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.

Never again hesitate when selecting a fork from a fancy place setting, making a formal introduction, hosting a business dinner, or dining on awkward foods. The experts at Washington's School of Protocol will save you from embarrassing future faux pas! Full-color illustrations.

An “extremely funny” take on the decline of civility, from the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of How the Hell Did This Happen? (The Plain Dealer). In Modern Manners, cultural guru P. J. O’Rourke provides the essential accessory for the truly contemporary man or woman—a rulebook for living in a world without rules. Traditionally, good manners were a means of becoming as bland and invisible as everyone else, thus avoiding calling attention to one’s own awkwardness and stupidity. Today, with everyone wanting to appear special, stupidity is at a premium, and manners—as outrageous and bizarre as possible—are a wonderful way to distinguish ourselves, or at least have a fine time trying. This irreverent and hilarious guide to anti-etiquette offers pointed advice on topics from sex and entertaining to reading habits and death. With the most up-to-date forms of vulgarity, churlishness, and presumption, the latest fashions in discourtesy and barbarous display, O’Rourke is our guide to the art of incivility. “Modern Manners is O’Rourke doing what he has always done: making hilarious, insightful, often vicious fun of the world and all its inhabitants.” —People “A reader who rushes through [Modern Manners] from cover to cover—like I did—will feel like a child who has gorged on chocolate cake: happy, but a bit disappointed that it’s all gone. The reason O’Rourke’s book is so successful, however, is not just his great sense of humor. O’Rourke’s writing has a cutting edge behind it, which makes a reader’s laughter just a bit thought-provoking, and just a bit rueful . . . Very funny.” —Chicago Tribune

Advice geared to contemporary living on correct behavior in a wide variety of situations.

The founder of The Plaza Hotel's Finishing Program spills her insider knowledge to help you become instantly more polished. In her debut book, Modern Etiquette Made Easy, the Queen of Good Manners Myka Meier takes formal etiquette that she learned while training under a former member of the Queen of England’s household and breaks it down into five easy steps to help you feel 100 percent confident in the areas of social, dining, business, and networking etiquette. In this refreshingly entertaining etiquette guide, Myka combines her passion for etiquette and love of humor to share tips that are sure to give you a competitive edge in both your social and professional life. Through easy-to-follow chapters and relatable lessons, you’ll learn how to: Create the best first impression Become the most coveted party guest Network like a pro Practice good table manners And much, much more! Perfect for everyone who’s ever gone for the cheek kiss as the new acquaintance offered a handshake, or hobbled home from a networking event in stilettos. Fitting for messy-bun millennials who find themselves suddenly adulting without a clue, or mid-career professionals hoping to revamp their image. Or really, for anyone at all—at the end of the day, we could all use some more respect and kindness, and Modern Etiquette Made Easy offers advice and insight like a friend. Pinkies down!