Maira Kalman has visually annotated William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s 2005 edition of The Elements of Style, the “little book” of rules for writing. Their approach to style is by way of plainness, simplicity, orderliness, sincerity.” (p. 102)
What is “visual annotation?”
Kalman reads her own meanings into Strunk’s written text, often challenge its meaning.
For example, on page 111, Strunk writes, “Do not dress words up by adding -ly to them, as though putting a hat on a horse, ”
Kalman’s image, overly, muchly, thusly, represeents simultaneously an obelisk, totem, lighthouse, and clown. Whatever it is, the object is confusingly overdressed. It works brilliantly to make Strunk’s point.