Book Review: Modern Manners (Southern Charm Sunday)

Disclaimer: I received a book to review. All opinions are my own.

Random House has long been one of my favorite publishers. They just have a way of grabbing my attention. This book is no different. Dorothea Johnson (one of the leading experts in etiquette) and her granddaughter, Liv Tyler (yes, that Liv Tyler) have written one of the best etiquette books I have ever laid eyes on.

Modern Manners: Tools To Take You To The Top has taken classic etiquette rules and adjusted them to fit the modern world. For instance, one of my favorite topics, when a new person arrives in a room or at a table, what do you do? Well, unless you are elderly, of physically unable, you stand. It doesn't matter if you are male or female- stand. Pretty simple, right? But, have you ever thought of doing that? Most do not.

While many of the things in this book are refreshers for me, there were some interesting things that I had really never thought about. Did you know there is a proper way to enter an elevator? Naturally, the person closest to the door enters first, but what do they do next? They go all the way to the back right side, allowing room for all to enter.

The book is well written with diagrams. It is broken down into sections like Meetings & Greetings, On the Job, Electronic Communication, Out and About, Dining Skills, and The Savvy Host. The back of the book even has an index for easy reference. Throughout the book, there are stories, interesting trivia, and Do's and Don'ts.

I was captivated by this book and look forward to exploring it over and over again with my children. I know that it's place on our bookshelf is permanent, right beside the classic etiquette books. Not many books land a place there, but Modern Manners has earned it.