Etiquette Books

This is a great book for anyone interested in the use of china and silverware in the Victorian Era and the functions of each piece. It is also a great guide for antique shopping or junking. I know I have seen some of those odd pieces of china and silver and never knew what they were used for. Now that I do, I can add to my collection with confidence.

Throw away Peter Mayle's "Year in Provence." Don't bother with Polly Platt's "French or Foe." Michael Johnson's "French Resistance" is the best book ever done in American-in-Paris genre. It is a wildly funny and engaging book that should appeal to francophiles and francophobes alike (as well as others who share some of both traits). It recounts Johnson's misadventures as the American managing editor of a French magazine staffed by French men and, more particularly, women, who don't want an American boss (or any boss at all). Apart from deftness of the writing, the book's humor and charm comes from the terrific perspective that Johnson has in telling his story. Not only is he perfectly fluent in speaking French, he has lived in Paris for many years as an American foreign correspondent, married to a French woman with two daughters, raised as French. For all that, when it comes to managing the French, Johnson discovers the true depths of French Resistance to all things American.

This well-organized book is inexpensive, easy to read, practical and direct. There are few anecdotes throughout the book, just solid guidelines for courteous behavior at work, in restaurants, when traveling, and in various everyday situations. Well worth the investment!

Great book, if you are planning an event you can't go wrong with this one. I'm getting a second copy for my co-chair.

I selected this mini book along with some others that I thought were interesting. I am a bridal designer and as a personal touch I like to give my brides little gifts along with their purchases. This little book is excellent! I now give a copy to all of my brides. It contains amusing anectdotes, lovely poems and little tidbits on making your wedding day very special. Makes a great keepsake.

This Wells book is a real winner. Young children learn about the world of germs in a way they can relate. This helps hold their attention as well as teaches them a valuable lesson. Characters have distinct personalities. The simplicitity of the pictures is equally appealing to children. We loved this book so much that after reading it at our local library two years ago, we still talk about it. It's a keeper.

Karen Hinds has finally given adults a compact but comprehensive system for getting ahead in the workplace. She gently reminds us why and how we must get along at work. I enjoyed reading this book on the train. People kept asking me where I got it and saying that they knew several people who could benefit from reading it! I finally started telling them where to get one for themselves AND their coworkers.

My 6 year old loves this book, in fact she cried when she had to return it to the library. A fun way to learn lessons of life!

I bought this book for my best friend. I ended up having to get another one because I wanted to keep one for myself. I thought that the recipes and the segments about frienship are so true. In times when it is so hard to see who is real or not this book tells you that friends especially your girlfriends are always there. There is always something comforting about being able to go to a friend and talk or cook with her. Besides your husband gets to be the recipient of the dishes that you bake and cook.

I met one of the authors of this book in a chance encounter where we were both carrying books and commented on it, and on an impulse she gave me a copy she had with her. I was glad to read this little book, 115 pages with lots of white space, well laid out, and full of common sense. This is a fine gift to give to girls, and I recommend they create a similar but slightly different version for boys. Then they can go on to justify global travel with the IRS by writing a cross-cultural version with every country in alphabetical order....or create a web site that others can contribute local knowledge to....

This book surprised me with a strong ethical theme throughout. These are moral considerate authors and they take pains to point out where impropriety or sliding ethics can lurk.

The eight chapters cover:
1) Collective Dining
2) Traveling with Others
3) Talking About Money
4) Tipping
5) Weddings
6) Stealing from Friends and Family
7) Gift Giving
8) Borrowing Money

I was surprised to learn that waiters are required to report a tip of 12% of any meal's total bill, regardless of whether they received that or not. I started tipping 20-25% after reading Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, but this one fact alone makes the book valuable to those who wish to be considerate to people that work very hard to render a service.

Each chapter has rules, discusssions, examples, and a summary.

I was gratfied to find a strong ethical sense throughout, unusual for a book of this kind. The authors are clearly decent people and this book is NOT a "cutesy" book, it is a serious book and a great gift for college-bound youngsters (or new graduates), for single friends (both boys and girls), and for the newly divorced (smile).

A fine book. Buy it and give it to others as well.