use of commas with conjunction reduction


I wimped out in answering this question, dropping the commas and going to parentheses in this sentence, because I was not sure of the placement/correctness of commas in this construction. Now I'd like to get clear on how to use commas in this sentence (without reformulating it...no moving "poems", for example), and why. I'm not even sure that conjunction reduction is what causes the awkwardness here...


Wimp version:



I like Lord Byron's (and also enjoy a number of Percy Shelley's) poems.



Now I'm asking, if you use the comma, do you use both commas? It looks mighty strange with "poems" out there by itself:



I like Lord Byron's, and also enjoy a number of Percy Shelley's, poems.



...Or is the comma even required? I don't like this, but is it correct?



I like Lord Byron's and also enjoy a number of Percy Shelley's poems.




Answer



I think your wimp-out answers your question. The phrase and also enjoy a number of Percy Shelley's is effectively a parenthetical and, as such, is set of by commas in lieu of parentheses.


The issue arises because the parenthetical shares an object with the main clause of the sentence. But sharing an object is not really different from sharing a subject, as parentheticals often do



I ate, and enjoyed, the numerous confections on display.



Ironically, you would not need the commas or parentheses if you reordered the sentence



I like Lord Byron's poems and also enjoy a number of Percy Shelley's.



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