Etiquette

August is "Win With Civility" Month.  Here are 10 books on etiquette, manners, and civility.

101 Ways to Say Thank You: Notes of Gratitude for All Occasions by Kelly Browne - In a world of abrupt, hastily typed e-mails and instant messages, the art of pen-and-paper note writing may seem lost, yet nothing else says “thank you” with quite the same elegance or sincerity. Now you will never again struggle to find the right words for that beautifully penned message. Endorsed by Crane Stationery, 101 Ways to Say Thank You provides the perfectly worded thank-yous for nearly every occasion, from baby showers and christenings to business interviews and charitable donations. You’ll learn the etiquette of faxing a thank-you note, the keys to expressing gratitude to lovers, friends, and family members—even the correct uses of the honorific “Ms.” Exhaustive and totally indispensable, 101 Ways to Say Thank You  will assure that you will never be at a loss for words of appreciation and affection.

The Butler Speaks: A Return to Proper Etiquette, Stylish Entertaining, and the Art of Good Housekeeping by Charles MacPherson - In a clear, straightforward style, Charles MacPherson lays out the essentials of entertaining and household management in this beautifully illustrated style, etiquette and entertainment guide. For anyone who rents or owns - be it a small urban apartment or a lavish country estate - The Butler Speaks includes everything readers need to know to simplify, organise and care for their home. It also offers modern advice on personal style and etiquette. Including how to receive guests, present a business card and make polite dinner conversation.

Emily Post's Etiquette: Manners for a New World by Peggy Post, Anna Post, Lizzie Post, & Daniel Post Senning - For nearly a century, one name has been trusted above all others when it comes to proper decorum: Emily Post. In this completely updated 18th Edition of the classic Emily Post's Etiquette, the mantle is picked up by the great-great-grandchildren of the First Lady of Etiquette, who tackle the latest issues and demands of the twenty-first century--from texting and tweeting to iPhones, Facebook, and all forms of social media. The perfect guide for Millennials living on their own for the first time who wish to establish themselves properly in the workplace--as well as for Baby Boomers in the midst of planning their children's weddings, entering retirement, and helping to care for elderly parents--Emily Post's Etiquette, 18th Edition, remains the essential handbook to proper social behavior.

The Etiquette Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Manners by Jodi R. R. Smith - 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.

Etiquette Rules!: A Field Guide to Modern Manners by Nancy R. Mitchell - Has there ever been a time when courtesy and kindness are needed more? We need only follow the news, drive down a road, look around our communities, or visit a favorite social-media site to know there is an etiquette crisis. With rudeness rampant and civility on life support, it's time for each and every one of us to take a hard look at our behaviors to determine if we are contributing to the problem or helping to combat it. Enter Etiquette Rules! A Field Guide to Modern Manners, a common-sense examination of etiquette as an operating system for living life with kindness and courtesy as we work, play, shop, drive, dine, and interact in our real and virtual communities. Arranged by events and settings, the book clearly and succinctly defines rudeness and suggests corrective measures. Readers will not only raise their etiquette IQ, but will change their mindset about manners because Etiquette Rules! jettisons the old-school notion that etiquette is how to properly hold a teacup. In reality, it is a powerful tool that can help everyone feel comfortable and confident in a variety of situations, build personal and business relationships more easily, demonstrate respect for others, and live lives that flow more smoothly. Courtesy is contagious, and Etiquette Rules! will help to jump-start a saving pandemic.

F You Very Much: Understanding the Culture of Rudeness and What We Can Do About It by Danny Wallace - From the brilliant comedic mind behind the hit movie Yes Man, a hilarious and pitch-perfect look at the rudeness that's all around us -- where it comes from, how it affects us, and what we can do about it. You're not just imagining it: People are getting more and more rude - from cutting in line, gabbing on their phones and clipping their nails on public transportation, to hurling epithets on Twitter and in real life (including a certain President who does both). And the worst part is that it's contagious, leading reasonably courteous people to stoop to new lows in order to respond to the ever-coarsening encounters we face every day. In this engaging and illuminating new book, bestselling author and all-around curious guy Danny Wallace looks at the reasons behind the rudeness, and what we can do to stop it. His quest to stop the madness includes interviews with neuroscientists, psychologists, NASA scientists, politicians, and other experts. He joins a Radical Honesty group, talks to LA drivers about road rage, and confronts his own online troll in a pub--all to better understand the scourge that's turning normal people into bullies, tantruming toddlers, trolls, and other types of everyday monsters. Want to be part of the solution? Let Danny Wallace be your smart and funny guide.

NYC Basic Tips & Etiquette by Nathan W. Pyle - Living in New York City for five years as a transplant from Ohio, illustrator and T-shirt designer Nathan Pyle was fascinated by the unique habits and unspoken customs New Yorkers follow to make life bearable in a city with 8 million people (and seemingly twice the number of tourists). In NYC Basic Tips and Etiquette, Pyle reveals the secrets and unwritten rules for living in and visiting New York including the answers to such burning questions as, how do I hail a cab? What is a bodega? Which way is Uptown? Why are there so many doors in the sidewalk? How do I walk on an escalator? Do we need be touching right now? Where should I inhale or exhale while passing sidewalk garbage? How long should I honk my horn? If New York were a game show, how would I win? What happens when I stand in the bike lane? Who should get the empty subway seats? How do I stay safe during a trash tornado? Each tip is a little story illustrated in simple black and white drawings.

Polish Your Poise With Madame Chic: Lessons in Everyday Elegance by Jennifer L. Scott - The New York Times bestselling author of Lessons from Madame Chic and At Home with Madame Chic revives the timeless quality of poise and shows how to cultivate it as a daily practice and a life-long endeavor. Just step out your door today and you will notice that poise is a rarity in our wired, fast-paced, and unmannerly world. As uncivil behaviors like flip-flops at Broadway shows and digital oversharing proliferate, this timely book reminds us of the quiet power of behaving with dignity, kindness, and grace. Jennifer Scott's Parisian mentor, Madame Chic, embodied poise, and not just with the good posture, stylish attire, and natural manners that made her extraordinarily elegant. She also demonstrated steady assuredness and graceful calm in everything she did--from interacting with her family and receiving guests at home to presenting herself in public. Jennifer L. Scott passes on the lessons she learned as well as some of her own hard-won wisdom, addressing topics such as proper attire at social events, good grooming, communication skills, hospitality and being a good guest, our interactions with neighbors and strangers, role models, self-discipline, and self-image. This charmingly illustrated, practical, and inspiring book, full of tips, lists, and ideas, is certain to start a new conversation about the timeless art of poise.

Saving Civility: 52 Ways to Tame Rude, Crude, & Attitude for a Polite Planet by Sara Hacala - Is bad behavior the new normal? How do we change it?
Each of us has the power to make the planet a more hospitable, pleasant, caring, and safe place to live.... It starts with respecting others and recognizing their right to be here. Saving Civility is about how we contribute to society and work together--locally and globally--with greater respect, awareness, understanding, and acceptance of one another. A polite planet embodies a worldview of a civilized society--one that is enlightened and empathetic.

Very Classy by Derek Blasberg - Derek Blasberg is back with more brilliant commentary on what makes a lady truly classy. With all the razor-sharp insights of Classy plus new, never-before-seen pages packed with Derek's signature wit and timeless tips, Very Classy is the best - and the only - resource for the up-to-the minute, modern young woman.
Today's fast-maturing youth culture is confounded by a whole slew of classy conundrums. Like, "Is a funeral an acceptable place to meet a guy?" (No, the point of a funeral is to ponder how someone has touched your life, not how you hope someone is going to touch you later that night). And, "Should I wear my Wonderbra to the gym?" (No! Gyms are for exercise, not cleavage.)
Even if you're so confident, you've been attracting guys like a honey-dipped man magnet for years - Very Classy still has something for you. This illustrated volume is packed with advice for the girl who doesn't want to be a Relationship Chameleon, the girl who understands that skinny fat is worse than just plain fat, and the girl who needs a little help discovering the silver lining of a hangover. Very Classy is the ultimate guide for discerning this generations ladies from the tramps.

Wedding Planning Resources

Maybe you got engaged over the holiday season, or maybe you're expecting a ring this Valentine's Day, or maybe you're already in the thick of planning your wedding.  Maybe you're just interested and dreaming during February, National Weddings Month.  Anyway, here are 10 wedding planning resources (along with a little humor!) to help you along the way.

2brides 2be: A Same Sex Guide for the Modern Bride by Laura Leigh Abby - Planning a two-bride wedding can mean twice the beauty and twice the stress, and with a shortage of inspiration and guidance for the modern lesbian bride, this is the book for the next generation of women planning a same-sex wedding. 2Brides 2Be is a wedding guide for the bride who exudes youth and style no matter what her age, who is inspired by innovation, and who wants to marry the woman of her dreams and do it her way. She is a visionary who is up to the task of blending tradition and rebellion, but she is looking for some practical wedding planning advice. She will find it here.
Author Laura Leigh Abby shares her own experiences navigating the world of lesbian wedding planning with a sense of humor and a dose of sass. She has advice on everything from the logistics of walking down the aisle to wording the invites, and she's not afraid to throw all the rules out the window. With input from wedding industry professionals, 2Brides 2Be will enlighten brides on booking vendors, wrangling family and pulling off the wedding of her dreams.

The Big White Book of Weddings: A How-To Guide for the Savvy, Stylish Bride by David Tutera - Entertaining expert David Tutera opens his files to reveal a wealth of detailed information about creating that perfect day, featuring advice about everything from wording invitations to negotiating with caterers, planning the meal to throwing an event on a budget.
The same insight celebrity entertaining and wedding expert David Tutera gives to his A-list clientele is now at your fingertips in The Big White Book of Weddings: David's ultimate "how-to" guide designed to get every bride down the aisle in style!
It's tough to be a bride on a budget--but David reveals his personal tips of the wedding trade that proves brides can be both sophisticatedly chic and realistically resourceful! Covering the entire wedding experience from brainstorming, budgeting, invitations, gift registries, food, music, traditional reception rituals, and even what happens after the wedding's over, Tutera has created a must-have for brides-to-be. Full of the personality that David brings to every wedding he plans and every TV show or magazine article he appears in, Big White Book of Weddings is the book every bride needs to make her wedding unforgettable for all the right reasons!

Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette by Anna & Lizzie Post - Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette is the classic indispensable, comprehensive guide to creating the wedding of your dream, now in its sixth edition.
Today's weddings are more complicated than ever, with new traditions replacing old, and new relationships to consider as family life grows more complex. Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette has everything a bride will ever need to know to have the perfect wedding.
Anna Post guides brides and their friends and family through weddings to maximize fun and reduce stress, including:
How to handle awkward family situations
How to address envelopes and word invitations
How to choose an officiant
How to blend family traditions
The timeline of events throughout the engagement and during the wedding
Who to include on your guest list
How to use technology to your advantage

Grow Your Own Wedding Flowers: How to Grow and Arrange Your Own Flowers for All Special Occasions by Georgie Newbery - By growing your own wedding flowers you can add a personal element to your special occasion, while caring for the environment and saving money at the same time. Filled with gorgeous pictures, this friendly, no-nonsense book makes growing and arranging your own flowers achievable and fun. Whether you're growing for a wedding or for a birthday, festival or other celebration, Georgie's cheerful advice takes you through everything you need to know. Step-by-step guides cover: Planning, growing, cutting and conditioning your flowers; Spring, summer, autumn and winter weddings ; Flower craft for special occasions, including buttonholes, bouquets, centrepieces, garlands and flower crowns. From jam-jar posies to elaborate displays, Grow Your Own Wedding Flowers explains how to grow and create beautiful arrangements and make your special day unique, without costing the earth.

It's All About the Dress: Savvy Secrets, Priceless Advice, and Inspiring Stories to Help You Find "The One" by Randy Fenoli - Every bride wants to feel beautiful and wants to have her dress express the essence of who she is. Now choosing the perfect thing to wear on that special day is easier than ever! Drawing on his experience as fashion director at Kleinfeld Bridal, Randy Fenoli has written a guidebook bursting with insights and inspiration for helping brides-to-be determine what story they want their dress to tell.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE DRESS covers:
-Suggestions on flattering cuts, fabrics, and styles for every body type
-Price ranges and budget
-Trains, veils, headpieces, undergarments, and accessories
-Insider secrets on managing the bridal dress appointment
-Options for bridesmaids, mother of the bride, and more!
Featuring 100 inspiring photos plus invaluable tips on how to deal with bridal dress 911's, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE DRESS is the ultimate sourcebook no bride-to-be should say "I do" without!

The Jewish Wedding Now by Anita Diamant - Newly revised and updated, the definitive guide to planning a Jewish wedding, written by bestselling novelist Anita Diamant--author of The Red Tent and The Boston Girl--and one of the most respected writers of guides to contemporary Jewish life. This complete, easy-to-use guide explains everything you need to know to plan your own Jewish wedding in today's ever-changing world where the very definition of what constitutes a Jewish wedding is up for discussion. With enthusiasm and flair, Anita Diamant provides choices for every stage of a wedding--including celebrations before and after the ceremony itself--providing both traditional and contemporary options. She explains the Jewish tradition of love and marriage with references drawn from Biblical, Talmudic, and mystical texts and stories. She guides you step by step through planning the ceremony and the party that follows--from finding a rabbi and wording the invitation to organizing a processional and hiring a caterer. Samples of wedding invitations and ketubot (marriage contracts) are provided for inspiration and guidance, as well as poems that can be incorporated into the wedding ceremony or party and a variety of translations of traditional texts. "There is no such thing as a generic Jewish wedding," writes Anita Diamant, "no matter what the rabbi tells you, no matter what the caterer tells you, no matter what your mother tells you." Complete, authoritative, and indispensable, The Jewish Wedding Now provides personalized options--some new, some old--to create a wedding that combines spiritual meaning and joyous celebration and reflects your individual values and beliefs.

A Practical Wedding Planner: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating the Wedding You Want With the Budget You've Got by Meg Keene - With reality tv shows, glossy bridal magazines, and fanciful Pinterest boards leading the way, it can be easy for a recently engaged couple to slide from wedding planning into wedding madness. Inspiration and ideas abound; what couples really need is clear guidance on how to assess this information and sort the useful from the disastrous. Enter A Practical Wedding Planner, the (practical) companion volume to A Practical Wedding. Meg Keene walks couples through planning, from the big picture down to the nitty-gritty details. In her characteristic seasoned, sassy style, Keene offers no-nonsense guidance for planning a dream wedding on a real budget.

Something New: Tales From a Makeshift Bride by Lucy Knisley - New York Times-bestselling graphic memoirist Lucy Knisley (Relish) writes about her adorable DIY wedding! In 2010, Lucy and her long-term boyfriend John broke up. Three long, lonely years later, John returned to New York, walked into Lucy's apartment, and proposed. This is not that story. It is the story of what came after: The Wedding. DIY maven Lucy Knisley was fascinated by American wedding culture . . . but also sort of horrified by it. So she set out to plan and execute the adorable DIY wedding to end all adorable DIY weddings. And she succeeded. This graphic novel--clocking in at almost 300 pages of humor, despair, and eternal love--is the story of how Lucy built a barn, invented a whole new kind of photo booth, and managed to turn an outdoor wedding on a rainy day into a joyous (though muddy) triumph.

Weddiculous: An Unfiltered Guide to Being a Bride by Jamie Lee - In this irreverent wedding guide, MTV's wedding planning guru and star of Girl Code, comedian and bride-to-be Jamie Lee, offers practical advice and hilarious insights on how to stay sane while planning your "big day."
Weddings. What was once a beautiful celebration of a couple coming together for a lifetime of happiness has become a bit ridiculous, complete with the whimsical monogrammed mason jars and unconventional photo shoots. The Epic task of creating that special event can be nightmarish--a dizzying maze of minutiae and seemingly endless choices that might tempt you to say yes to a quickie drive-through chapel in Vegas.
But weddings don't have to be stressful. You don't have to give in to the crazy--or give up completely. Famous funny gal Jamie Lee learned much more than she counted on pulling together her own wedding, and in Weddiculous she shares her first-hand experiences and hilarious hard-won insights with every girl who just said "yes."
Jamie gives you the real low-down, puts the madness into perspective, and walks you through the process step by step in a calm, realistic, and highly entertaining way. Weddiculous includes helpful checklists, timelines, and suggestions on everything from what questions to ask vendors to how to handle difficult bridesmaids to what's worth the extra cost (and more importantly, what's not). Throughout, Jamie provides guidance on when you should trust your gut and when you need to listen to others.

Weddings in Color: 500 Creative Ideas for Designing a Modern Wedding by Minhee Cho - In this candy-coloured guide, Vané Broussard (founder of the uber-popular blog Brooklyn Bride) and Minhee Cho (of the covetable paper company Paper+Cup) team up to present hundreds of entirely modern style ideas for every aspect of a wedding, in eight eye-catching and vibrant colour palettes. From pretty floral crowns to die-cut invitations, altars made from balloons, and so much more, these ideas are anything but traditional. Simple DIYs will spark creativity while interviews with industry experts provide important insider info. Lusciously designed and bursting with vivid photography, Weddings in Color has everything brides need to design a stunningly colourful affair.