Agreed. I call this "flowery language" and I try to ensure it is omitted in guides, api documentation, source code comments, etc. Humor, frustration, anecdotes

Agreed. I call this "flowery language" and I try to ensure it is omitted in guides, api documentation, source code comments, etc. Humor, frustration, anecdotes, complaints, etc. do not belong in a technical guide. Maybe in a blog, maybe in a talk. Richard Stevens certainly found the right balance, I've read almost all of his material, yet I don't have any sense of his personality or personal history other than that he is very professional.