a book by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a book by" is grammatically correct and commonly used in written English.
It is typically used to introduce the author of a book. For example: - "Have you read the latest novel by J.K. Rowling?" - "I just finished a book by Stephen King and it was really scary." - "This library has a great selection of books by diverse authors." - "I've been meaning to read a book by Michelle Obama, have you read it?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

A book BY YOU.

Huffington Post

A book by "John Doe" (F.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"I showed you a book by him".

The New York Times - Arts

A book by someone who hates them".

The New Yorker

A book by James Patterson costs the same as a book by some poet".

The New York Times - Books

This is a book by an insane person".

The New Yorker

You can never judge a book by its cover.

The New York Times - Magazine

You really never should judge a book by its cover.

Independent

You shouldn't judge a book by its cover".

The New Yorker

A book by Nietzsche: that's what she wanted.

The New York Times - Books

YOU should never judge a book by its cover.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a book by" to clearly and concisely attribute authorship, especially in formal writing.

Common error

Ensure you accurately credit the correct author when using "a book by". Double-check your sources to avoid misinformation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a book by" functions primarily as a prepositional phrase used to attribute authorship. Ludwig AI examples show its widespread use in identifying the writer of a book.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Wiki

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a book by" is a grammatically correct and very common prepositional phrase used to attribute authorship. According to Ludwig AI, it appears most frequently in News & Media, followed by Wiki and Science contexts. While versatile, consider alternatives like "authored by" or "written by" to avoid repetition and maintain writing quality. Remember to always verify authorship to prevent misattribution. As Ludwig AI demonstrates, this phrase is an effective means of indicating who penned a specific book.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Written by

Similar to "authored by", but uses the more common verb "written".

Authored by

Replaces the preposition "by" with the verb "authored", emphasizing the act of writing.

A novel by

More specific, indicating the book is a novel.

A publication by

More formal; "publication" is used instead of "book".

Created by

Emphasizes the creative aspect of writing.

The work of

Broader term, referring to any kind of creation, not just books.

The author of

Shifts the focus to the author as a person.

From the pen of

A more literary or figurative way to indicate authorship.

By the hand of

An archaic and stylistic alternative to indicate authorship.

Coming from

More casual and conversational way to indicate authorship.

FAQs

How do I use "a book by" in a sentence?

Use "a book by" to introduce the author of a specific book. For example, "I'm currently reading "a book by Jane Austen" called 'Pride and Prejudice'".

What's another way to say "a book by"?

Alternatives include "written by", "authored by", or "the work of", depending on the context and desired formality.

Is it ever incorrect to use "a book by"?

While grammatically correct, avoid overusing "a book by" in close succession. Vary your sentence structure with alternatives like "authored by" or "the author of" for better readability.

What's the difference between "a book by" and "a book about"?

"A book by" indicates authorship, while "a book about" indicates the subject matter. "A book by Hemingway" means Hemingway wrote it. "A book about Hemingway" means it's about his life or work, but written by someone else.