El perfecto gentleman: Guía de elegancia, ingenio y otras licencias

by Phineas Mollod

THE MODERN GENTLEMAN: A Guide to Essential Manners, Savvy and Vice is a visually stimulating, rib-tickling, thought-provoking sourcebook of manners and mischief for the 21st-century male. The book offers a panoramic snapshot of the gentleman: witty and poignant, traditional but spontaneous, flirtatious yet courting. Discussions range from the classic (Motoring, Oenophilia) and serious (Secrets and Lies, The Good Husband), to the racy (Kink and Fetish, To the Power of 3) and silly (Bumper Stickers, Fonzarelli Moves and Legerdemain ). And since it is inevitable that a gentleman will dabble in the friskier areas of excess, trouble, and chance, the book's naughty nucleus, The Potent Gentlemano, explores leisure and dalliance, from alcohol and snuff to recreational botanicals and sex.

All men aspire to be perpetually dapper, fluent in three languages, and hit 300-yard drives off the blue tees, not to mention quote poetry by the stanza and win a back-alley scrap. However, there is a dashing plateau more desirable than Hollywood perfection, a level of gallantry that makes one stand out, even in the elevator. So knot up your ascot, pour a glass of sherry, and crack open the MODERN GENTLEMAN: your Man Cycle is peaking.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction

344 pages, Hardcover

First published August 27, 2002

About the author

Phineas Mollod uses his Vanderbilt law degree to counsel his wayward pals in divorces and landlord-tenant imbroglios and write about technology law in New York City.

Reviews

[Ari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Supposedly an etiquette how-to for the modern gentleman, this book reads like an article from Maxim. Toward the end, the authors' dry humor was actually evident as what it was, however for the whole first half it just reads like bad advice. If you are looking for actual advice, read a butler book or even Emily Post. If you are a new fraternity pledge and wish to remain in that category for life, read this instead.

[Anshuman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written very well - the tone is witty, dry and to the point without being condescending. Excellent recommendations to explore new fields of philosophy, literature, jazz, classical music among others. Not to mention I was surprised by the number of new words I picked up while reading the book. Pick up for a light read or a deep study, this book should remain on your shelf for a really long time.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

While "The Art of Manliness" is still my favorite on the subject, this is a worthy companion. There is a great deal of sage advice here on how to be a gentleman, including discussions of virtues, vices, relationships, and general style. Definitely worth a read.

[Mitchell Freitas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read for those wishing to dabble in the “art of being a gentleman.” A bit pretentious in verbiage, but ultimately you should take this book under the more satirical and sassy air it was meant to be read under. Overall, there are some great tips here for elevating your lifestyle to one of class and elegance, just make sure to keep a dictionary nearby.

[Jordan Quimby · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read and a loose guide to classing it up in just about every aspect of your life. The entire book is written in small bite-sized sections making it easy to pick up and read in between daily tasks. It is mostly a rundown and not an all-encompassing encyclopedia. If you want to know more about a topic you can easily research it on your own with this book as a starting point. I will keep it on my bookshelf as a quick reference guide for future queries. It also makes for perfect bathroom reading material for yourself and for guests. The book was gifted to me and I found it to be a wonderful present.

Side note: the dry humor in the book isn't for everyone, personally I enjoyed it.

[Jeffrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't tell if this book was meant to be serious or not. It could be a lot of deadpan humor that I just don't understand. Sadly if that's the case all the best jokes where in the first chapter.