Nonfiction writing can take heat for being less engaging than fiction, but often the best stories are found right here in the conversations that connect us. Such is the case with Ellen Jovin’s 2022 novel, “Rebel with a Clause,” in which the author recounts her experiences travelling around the country with a sign labelled “Grammar Table,” receiving questions, comments and complaints from anyone who wanted to talk about language. She shares a wealth of funny and even touching stories, all stemming from conversations about language and organized by linguistic concepts. Everything from appositives to spacing to texting abbreviations gets a chapter, and I was impressed that every chapter felt fresh and engaging.
Because the book is written in these snippets of encounters, you can read it over a long period of time. There’s no pressure to remember the previous chapters perfectly in order to enjoy the next one, which is no doubt a relief to so many of us with busy school schedules.
I was absolutely hooked after finishing the book, and I got the chance to meet Jovin as part of the Lawrence Public Library’s Booktoberfest last year. As she spoke, what stood out to me was her raw passion for words and exploring rather than answering questions, an enthusiasm that takes center stage in her writing as well.
This book is special because it explores grammar not as a list of rules but instead as a vital piece of the various languages connecting our world. While the book focuses on English, Jovin is proficient in 25 languages and is happy to discuss any of them with visitors to her table. I love that the book finishes with a chapter titled “Grammar Boogie” that invites readers to consider grammar not as a way to point out peoples’ mistakes but instead to celebrate communication as a dance we all share.
