Better Manners in Minutes

There's a book called Manners Made Easy written by June Hines Moore, originally published 1999, outlines manners from the table to the telephone.  It's really very interesting and I find that recalling its rules makes me feel more confident in those situations she describes.  Did you know that youth is supposed to stand when an adult comes into the room?  Or did you know that men should descend the stairs first and ascend last?  This is to catch women when they twist their ankles in their high heels.

There's a page for every day of the year.  You could take it one page at a time, or you could whip through it in a couple of days.  Not too repetitive, it is very light reading but it is also very informative.  One of the first things it does it to remind us of the obligation of introductions and when to shake hands.  Even if you never read the book, you can feel more confident in new acquaintances by remembering these six S's: stand, smile, see their eyes, shake their hand, say your name, say their name back to them.

I found this book when I was looking for Jane Austen's Guide to Good Manners that was recommended on another blog.

~Meggy