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
