The McGraw-Hill Handbook of English Grammar and Usage

This book was recommended to me by a professional proofreader as the best working guide to English grammar. It is an excellent text and very clearly written. It covers most of what I was looking for, although it seems to overlook the subjunctive. The writers explain grammatical concepts in the context both of modern transformational grammar, and of traditional grammar, which is extremely helpful.

Broadly speaking, this is an excellent handbook, a superb handbook. The concepts are explained clearly and the examples are very instructive. What is in the handbook is treated very lucidly and thoroughly and with considerable depth. I personally was impressed at the depth and detail in which some of the grammar is covered.
The only real problems with the handbook don't concern what is in the book--it's what isn't. There are nuances in subject-verb agreement which aren't included, areas such as impersonal expressions are absent, and there is no mention of the subjunctive. If one is preparing for the TOEFL, this is a good book to get but I would not make it the only text you study, since it is not exhaustive by any means.
Still, there is a good amount of very useful information excellently explained here. I would offer a warm qualified recommendation to ESL students, one a bit nuanced. For the ESL student with absolutely no interest in the subject, who feels that study of English in general is one big long painful injection in the gluteus maximus, a tortuous experience only to be endured and not enjoyed in any way, this book is going to come off nebulous and long-winded. Granted, the book does not give one simply the bare bones of a concept and leave enough alone; for the student who wants merely to ratchet together enough knowledge to pass a few tests and move on, this book might be a bit too dedicated to its subject material. For the student with some real interest in learning English and learning it well, however, this book definitely rewards a patient and attentive reader because ideas are not merely presented but amply explained, and in handsome detail. If one is preparing for the TOEFL, be sure to buy the TOEFL preparation book by Barron's, which will explain a host of tricks presented on the test but which are notably absent in this book. This book is excellent for the concepts it covers, but it doesn't cover enough for the testtaker, so be sure to purchase other sources for your test preparation.