"This is not another etiquette book detailing the antiquated, excruciating, and frankly confusing minefield of rules lauded by traditionalists. Let's face it, many of us will never need to know which side a snail fork should be placed at the dinner table, nor are we likely to 'take tea' with the Queen. Yet we could all do with a little help in perfecting our manners, self-confidence, and social graces for everyday living. English Etiquette details everything the English know about why etiquette matters, in a modern, understandable, and unpretentious way -- while teaching you how to cultivate a traditional and charming countenance to rival any royal. Covering topics such as gallantry and grace, common decency, lifestyle choices, the quintessential English wardrobe, and behaviour in the home, you will learn how to shoehorn a little English gentility from this practical field guide into your daily life. So pull your socks up ladies and gentlemen, pour yourself a cup of tea, and join The Darling Academy as we return to a culture of good manners, civility, and chivalry the world is longing for. A proper, polite, and graceful way of living is making a comeback. Long may it prevail."--Page 4 of cover.

A humorous and charming investigation into what it really means to have proper manners Most of us know a bit about what passes for good manners—holding doors open, sending thank-you notes, no elbows on the table—and we certainly know bad manners when we see them. But where has this patchwork of beliefs and behaviors come from? How did manners develop? How do they change? And why do they matter so much? In examining English manners, Henry Hitchings delves into the English character and investigates what it means to be English. Sorry! presents an amusing, illuminating, and quirky audit of British manners. From basic table manners to appropriate sexual conduct, via hospitality, chivalry, faux pas, and online etiquette, Hitchings traces the history of England's customs and courtesies. Putting some of the most astute observers of humanity—including Jane Austen and Samuel Pepys—under the microscope, he uses their lives and writings to pry open the often downright peculiar secrets of the English character. Hitchings's blend of history, anthropology, and personal journey helps us understand the bizarre and contested cultural baggage that goes along with our understanding of what it means to have good manners.

Ladies Like Us - A modern girl's guide to self-discovery, self-confidence and love. Society has long been failing generations of young women. Since the 1960s, the liberalisation of the feminine identity brought about a rapid decline in common courtesy, grace, morality and manners and has almost wiped out the value of what it means to be a lady. We have been told to set aside dreams of an old-fashioned romance in favour of discovering our sexuality, despite what our hearts tell us. Being "ladylike" has fallen aside for the rise of the sell-out sexy celebrity we are told to emulate. This movement has done little to help how young ladies view their God-given feminine identity today. Yet quietly, there is an underground movement among young women who are embracing old-fashioned values and returning to their original dreams after all that exhausting bra burning and man bashing. Gone are the six inch heels, boob jobs, big gobs and fake beauty and in its place a classy, kind, educated and romantic young woman worthy of catching any prince. The Darling Academy is a spiritual finishing school for any young woman who wishes to: Live free from negative thinking and crippling self-doubt Be graceful and elegant regardless of modern pressures and trends Learn to embrace her feminine energy and still "have it all" Enjoy and nurture herself and her relationships right now Have clear hope for her future and follow her dreams Ladies Like Us, the debut book from The Darling Academy shares honest, modern, fun and informative guidance on what it really means to be a young lady today. From finding your identity as a lady and feeling at home in your skin, to cultivating true grace, quiet self-confidence and how to surround yourself with everyday happiness. Welcome to the modern finishing school for ladies, we're glad you're joining us.

There is no better time than now for a definitive guide to contemporary civilized living. As traditional codes of behavior have given way to an increasingly informal society, many people are disconcerted by the current lack of guidelines. The established rules are as important as ever, but need adaptation for the complications and developments of the twenty-first century. The Debrett's New Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners cuts through the confusion to combine the very best of traditional standards of conduct with acceptable modern innovations. Packed with no-nonsense step-by-step advice, it covers everything from basic table manners to how to equip yourself at the grandest royal and diplomatic gatherings. Written with clarity and wit, this book celebrates the charm, beauty, and fascination of classic good manners, and their enduring role in a civilized society.

Updated, with new research and over 100 revisions Ten years later, they're still talking about the weather! Kate Fox, the social anthropologist who put the quirks and hidden conditions of the English under a microscope, is back with more biting insights about the nature of Englishness. This updated and revised edition of Watching the English - which over the last decade has become the unofficial guidebook to the English national character - features new and fresh insights on the unwritten rules and foibles of "squaddies," bikers, horse-riders, and more. Fox revisits a strange and fascinating culture, governed by complex sets of unspoken rules and bizarre codes of behavior. She demystifies the peculiar cultural rules that baffle us: the rules of weather-speak. The ironic-gnome rule. The reflex apology rule. The paranoid pantomime rule. Class anxiety tests. The roots of English self-mockery and many more. An international bestseller, Watching the English is a biting, affectionate, insightful and often hilarious look at the English and their society.

The ultimate guide to manners in the real world! Is it rude to keep checking your phone during lunch with a friend? Are handwritten thank-you notes still necessary? A respected etiquette coach solves these modern dilemmas and more-including issues unique to our times, such as privacy and cyberspace, personal interaction in a diverse society, and professional protocol around the globe.