brought in my style book (the economist style book, acutally) the Economist style is very different from the NYTimes.. but both are very readable.


The New York Times stylebook is very specific to that newspaper, as far as I know. The most generally used Stylebook in USA is The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual. I think the Economist stylebook is more English than American usage but I could be misinformed there.
The AP Stylebook may be purchased by anyone. Checking my 1988 copy order form it was $8.75 per copy including postage and handling ... Wait a sec .... OK called the paper I worked for and the news Editor has a copy bought in 2000 and the price on the cover is $16.
A Q&D comparison showed the punctuation rules are the same ... the updated version has more correct spelling of current Big Wigs. So, an older version, if you see one at a yard sale, would be a good reference for grammar and punctuation.
The comma(,) section runs to two and a half pages. Every usage you could think of! However I will quote this : "PLACEMENT WITH QUOTES: Commas always go inside quotation marks." The capitol letters are as in the book. Under periods(.) it says: PLACEMENT WITH QUOTATION MARKS Periods always go inside the quotation marks.
The notes on punctuation when using quotations and running quotes and quotes within quotes goes on for a page and three quarters.
I put this in for those interested in getting a copy. Your local newspapers would probably let you peruse its copy if you asked at the front desk and the editorial department was not on deadline.