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Manners
Making a good first impression, tipping for a haircut, dispensing with a large handful of cherry pits, and determining the so-called pedestrian passing lane on a crowded sidewalk are just some of the many etiquette conundrums we all face. As liberated as we've become in our dress and in our lifestyles, good manners are still essential.
Whether you're in Boston or in Phoenix, and whether you're a record producer or a dog groomer, the same quandaries can Who goes through a revolving door first, a man or a woman? When is it polite to correct someone's mispronunciation of your name? And what if you can't see over the head of the person who has just sat in front of you at the movies?
For Kate Spade, growing up in a large family required good manners, and to this day they are a natural part of her daily routine. In Manners, she shares her ideas about etiquette in lighthearted but down-to-earth terms. Kindness, common sense, and levity are the foundation for good manners at home, when dining, in the office, or out in public (at a sporting event or on an airplane). The art of communication is still important today, especially when it comes to written correspondence and being considerate when using cell phones, and Kate has something to say on both subjects. A "Manners Miscellany" concludes the book, casting a wide net over topics such as air kissing and "we must do lunch" to competitive parking, rain checks, and re-gifting.
Manners is an unpretentious guide to navigating the social shoals of modern life. Kate's sensible commentary coupled with the nearly 200 captivating watercolor illustrations make Manners a welcome addition to any home library. As portrait photographer Slim Aarons writes, "Good manners are never passé."
Whether you're in Boston or in Phoenix, and whether you're a record producer or a dog groomer, the same quandaries can Who goes through a revolving door first, a man or a woman? When is it polite to correct someone's mispronunciation of your name? And what if you can't see over the head of the person who has just sat in front of you at the movies?
For Kate Spade, growing up in a large family required good manners, and to this day they are a natural part of her daily routine. In Manners, she shares her ideas about etiquette in lighthearted but down-to-earth terms. Kindness, common sense, and levity are the foundation for good manners at home, when dining, in the office, or out in public (at a sporting event or on an airplane). The art of communication is still important today, especially when it comes to written correspondence and being considerate when using cell phones, and Kate has something to say on both subjects. A "Manners Miscellany" concludes the book, casting a wide net over topics such as air kissing and "we must do lunch" to competitive parking, rain checks, and re-gifting.
Manners is an unpretentious guide to navigating the social shoals of modern life. Kate's sensible commentary coupled with the nearly 200 captivating watercolor illustrations make Manners a welcome addition to any home library. As portrait photographer Slim Aarons writes, "Good manners are never passé."
96 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 2004
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587 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
January 2, 2024
Some of the recommendations count more as pleasing people than showing consideration. Most of the recommendations around what to do in different situations make sense.
January 1, 2026
A lovely illustrated book on all the manners of manners; from thing in everyday life that you have wondered about to the correct letters and envelopes to send.
Some reminders of etiquette, please and thank you, being considerate, showing respect and the
tone of your voice.
Some reminders of etiquette, please and thank you, being considerate, showing respect and the
tone of your voice.
September 24, 2014
Kate Spade's etiquette trilogy is light hearted, modern, and fun. Manners is both right on the mark with its advice as well as with its random and silly miscellaneous information. The illustrations complement the mood and tone of the book.
February 8, 2014
I don't know if I can give this book more or less stars. I borrowed this from the school library with the intention to use this for a term paper. However, I was not able to get any input.
This book has cute illustrations and simple descriptions on manners, and I guess it succeeded in that sense.
This book has cute illustrations and simple descriptions on manners, and I guess it succeeded in that sense.
June 9, 2025
I often find myself completely disappointed in others lack of social etiquette and have thought that perhaps it is up to me to create my own finishing school of sorts. I’ve put a pin in that for now and read this book today instead. I love Kate and I love manners so I totally loved this.
January 10, 2018
Customs, manners, and etiquette fascinate me, and this looked like a neatly designed little book by Kate Spade.
Written lightly, it doesn't delve deeply into any area of manners, but jumps around quickly and with wit. There's a bit of high-society, world-traveler feel to much of the content, but there are also entertaining scenarios and every-day bits of wisdom.
My reading experience was made less pleasant by the tiny print.
Reading such tiny type late at night will surely be the demise of my healthy vision. This short book might be double the pages if printed in a more substantial, standard font size. The footnotes are so miniature, I didn't notice them until 2/3 through the book. (They are not necessarily having to do with manners, but random and entertaining.)
If I had been on the editing team -which I wasn't, I understand- I might have formatted the book with more of a rhythmic, organized structure. It's very random and hodgepodge.
I love letter writing, and found that section interesting, but it veers off track, having little/nothing to do with manners for a while. (pp. 67-71, "Letters I Love, and Letter Trivia") This is more attention and page space than other actual, important manners are given. I feel such a small book would pack more power by staying focused, on point.
I must get my hands on Emily Post's book of manners.
This was an "OK" read.. but kindness is always good manners, so I'm rounding up to 3 stars.
It's full of stylish illustrations, and the trivia facts were fun, even if they had nothing to do with manners.
Written lightly, it doesn't delve deeply into any area of manners, but jumps around quickly and with wit. There's a bit of high-society, world-traveler feel to much of the content, but there are also entertaining scenarios and every-day bits of wisdom.
My reading experience was made less pleasant by the tiny print.
Reading such tiny type late at night will surely be the demise of my healthy vision. This short book might be double the pages if printed in a more substantial, standard font size. The footnotes are so miniature, I didn't notice them until 2/3 through the book. (They are not necessarily having to do with manners, but random and entertaining.)
If I had been on the editing team -which I wasn't, I understand- I might have formatted the book with more of a rhythmic, organized structure. It's very random and hodgepodge.
I love letter writing, and found that section interesting, but it veers off track, having little/nothing to do with manners for a while. (pp. 67-71, "Letters I Love, and Letter Trivia") This is more attention and page space than other actual, important manners are given. I feel such a small book would pack more power by staying focused, on point.
I must get my hands on Emily Post's book of manners.
This was an "OK" read.. but kindness is always good manners, so I'm rounding up to 3 stars.
It's full of stylish illustrations, and the trivia facts were fun, even if they had nothing to do with manners.
June 10, 2011
This is a cute book - not sure I would have paid $24 for it, however. It's got great illustrations but after the first half of this tiny tome, things start to thin out and there is more padding - such as two pages describing the sizes of standard business & personal letterhead papers (seriously??).
The book makes some nice points about etiquette, it also offers rhetorical questions on situations that aren't ever answered providing interesting points of discussion. I appreciate the emphasis on the importance of personal correspondence on paper and thank you notes. This would be a great book to pass along to teenagers who might not think they need an etiquette book. It might just pique interest in pursuing the matter further!
The book makes some nice points about etiquette, it also offers rhetorical questions on situations that aren't ever answered providing interesting points of discussion. I appreciate the emphasis on the importance of personal correspondence on paper and thank you notes. This would be a great book to pass along to teenagers who might not think they need an etiquette book. It might just pique interest in pursuing the matter further!
June 12, 2018
An interesting book with some good information on manners, but the format of this (and most of the other books on etiquette that I found at the library) is such that this wouldn't be the book to choose to look for answers to specific questions on etiquette. There is no index and, although each section contains an assortment of good advice, it is by no means complete or comprehensive. A good book to browse through when trying to learn more about manners, but definitely not a comprehensive reference book on manners or etiquette. (I didn't read this book cover to cover, just skimmed through it as I prepared to teach a group of teens a class on etiquette.)
April 18, 2009
Call me silly, but I found certain bits of information in this book to be useful.
For instance....I had been enjoying oysters on a half shell by simply lifting the shell to my mouth and swallowing. Well, I learned that unless you are enjoying oysters at a very casual place, such as a beachfront bar, oysters should be eaten with a shellfish fork....I've since changed my ways, but prefer them right out of the shell. It's the only way to get all the lemon, cocktail sauce, & horseradish that I painstakingly took the time to apply just right :-)
For instance....I had been enjoying oysters on a half shell by simply lifting the shell to my mouth and swallowing. Well, I learned that unless you are enjoying oysters at a very casual place, such as a beachfront bar, oysters should be eaten with a shellfish fork....I've since changed my ways, but prefer them right out of the shell. It's the only way to get all the lemon, cocktail sauce, & horseradish that I painstakingly took the time to apply just right :-)
July 13, 2011
This book was adorable but filled with (what I thought was) common sense. Many of the passages were simple, like always be a good sport while playing games and don't do your nails at the office. However, some people definitely stand to gain from more common sense! She referenced Emily Post's book Etiquette a lot so that is going on the list. This is a good read for anyone who just wants to be a little bit more classy!
April 20, 2008
Kate Spades' tiny drawings keep me interested in this series. Her advice on manners is good, but not so practical. Yes, writing thank you notes and keeping your weekend guests in mind is always good, but I don't have a doorman to tip during the holidays, and I'll be damned if I never eat a peach in public again because it's messy. Love those drawings though...
July 30, 2009
Because nice really DOES matter. Do we try to be sincerely nice to people we are not fond of? I think, we think we do,but, really don't... we end up looking pathetically sad and sour grapes. This is a fun read... Although I don't have a doorman and I am not currently even close to her income level. So far I shouldn't eat certain things in a public setting. I can only take that so far...
August 5, 2009
Nah..kalo seri yang ini...rada masuk nih ke gw....
Buku ini menginformasikan mengenai etiket dalam berbisnis dan pergaulan....gw selalu suka buku-buku yang membahas Manner alias etiket. Apalagi kalo buku ini memberikan informasi tata krama di setiap negara.
Intinya di mana-mana etika itu mengajarkan kesopanan.
Buku ini menginformasikan mengenai etiket dalam berbisnis dan pergaulan....gw selalu suka buku-buku yang membahas Manner alias etiket. Apalagi kalo buku ini memberikan informasi tata krama di setiap negara.
Intinya di mana-mana etika itu mengajarkan kesopanan.
February 28, 2016
Manners is a quick read about some, but certainly not all, of the basics of etiquette. Although the book does seem to get off topic in some instances (I'm not sure that including several pages of telegrams written by famous people throughout history is really necessary to show the proper way to write a polite letter), it is a useful guide to general social niceties.
September 12, 2016
A delightful little book. It's very simple and elegant in design and presentation. The subject is handled with grace and delicacy. While there are plenty of books on the subject, this is a worthy addition to the genre, without being redundant. The illustrations are lovely, and add much to the charm of this book.
June 8, 2017
Well, the least intriguing of the three, in my estimation, this work is basically a very pretty, illustrated representation of Emily Post. Of course, manners are always in style and should be strived for in interactions with others. I guess this one is a bit more digestible as a resource because of the friendly manner in which it is portrayed.
July 15, 2011
Cute book but screams of snobbery. Manners are important but some of these passages have very little impact on day to day life. Then again, I'm the type who can't throw rocks about which knife or fork to use at a hoity-toity dinner, so perhaps it's simply a matter of taste.
April 22, 2014
This book was written for a couple of generations below mine who obviously have NOT been taught manners and decorum. Additionally it addresses technological manners which is greatly needed. I loved the quotes on the bottom of the right hand pages.
January 27, 2018
"Etiquette means behaving yourself a little better than is absolutely necessary." -Will Cuppy
Love the little quotes or factoids on the bottom of the odd numbered pages.
My name was one listed as a common/uncommon spelling! Yeah! (page 43)
Love the little quotes or factoids on the bottom of the odd numbered pages.
My name was one listed as a common/uncommon spelling! Yeah! (page 43)
March 19, 2008
Good Manners.
July 8, 2008
Cute little book about manners -- from the point of view of Kate Spade--I think I'd like to be her friend. hehe
Read
July 26, 2014This book applied more to wealthy people in NYC than it did to me. It was very interesting, though.
January 19, 2010
This is fantastic. I am planning on buying a copy and reading it page by page with my older children.
Read
February 25, 2010This is a must read! Especially the cell phone part.
March 6, 2010
Very useful book with really cute drawings! I'd like to eventually use this as a reference in the etiquette class I want to teach!
March 20, 2010
I though this was a darling, fun to read book on etiquette! Great find--I recommend it as a refresher course for anyone--quick read!
March 12, 2016
I really like Kate Spade. I just do. I like her. And I loved all the little watercolor illustrations that filled the book. Very nice. Very, very nice.
June 8, 2011
This is a delightful and extremely helpful series, with a focus on making life pleasant for others rather than standing by rules for their own sake.
July 23, 2017
Very interesting perspective on what is modern day decorum
March 24, 2012
A delight to read. The illustrations were just charming. Very stylish. What else would you expect from Kate Spade?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews