The Book of Rules [Kindle Edition]

Joshua Belter (Author)

Book Description

Become a productive member of society!

Which way should the toilet paper be dispensed from the roll? Who goes first at an intersection in a grocery store? What is the proper placement of ketchup on a plate? When is it appropriate to dress your pet in clothes that match your own?

If you've ever wondered about the answers to these vital questions, this is the book for you. Consult The Book of Rules to identify acceptable practices and procedures for any social situation you may encounter in your everyday life.

With this book, you'll learn:

• How and when to tell someone they have bad breath
• Regulations on singing aloud with the car radio
• What excessive hair twirling indicates
• When power naps should be taken at work
• How to terminate a too-long text message conversation
• How to deter people who want to "taste" your food
• When it is appropriate to look in a friend's medicine cabinet,
  
  and much, much more.

Many everyday actions--while not illegal or immoral--are generally considered improper. With this book, you'll never again be considered an uncivilized, clueless boor.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joshua Belter is an air traffic controller and singer. He was inspired to create The Book of Rules after a toilet-paper incident while visiting his mother?s home, which transformed into a profound statement of modern, day-to-day etiquette.

Product Details

• File Size: 1530 KB
• Print Length: 208 pages
• Publisher: HOW Books (December 9, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006PI0U0Q
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #252,888 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Some good real-world advice mixed with lots of silly fluff June 11, 2012

By Read, Rinse, Repeat TOP 100 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This tongue-in-cheek etiquette guide started off strong with a section on driving manners, but it became weighed down with too much filler. It's written in a legalese style which imbues the book with much of its humor. It provides advice for a mixture of everday occurences, some of it genuinely helpful (tips for remembering names), along with a lot of silly triviality (authorized use of wind chimes.)

As the book progressed, the author seemed to have to work harder for fresh ideas, and the humor quotient diminished. For instance, who gets to keep the cereal box prize? Answer: Cereal must be poured with no regard to the location in the box of the prize; in other words, he who pours it, keeps it.

The book is well-organized, and it's certainly thorough with its tips for many different scenarios, but I think most readers would enjoy a less lengthy book. Cut some fluff, keep the genuinely funny and/or insightful sections, and I think the book would be much more enjoyable.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Amusing and Informative Etiquette Book February 2, 2012

By Dr. Bojan Tunguz HALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Proper etiquette has always been an important aspect of our social lives. Even the most "uncouth" and "unsophisticated" individuals hold to certain codes of conduct whose violation leads to a faux pas.

"The book of rules" tries to give guidance to many latter-day social and everyday situations, many of which did not even exist just a generation or two ago. Thus we learn about the writing electronic communications while intoxicated, unauthorized alteration of shared computer settings, and the mobile phone etiquette. On the other hand, topics such as the way to avoid unnecessary conversation have been pertinent since the dawn of man, if not longer. (I wouldn't be surprised if chimps have to deal with this problem as well.)

This book is written in a humorous and faux-legalistic style. It will appeal to anyone who appreciates dry humor and over-the-top mockery of certain everyday situations. In general, I would not recommend reading straight through this book, but picking it up here and there when bored or just want to amuse yourself a bit. It is well suited for bathrooms, waiting rooms, and other locations where short amusing chunks of reading material come in handy. Even though the book is intended to be humorous, many of the rules presented here are quite serious: you will probably benefit form adopting them, and your friends and loved ones will be grateful for it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Funny Guidance for Everyday Situations June 13, 2012

By Rebecca of Amazon HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Shaving may never be conducted in automobiles. Fortunately, natural selection will gradually remove individuals from society who simultaneously shave, smoke and operate cell phones while driving. ~ (locations 1526-30)

Joshua Belter has a great sense of humor and he tackles difficult subjects in very amusing ways. He also provides some very practical information that if taken seriously could make the world a better place.

A lot of the rules are just about the polite way to act. There are things I'd never considered like how to walk around a mall. I liked the idea of always using the same entrance to a mall as I once lost my car when I forgot which entrance I'd used. This was on a lunch break from work and I ended up being late back to work.

One thing I didn't agree with was the author's insistance that you should not use self-checkout lines. They are really faster. Also I don't think the author knows about stores that sell Christmas decorations year round. However his advice about when to take decorations down is great.

Some of the other rules in this book deal with towel folding, how to shop in a grocery store, how to make tacos, why you should teach your children bread loaf containment and how you should observe proper yawning protocol. A lot of the advice is serious but there is also a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor. There are many laugh-out-loud moments to be had and in general this is a very enjoyable book to read.

~The Rebecca Review

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book! May 5, 2013

By Qtak

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great book on everyday etiquette. I think everyone ought to go through this at least once- starting from middle school. I cannot wait until for the movie version to come out.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hysterical! March 13, 2013

By MizKuz

Format:Kindle Edition

This book is hysterical and at the same time useful! You get hooked right at the beginning. That it was free is just a bonus to it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Rules for Life January 11, 2013

By D. Walters

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Although many "rules" are tongue-in-cheek, most do make sense. If everyone followed this book the world would run smoothly. For anyone who wants to "prove he is right".

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Should be required reading... for everybody! January 9, 2013

By Eric Norton

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

If only every single person would read this book, maybe this world would be a little more polite, a little more orderly, and, dare I say it, a little more polite? No, that's overkill. ADD would seem like a drop in the ocean compared to the bureaucratic nightmare that this book would unleash in every single human interaction, activity, and movement. But it's great for a laugh, and it gets you thinking, too - just why do some people behave the way they do, for better or for worse, and what would this world be like if people actually DID take others into consideration?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read. November 15, 2012

By David Andrew

Format:Kindle Edition

I bought this book whilst browsing through the pages in the Kindle store as I like well written tongue in cheek books where it is obvious that the author has taken a lot of time and effort compiling the book but managed not to take himself or the book too seriously. This book manages to deliver on all those points in my opinion. I am English, so some things in the book did not read the same to me as they would to an American reader, but that made no difference at all to my enjoyment of the book.
A lot of the things the author writes about are very sensible and common sense things that people just ignore every day. This book highlights these things in a lighthearted way whilst really having a secret dig at people's general, everyday stupidity. Overall a really nice, easy and entertaining read that you can pick up and put down easily. I would recommend this book.