executives, corporate and legal word-weasels, and ordinary decent people who appreciate the beauty and power of straight-to-the-point English.”—GRAHAM HAIGH, Human Resources Consultant and English Teacher, Philippines

“Jose Carillo’s English Plain and Simple is a scary book. It runs the risk of bringing the classroom back to the learner with a vengeance. That is, nevertheless, the virtue of the book. It forces the learner to revisit the basics of English usage. It tries to convince the user that learning globally understandable English is worth the humiliation. The book is its own classroom. And Carillo’s competent use of the language to earn a livelihood in media and marketing/communication ought to be an argument for learning how to use the language vigorously and well. Perhaps, school textbooks ought to be written by practitioners like Carillo.”—ALBERT B. CASUGA, Professor of English and Literature, Ontario, Canada

“Ever since I stumbled upon the ‘English Plain and Simple’ columns of Jose Carillo, my appetite has been whetted for more of his work. To my delight, Mr. Carillo has put the columns together into this book, which is truly an effective aid to one's grasp of the English language. I highly recommend this advanced but highly intelligible book to ESL learners who, like me, have to contend with the intricacies of English and are keen on expanding their fund of knowledge about the language.”—ANDREA PARRODE DA ROCHA LIMA, ESL Teacher and Information Technology Professional, Brazil

“English Plain and Simple is an important book. If I were an English teacher, I’d ask my students to immediately read and study it. How I wish it were already available when I was still a student at the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines! It is a powerful, inspiring, and impressive book. I do recommend it to all people who want to succeed in life.”—OSCAR R. LANDICHO, Journalist and Author, Sydney, Australia