Founder of a global etiquette school and star of her own Netflix series Sara Jane Ho teaches readers how to thrive socially in a variety of situations, in person and online. Etiquette, Sara Jane says, is the glue that holds society together. Humans are social creatures, after all—we need connection to survive. But with global cultures in flux and the post-pandemic digital age, shadow epidemics of anxiety and loneliness are on the rise. Plus, the old rules of “decorum” don’t match the times.
Amidst all this withdrawal and change, social growth can feel out of reach. How do we leave the comfort of our homes, step away from our screens, and interact face to face? How do we create genuine bonds with people we’ve just met, and how do we maintain those ties throughout our lives? Even the most resilient social butterflies among us face sticky situations—from accidentally-sent invites to unruly work and family encounters—any advice would help.
In her signature cheeky yet pragmatic style, Sara Jane Ho imparts a lifetime’s worth of lessons, pro-tips, and FAQs on social and digital etiquette across the five main microcultures in our Friendship & Social Life, Work, Dating & Relationships, Family, and Food & Travel. From jumping everyday hurdles to discerning unspoken, cross-cultural cues, Mind Your Manners helps us feel the joy and transformation of social fluency—that deep comfort that comes from connection, inclusion, and presenting our best self in any situation.
Hello, seeker of etiquette!!! This is definitely a terrific read for you!
“Mind Your Manners” by Sara Jane Ho is a beautifully written book offering advice/tips on proper etiquette in the modern era, and putting our best foot forward in any situation. Times have changed since Emily Post’s version of proper etiquette, and this book is a fantastic plethora of information for anyone wishing to brush up on their social skills or to learn them from scratch. It’s a practical book you will keep coming back to time and again to reference the knowledge it contains. The tone is light and conversational, and I am impressed with the overall writing as whole as the sentence structure flows seamlessly. It is high quality writing I can appreciate. I walked away with some enlightening moments that made me smile.
I am a firm believer of putting your best foot forward in a variety of situations and this book generously supports me in that endeavour.
May thanks to Sara Jane Ho, NetGalley and Hachette for an ARC of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review.
When I was growing up the epitome of hood manners came from Emily Post. Now Sara Jane Ho offers 21st century advice on how to put your best foot forward. Ho speaks several languages and is a citizen of the world who has encountered many experiences and situations. It’s never a bad idea to brush up on how to handle different situations. She discusses online etiquette along with work and family guidelines. Much of what she wrote is practical common sense. I didn’t agree with everything she suggested, but for the novices it’s a good beginning. Thanks to Hachette for the advance copy.
Summary: a decent book about different ways to navigate around awkward situations gracefully. I didn’t love this book but I have to admit there are valuable lessons that I learned.
To start off what I like about the book: it provided me a lot of proper languages on how to resolve awkward or difficult situations such as how to reject politely or how to make people feel comfortable. Often times these are my intentions but I lack the words to properly phrase what I have in my mind in a way that feels natural and comfortable. This book provides many examples of this and what Mary Jane would say in these situations.
Now what I don’t like: a lot of subtle and covert remarks of elitism and classism. I’m definitely nitpicking and reading too much into it but some of her languages and commentaries just felt artificial, and petty. Although the goal of her lessons are to make everyone comfortable, it seemed to me that it’s only superficial and deep down her tactics are only a good tool, not something she personally believes in. Nothing wrong with that, but that just makes me uncomfortable. She talked about how one of her roommate is super nice to everyone she meets and one guy mistaken her niceness for affection, she said it was funny because he is “clearly out of her league”. Another example was her advice for her friend, who’s in a long and dreading relationship, to enroll in a exec MBA program because it could elevate her career and meet successful men whom she might have relationship with. The last half of the book gets better with having less comments like that.
There are many examples like these that made me cringe and icky, and it was a hard read for me. So in conclusion, this book has valuable lessons, but proceed with caution.
Sara Jane Ho (b. 1985) is a Chinese socialite whose life and career to date has spanned multiple continents - she grew up in a wealthy family, and as she namedrops many times in this book, she earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, founded a finishing school for the children of Chinese elite in Beijing, and also has a Netflix series called Mind Your Manners (I'm not a Netflix subscriber, so I'm unfamiliar with this show). In her book, named after her Netflix show, she gives rapid-fire, broad-ranging etiquette advice on everything from what we traditionally think of as etiquette (how to dine at fancy restaurants, how to make formal introductions) to topics more typically found in women's magazine advice columns (handling family disputes, dating advice). I wouldn't call any of her advice inherently bad, but it definitely reads with a Chinese upper class perspective (I was reminded of the movie Crazy Rich Asians many times while listening to Ho narrates the audiobook). I listened to the entire book from start to finish sequentially, which probably also isn't the best way to take in this information -- it makes sense that a television show predated the book and not the other way around.
My stats: Book 122 for 2024 Book 1725 cumulatively
I am grateful for this earc from the publisher and net galley! As a very socially awkward and clumsy person, I found it helpful to read this and gained a lot of pointers on social etiquette and leadership I can use in my everyday life
This was a fun book to listen to. I watched Sara Jane Ho's Netflix show and her audio book on etiquette has so many insights on good behavior. Some of the tips and/or situations didn't apply to me, but with the author's wit and humor, it was still entertaining.
I was introduced to Mind Your Manners on Netflix and was riveted. Sara Jane has a style that is uniquely her own and it rejuvenated my interest in etiquette. When I saw she wrote a book, I knew I wanted to read it.
As engaging as the show, this book is a fast paced fun read that allows you to get to know Sara Jane better as well as learn some helpful tips on etiquette in the process.
I’m always looking for the answer to the question: who is this book written to? And this book seems like it has something for everyone though it does seem to be written for women specifically. I think if I were to recommend it, it might be to a college age women as it touches on etiquette in the workforce, in dating, in marriage, in friendships and in general, it seems like young professionals and college age women might stand the most to benefit from all the content found in the book. That being said, there does seem to be something here for everyone.
If I had one critique, it would be that Sara Jane occasionally strayed outside the boundaries of nonjudgmental etiquette and gave instructions on how to live in areas she doesn’t have expertise in; which I noted her advice seemed to be slightly wishy washy on. Parenting between the tiger parent and the panda parent was one area- and instruction on whether or not a person might regret cutting their toxic relatives out of their life. These seemed to be areas where she was unsure as she seemed to waffle between the two camps. Personally, I think both in parenting children and the question of what to do about toxic relations is an area outside of the scope of etiquette and is better left out of the book. Without knowing all situations everywhere, her advice can seem unnecessarily confining.
Aside from that, I really enjoyed reading this book and getting to know her better outside the Netflix show. I enjoyed her appreciation and approach to all cultures in both the book and the show.
I’d like to thank Hatchette and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Harvard MBA, Beijing Finishing School and Netflix broadcasting phenom, Sara Jane Ho is the modern version of Emily Post with tips including dining etiquette; social graces like hostessing; proper conversation skills to be a charming guest; and introduction methods to always impress. Her handbook of social skills and style, “Mind Your Manners—How to be Your Best Self in Any Situation,” is treasure-trove of insightful information for modern women (and men) everywhere.
JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Sara Jane Ho, and Publisher Hachette Books for this advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.
This book was confusing from the beginning to the end. I have no idea who the target audience for this book is. There isn’t a single page where you aren’t reminded of how rich the author is and how that’s her everyday experience. While she claims early in the book that she’s not flaunting her wealth that is at odds with her content. Nearly every question is given a general answer followed by an example from her life. So it will be something from a dinner party, finishing school experience, Wall Street meetings, executive meetings, things like that.
Not having a target audience leaves so many unanswered questions. Is she not flaunting her wealth and no one in editing pointed out that it would alienate a lot of people. Is she not flexing because she’s writing for people with the same amount of wealth. Is she really flexing and knows it? This wouldn’t be a question if it was clear who the book was for.
This book would be a solid 3 if it was edited in half with most of the examples removed. When she does succinct question and answer sections the content can be broadly applicable. Some of her ideas about sex, consent, and gender roles in relationships are things that I find unsavory. She gets around these criticisms by saying that it’s a book on etiquette and not morals; an argument that I think is paper thin and just trying to deflect the personal responsibility for her writing. The quotes were so mind boggling to me there’s an entry on my blog (can be found on my profile).
TLDR; A memoir of a very successful rich woman that mistakenly found its way to the self-help section.
I kind of hate her and I kind of love her. She gives very modern life advice, but she sounds like a real bitch who's good at smiling and flirting to disguise it. Definitely worth reading, even if much of her advice is irrelevant to me personally. She advises readers on one night stands, breakups, and texting, as well as dining etiquette etc
I really loved that this taught you how can still have firm boundaries and stick up for yourself without being or feeling rude. I love the simple manner reminders.
I really enjoyed the scenario examples about how to handle different situations.
A valuable to look to for guidance.So much wonderful excellent advice.A book for those just starting out in their careers and those who need some help in a particular situation..A book to keep on your desk to dip into.#netgalley #hatchettebooks.
2.5 rounded up. I finished it, but it's not my cup of tea. ________ Placeholder review to prevent the algorithm from going off because I'm still waiting on the book to get here (yes marked as not rcvd) and goodreads is sending emails asking why I haven't reviewed yet. Will update the placeholder if the book ever shows.
It's been years since I took an etiquette class, so it was time for a refresh. I enjoyed how concise this book was in imparting tips and tricks for etiquette in our globalized and digital society. My favorite takeaways are: - etiquette is not ethics - context matters - mastering etiquette means mastering the ability to feel comfortable in your own skin
Human beings are social creatures. Even for the most individualistic person, one cannot avoid interacting with another person, unless one lives as a hermit in some secluded part of the world. In general, we all need to learn some forms of social behavior and etiquette. This is necessary for society to function well, and it is applicable for both children and adults. Unfortunately, schools do not often teach such stuff. Those that do often cover them at a superficial level. Etiquette is about connection, says author Sara Jane Ho, a vocal advocate for meaningful social communications in various settings. It is also contextual, meaning we need to adapt our understanding and practice of etiquette based on the geographical locations. In our globalized interconnected world, we also need to expand that to cultural settings. Popularized by a Netflix series with the same name as the book's title, this book is a print version of the streaming platform. In meaningful etiquette, we need "social fluency" which is essentially about reading people quickly and accurately as well as interacting with them confidently and effectively. Mindful of the growing mental health concerns globally, she helps us remember that therapy alone cannot solve issues related to social awkwardness. In a post-pandemic world, some might even need to relearn "social fluency" to help us relate to people. She guides us through five major categories of everyday life:
1) Social Life & Friendships 2) Work 3) Dating & Relationships 4) Family 5) Food & Travel
She teaches us about conversational starters, making a first impression, continuing or courteous breakaways, and even various forms of "non-sexual flirting." She shares advice about getting a job, what to do in a job interview, how to write resumes, and growing in career-building soft skills. On Dating and Relationships, she shares witty tips on communication, observing boundaries, and a list of FAQs on dating and love. On Family, she stresses the importance of cultivating ties, dealing with sibling rivalries, managing money requests, parenting, learning how to say no graciously, and also dealing with in-laws, especially mother-in-laws. Finally, she shows us some valuable lessons on table manners and cultural awareness. For those who enjoy traveling, the chapter on traveling etiquette is a must-read.
My Thoughts ============== I remember a popular book back in the 80s entitled: "What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School." It describes some of the necessary entrepreneurial life skills that even famous schools like Harvard do not teach. This book continues that tradition to teach us some essential social etiquette for life. In fact, there are five separate categories of etiquette that readers can learn of. These five categories comprise the majority of daily activities during our waking hours. I call it the five essential stones of social etiquette. Not afraid to use her own life experiences to illustrate her points, Ho comes across as an authentic guide to encourage us to do the same. After all, if we want honest interactions, we need to be honest as well. Let me share three thoughts about this book.
First, it contains lots of wise and witty tips for life. What we often call common sense might not be so common for some people. For many, it takes a lot of years and embarrassing mistakes to learn these things. Thankfully, Ho has not only described for us some basic etiquette to observe, she shows us why we need them. Soft skills are often learned the hard way or through the school of hard knocks. Some of the things Ho writes about can easily stir up memories of any of our clumsy efforts in the past. One of the most useful parts of this book is the interaction between East and West. Though Ho's background is from the East, she has decent experiences in the West which makes her a pretty credible etiquette mentor. Those who share her background would nod frequently with many of her observations about Asian culture. Those who are non-Asians might struggle a little to understand where she is coming from. As long as such readers maintain an open mind, this book could be a useful cultural eye opener.
Second, I appreciate the way Ho infuses the need for digital awareness. As more people spend their lives online on a daily basis, we need guidance on how to interact in a digital world. New realities require new paradigms for engagement. One example is how to deal with interviewers who ask us whether we have any questions. In the past, most questions about the company can only be found by asking those who worked there. Nowadays, with so much information freely shared on the Internet, we need to do extra homework to find out what is obvious and what is not. Every category has a section on digital engagement. From using social media to digital work-from-home etiquette, actual dating to online matching, Ho has it well covered. Some other useful tips include food photographs, travel moments, and also dealing with conspiracy theories!
Finally, I want to caution readers about wearing any premature sense of confidence after reading this book. Even though many of the things talked about in this book are practical stuff, it takes practice in order to live them out. More importantly, humility must remain in the forefront of any etiquette. With humility, things done right lead to appreciation while any fumbles could more easily be forgiven. One of the most important reminders in this book is that etiquette is not just about us. It is about putting others at ease. Humility could ease us into that.
How do I find this book? Useful and highly appropriate for building first impressions. Everyone should read this book. Even if one does not agree with Ho's point of view, at least, the topic can become interesting discussions.
Sara Jane Ho is the founder of China's first etiquette school Institute Sarita and host of the Daytime Emmy-nominated Netflix series Mind Your Manners. A cultural polyglot who speaks German, French, Mandarin, and Cantonese in addition to English, she lived in Papua New Guinea, the UK, and Hong Kong before moving to the US to attend Phillips Exeter, Georgetown, and Harvard Business School. Her surprisingly down-to-earth demeanor and genuine passion and gift for helping others transform their lives cemented the success of her feel-good makeover show, and her book carries her deeper, more expansive definition of etiquette to a global audience. Sara Jane divides her time between Shanghai, Hong Kong, New York, and London.
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.
conrade This book has been provided courtesy of Hachette Books via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
Highly recommended, especially for women. I like the Asian perspective on a typically Western topic. As I grow older, I've realized the importance and value of manners. I agree that it's about making others comfortable. I like the ideas on social fluency, such as building empathy and harmony. You can call these EQ, people skills, social skills, or manners. Any term we use, these are becoming more valuable these days as people prefer to use gadgets over dealing with people.
I saw this book available at the library and thought it might be an interesting read. There have been a few articles in the news lately about the deterioration of manners, norms, professional behavior, etc. So I thought this might be a good refresher or reminder.
Although the title might make you think this is a self-help type of book, this is very much about social etiquette (this varies, though). From work, friendships, digital manners (responding to texts or emails or calls, etc.), it's a broad overview of this. You could say that this is an updated version of a Miss Manners guide (to show my age).
Overall, I was bored. I personally do agree about the deterioration of manners, etiquette, social behavior, etc. in public, but I am uncertain if this was the best way to go about addressing this. There are stories of schools giving professional business etiquette classes or even workplaces setting up similar sessions for new hires, etc., which might be a better approach. It can be hard to translate stuff like this from text to real life practice.
As other negative reviews note, some of this does veer out of what is traditionally thought of as "etiquette," with stuff about parenting. It could also be argued that the sections on digital manners (the timeliness of responses, that certain conversations should not be via text or similar) really do not address that not everyone has the same background/experience/abilities, etc. There are cultural differences, scheduling issues, some people are more comfortable with text/typing because (for example) they are neurodivergent, etc.
This does have its place and would probably be a good book to have for a new graduate or someone returning to the workforce after a long period of time or for someone who feels they need a refresher on such things, etc. But this is probably one of those books that need other complimentary resources such as a class or coaching.
Borrowed from the library and that was best for me.
I believe what sets "Mind Your Manners" apart is its deeply personal narrative, which resonated with me on a profound level. Ho's heartfelt account of losing her mother at a young age and rediscovering her legacy through the teachings of etiquette is both poignant and inspiring. I feel that her unwavering dedication to honoring her mother's memory by practicing and teaching etiquette is a testament to the enduring power of love and tradition.
Furthermore, Ho's ability to intertwine her own lived experiences with timeless principles of etiquette adds a unique charm to the book. (alluding to the use of the french phrase in her netflix show) Indeed there is a certain "je ne sais quoi" about her storytelling that captivates the reader from start to finish, making "Mind Your Manners" not only a guidebook for social grace but also a heartfelt memoir of love.
In a nutshell, Sara's "Mind Your Manners" is a must-read for anyone seeking to navigate the complexities of modern etiquette with grace and finesse. Through her heartfelt storytelling and timeless wisdom, Ho reminds us that true elegance is not merely about following rules but embodying respect, kindness, and empathy in all our interactions. Would highly recommend to anyone out there wanting to improve their outlook and elevate their elegance! especially fresh grads joining the workforce:')
This book serves as a solid starting point for those looking to brush up on their social skills. Many of the practices discussed are things I’ve already integrated into my day-to-day life, so much of it felt like common sense to me. However, I recognise that this is an excellent introduction for anyone aiming to improve their social etiquette and leadership abilities.
I was drawn to this book after loving the Netflix series, which introduced me to Sara Jane Ho. I also enjoy her social media presence and the valuable content she shares. Despite this, I found myself wanting more from the book. It’s quite short, and while it’s very accessible and easy to comprehend—qualities that make it great for a wide audience—it left me wishing for deeper insights.
The cultural references sprinkled throughout were a nice touch, and I hope the author releases more books, as she clearly has a wealth of experience and talent worth sharing. That said, this particular book feels very much like a beginner’s guide to social cues and understanding. For someone like me, who has already worked on and improved these skills in daily life, it may not offer much new information.
As a Baby Boomer Southerner, I was well-instructed in manners by my mother, Emily Post and sixth grade manners classes. I tried to pass similar manners instruction to my own children, but I recognize that many of those younger than 40 have not had that same advantage. Mind Your Manners could serve a similar purpose for the younger generation. I enjoyed Ho's Netflix series and this book serves as an extension for those who also enjoyed it. Ho gives the reader good insight into "social fluency" in a multi-cultural, international world. Her goal is to help readers be better able to "read people and situations with accuracy and speed" and "interact with others in a smooth, effective, and confident way". I believe this book achieves those two purposes while also giving a good explanation of Asian cultures. This book would be a good gift for a recent college graduate or anyone in the business world who wants more confidence in social settings. I received an advanced digital copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
Mind Your Manners is a modern day etiquette guide. I really appreciated the chapters on digital etiquette because this is a new area of rules. Additionally, I enjoyed the sections on food and travel. Throughout the book there are several really good practical tips. I also appreciated the international perspective with examples from the US, China and Europe.
My main challenge with the book is that it is written for a very specific audience: heterosexual women between the ages of 18-35. Queer individuals are not mentioned or considered in this book. In today's culture there are so many diverse lifestyles and it is so important (and polite!) to make sure that all feel included.
Thank you to Hachette Books and Netgalley for an Advanced Reader Copy of this manuscript in exchange for an honest review.
* Weird feeling, to reach the end of a book about etiquette and wish it was longer. * Enjoyed this book, wholeheartedly recommended for anyone navigating the tricky waters of digital interactions and social media, not to mention anyone raising a child these days. * Heavily reliant on personal anecdotes and experiences, not necessarily a bad thing, but often wished that the author's (excellent) advice had been buttressed by sociological research data. * Similarly, while helpful lists of tips and FAQs abound, it might have been more effective if the book had been more organized and consistently structured; e.g., every chapter concluding with a summary or tip list, plus FAQs. * In all: fun, interesting, education, and a worthwhile read for those desiring that our global community become a little more considerate, humane, and livable.
Boy oh boy, do I love Sarah! I’m surprised this book has some low reviews but it seems like that’s because people are taking some of her writing a bit too seriously or literally. This isn’t supposed to be an advice book, though I understand why someone might take it that way. I read it more as an informative look into etiquette from someone obviously well bred and intelligent. Do I agree with everything stated? Of course not. Do I aspire to behave more mannerly according to our author’s standards? Of course! It’s like any other self-improvement book, but focused on outward facing traits.
Personally thought it was super cool that she referenced FBI hostage negotiators and their training right after I read Never Split the Difference. To her credit, she very eloquently and correctly referenced and applied those tools.
Mind Your Manners is a great book on etiquette. She divides the book up into 5 sections - Social Life and Friendship, Work, Dating and Relationships, Food and Travel. I learned so many things about how to handle yourself in different situations. I would highly recommend this book to all my girlfriends. I learned new things and it was also reminders on how to handle myself in different situations. I enjoyed this book a lot and it wasn’t boring to read at all. Sara included many great stories and examples, she’s funny and smart and doesn’t make you feel looked down upon if you don’t know the correct way to handle a situation. She was also vulnerable talking about situations from her own life. This was a great book.
Picked up the book after watching the author's Netflix series. It is impressively practical—each chapter is structured to cover real-life situations, from dining etiquette to digital communication and everything in between. It’s not just theory; it’s full of usable tips that can easily be applied to daily life.
While I wouldn’t say the book was life-changing for me—many of the insights were things I’ve already picked up through personal experience—it was still a valuable read. Sometimes a thoughtful revisit to the basics is just what you need, and this book does that well. Whether you're brushing up on your manners or just curious to see how small gestures can make a big difference, it’s definitely worth a read.
I watched her Netflix special series and needed this girl to teach me to become a well-mannered woman in a world of nonsense. I am glad I found her because she taught me how to act properly and determine right and wrong.
Manners is about making people comfortable around you. My favorite lesson is how to act around the people you dislike. Do not cut ties immediately but do it gradually. When you see them, smile then go far away from them. Do not ever cut them, just distance yourself. HAHAHA! Perfect for the relatives that I am not a fan of being so ill-mannered. Thanks, Sara!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
does a solid job explaining differences across Western vs Eastern cultures, and etiquette across the following (+ includes FAQ section and her commentary or notes of what you could say in x situation): 1) Social life / friendship 2) work 3) dating and relationships 4) family 5) food and travel
Felt like she is an older sister who just got back from HBS and has all the tips and tricks from navigating so many odd situations. Laughed a lot too! This book would be great for anyone fresh out of college about to start a corporate career.
The author skillfully navigates through various social situations, offering valuable insights on how to handle them with grace and tact. From formal gatherings to everyday encounters, this book provides practical guidance on etiquette that is both relevant and accessible. It's a must-read for anyone looking to enhance their social skills and navigate the complexities of social interactions with confidence.
I loved watching the Netflix series and couldn’t wait to get my hands on the book! There are parts I found more enjoyable than others, and some anecdotes are absolutely 😂🤣🫢👌🏻. Honestly, I enjoyed the TV series more, but the book is very relatable, especially since it draws a lot from her time in Hong Kong (where I'm originally from). The reflections on Asian culture really resonate with me