William Strunk Jr.
William Strunk Jr., who was born in 1869 and died in 1946, was Professor of English at Cornell University and is best known as the author of the first editions of The Elements of Style, a guide to English usage, which he had printed privately in 1918 for the use of his students. It became a classic on the local campus, known as "the little book".
In the original edition, Strunk describes the purpose of the book as follows:
- "It aims to lighten the task of instructor and student by concentrating attention ... on a few essentials, the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated."
Later, as revised by E.B. White, who had been one of Strunk's students, The Elements of Style (often referred to as "Strunk and White") became the companion of most American writers as well as most college freshmen.
