The Nice Girl's Guide to Good Behavior [Hardcover]

Monica Redlich (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2004

First published in 1935, this subversive tome purports to be a classic etiquette guide to good behavior for young women. Yet hidden beneath its civilized tone is a classic satire that provides a dubious blueprint for becoming the "right" sort of girl. From razor-sharp lessons in female one-up-manship ("I'm sure this would fit you. It's vast on me") to absurd dating instructions ("If a particular friend has not telephoned you for over a week, this can mean one thing only. He is afraid of being a nuisance. Common courtesy insists that you ring him up and reassure him.") this tome's "advice," coupled with charming period photographs, is as timely and amusing as ever.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Monica Redlich was an English journalist, author, and social commentator whose books included The Pattern of England, Jam Tomorrow, Summer Landscape, and Danish Delight. She died in 1963.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Universe (October 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789312069
• ISBN-13: 978-0789312068
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,709,473 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Any Truly Sophisticated Girl Knows to Take This Book Lightheartedly, August 4, 2005

By 

J. A. - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Nice Girl's Guide to Good Behavior (Hardcover)

Call me a snob, but if you take this book too seriously, you're not classy enough to be reading it.

1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Rude in 1935, Still Rude in 2005, April 4, 2005

By 

CaliforniaMDS "CaliforniaMDS" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Nice Girl's Guide to Good Behavior (Hardcover)

I have a large collection of etiquette books from the 30's, 40's and 50's, so I thought this one would be a good addition. Well, I was wrong. It's "okay"- but certainly isn't "nice," nor does it offer any "good" behavior. Maybe it's me, but I found the whole sarcastic thing to be rude, not witty, not clever, and not very funny. What's called "razor-sharp lessons in female one-up-manship" sounds more like plain old mean. I suppose that's what they're calling "classic satire," though I'd much prefer to get my classic satire in the form of Moliere or Heller or Orwell-- or even Monty Python.

That said, this 1935 book is touted as being "as timely and amusing as ever" -- maybe so... the more things change, the more things stay the same. Mean is nothing new, and not always fun or funny.