Joseph M. Williams

Joseph M. Williams (1933 – 2008) is an American author and professor who was a pioneer in the field of rhetoric. He is best known for his book Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, which has become a popular textbook in college classrooms across the world. Williams was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1933 and earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Ohio State University in 1959. In 1962, he received his master’s degree in English from Northwestern University and received his PhD in 1968.

Williams began his academic career at the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1968, and stayed there until 1980. During this period, he wrote numerous books, including Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, The Craft of Research, The Natural History of Rhetoric, The Roots of Rhetoric, and a second edition of Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace. Williams was very influential in the University of Chicago’s community. He served as chair of the department of English for four years and was named director of the Center for Writing-based Learning in 1989. He passed away in 2008.

InStyle: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace,Williams focuses on making writing clear and comprehensible. The book is composed of 10 rules, structured in such a way that Williams explains why each point is important, then provides numerous examples so that readers can apply the lessons to their own writing. Ultimately, the aim of Style is to help readers recognize that writing is an art form and is best achieved when performed with clarity and grace.

The book has been praised for its straightforward, easy-to-understand approach. Reviewers have said that the tone of Style is informal and relaxed – not like a textbook, but like advice from a friend. Williams writes with authority, yet his explanations are easy to understand. Williams’s methods are based on communication research and decades-long teaching experience and his examples are from everyday life.

Style has become widely popular with college instructors and their students and the book has gone into 17 printings since its initial publication in 1990. Due to its extensive lessons, professors have used it in both undergraduate-level and more intensive graduate-level classes.

Joseph M. Williams made significant contributions to the field of rhetoric as an author, professor, and scholar. His book Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace continues to be widely used in college classrooms, introducing students to the basic principles of rhetoric. Williams was influential in the University of Chicago’s community and was the Chair of the department of English for four years. He passed away in 2008, but his legacy will live on for generations to come.