An essential guide to modern manners, this enlightening and useful book
strikes a balance between the stuffy, rigid rules of the 1950s and
today's anything-goes school of thought. It is packed with good-humoured
advice for the way we live today, but also discusses which formal points
of etiquette are still relevant in the 21st century.
- Introduction: who needs manners?
- A Few Basics: punctuality (and overstaying your welcome), saying sorry
and when it's best to lie
- Party People: invitations, playing host, being a good guest, meeting
and greeting
- What to Wear: avoiding the pitfalls of modern dress codes
- Rites of Passage: christenings, weddings and funerals
- Eating Out: from saying grace to understanding cutlery
- Going to Stay: following house rules, helping out, not making yourself
too much at home
- Getting Around: the rules of public transport and how to avoid road
rage
- Communications: how to make a phonecall and write an email
- A Good Day at the Office: how to conduct yourself at work