The Laws of Language (with Benjamin Dreyer)

Benjamin Dreyer, copy chief of Random House and author of the New York Times best  seller Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style, joins Preet for a wide-ranging conversation about language, writing, and why good writing is a form of morality.  

Tweet your questions to @PreetBharara with the hashtag #askpreet, email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 669-247-7338 and leave a voicemail.

REFERENCES & SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS

THE Q&A

TREASON

“Trump doesn't seem to understand what 'treason' means,” NBCNews, 5/24/19Clip of Rep. Liz Cheney on ABC News discussing “treason”

MUELLER

Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III Makes Statement on Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election, Department of Justice

DISTRICT ATTORNEYS

“District Attorney (DA),” Legal Information Institute“Take Justice Off the Ballot,” New York Times, 5/22/10

TWITTER DISINFORMATION

Donald Trump, Jr.’s tweet and Preet’s response

THE INTERVIEW

BENJAMIN DREYER

Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style, Random House“I’m not the grammar police. But writing well is an act of resistance,” Washington Post, 2/8/19

BOOKS REFERENCED IN EPISODE

Doing Justice by Preet Bharara, KnopfHousekeeping by Marilynne Robinson, MacmillanCrazy Rhythm: From Brooklyn and Jazz to Nixon’s White House, Watergate, and Beyond by Leonard Garment, Da Capo Press

PRONOUNS

“Gender-neutral pronouns: When ‘they’ doesn’t identify as either male or female,” Washington Post, 10/27/14“She? Ze? They? What’s In a Gender Pronoun,” New York Times, 1/30/16

THE BUTTON

TIANANMEN SQUARE

“A Massacre, Erased,” Washington Post

D-DAY

“'Top Secret' maps reveal the massive Allied effort behind D-Day,” National Geographic, 6/3/19“Woman Suffrage Centennial,” United States Senate

VOTING

“What took so long for women to win the right to vote? Racism is one reason.,” Washington Post, 6/2/19Register to vote here