Modern Manners: An Etiquette Book for Rude People (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Manners are a way to express altruism in daily life..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, United States, Fake French (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

As one of the few folks who made it out of the National Lampoon alive and writing, P. J. O'Rourke is--a comment that might please him more than most humorists--an elder statesman of American humor. While this says much about the thinness of the field, you gotta give him his props.

Modern Manners is good, early O'Rourke, a book that you can read and enjoy without being to the right of Francisco Franco. Who can resist lines such as "A hat should be taken off when you greet a lady and left off for the rest of your life. Nothing looks more stupid than a hat." Or, "Don't wear a tweed jacket to work unless you expect to flush a covey of quail from behind the Xerox machine." Manners are a moving target, and some sections are in need of revision (cocaine really was a big deal, wasn't it?), but don't let that dissuade you. By and large, Modern Manners comes through admirably.

Product Description

A rule book for living in a world without rules, Modern Manners is an irreverent guide to anti-etiquette for the '90s and beyond. Pointed advice covers a range of topics from sex to death to reading habits. Also included are the most up-to-date forms of vulgarity and churlishness, as well as the latest fashion in discourtesy and barbarous display.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press (January 7, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087113375X
• ISBN-13: 978-0871133755
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #295,864 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Biting, Laugh Out Loud Read, January 15, 2007

By	Whitney Matthews (Etowah, North Carolina United States) - See all my reviews

If you enjoy the intelligent and biting humor of a Dennis Miller and the vocabulary of a George Will you will love this book. If your idea of a great satirical read is "Mad Magazine" you will enjoy this book. If you think the Als - Gore and Franken - are brilliant you will hate this book.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Modern Manners: An Etiquette Book for Rude People, December 24, 2002

By	Joe Zika "Khemprof" (Cincinnati, Ohio) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Modern Manners: An Etiquette Book for Rude People written by P.J. O'Rourke is a humorus book. A book the will get you laughing and you will not spot till the end.

This is some of O'Rourke's early musings, but neverthless, it is a very funny, tongue-in-cheek way to spoof manners. As with most if not all of O'Rourke's writings you read it for the levity, flippancy, and jocularity, well you will NOT be disappointed.

Read this book if you want to get away from the serious side of life. As the frivolity takes hold, you'll find that you are more relazed after a really good chuckle.

10 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How life should really be lived, September 22, 1999

By A Customer

This book tells you everything you need to know about how to deal with people, situations and life in general without getting bogged down in questions of good or bad taste If you are ever concerned about whether or not you should do/say/wear something then you need this book to give you clear guidelines on how to do and and then not care about the result. Buy it