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Mind Over Manners
Award winning author Laura Claridge was in the midst of writing the first critical biography of etiquette doyenne Emily Post when she started acted nonsensical, according to her family. To this day, Claridge has no firsthand memories of that nine month period in 2003, when, it turned out, her brain was indeed going crazy, due to a rare, devastating cancer. Laura Claridge turns the focus on herself as she weaves a journey of her modern, mixed family and her writing about Emily Post, into her battle against a life-threatening illness. From her Florida childhood chasing DDT trunks that sprayed magical, deadly twilight fog through her neighborhood, to her shocking misdiagnosis as a "typically menopausal" depressed woman - at turns dramatic, humorous, spellbinding, and beautiful but always truthful - Mind Over Manners presents an unforgettable, searing story.
- GenresNonfiction
MP3 CD
First published September 6, 2011
5 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Laura Claridge
8 books26 followersLaura Claridge has written books ranging from feminist theory to biography and popular culture, most recently the story of an American icon, Emily Post: Daughter of the Gilded Age, Mistress of American Manners (Random House), for which she received a National Endowment for the Humanities grant. This project also received the J. Anthony Lukas Prize for a Work in Progress, administered by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Born in Clearwater, Florida, Laura Claridge received her Ph.D. in British Romanticism and Literary Theory from the University of Maryland in 1986. She taught in the English departments at Converse and Wofford colleges in Spartanburg, SC, and was a tenured professor of English at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis until 1997.
She has been a frequent writer and reviewer for the national press, appearing in such publications as The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Vogue, Los Angeles Times, and the Christian Science Monitor. Her books have been translated into Spanish, German, and Polish. She has appeared frequently in the national media, including NBC, CNN, BBC, CSPAN, and NPR and such widely watched programs as the Today Show.
Laura Claridge’s biography of iconic publisher Blanche Knopf, The Lady with the Borzoi, will be published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux April, 2016.
Laura Claridge and her husband live in New York’s Hudson Valley.
Born in Clearwater, Florida, Laura Claridge received her Ph.D. in British Romanticism and Literary Theory from the University of Maryland in 1986. She taught in the English departments at Converse and Wofford colleges in Spartanburg, SC, and was a tenured professor of English at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis until 1997.
She has been a frequent writer and reviewer for the national press, appearing in such publications as The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Vogue, Los Angeles Times, and the Christian Science Monitor. Her books have been translated into Spanish, German, and Polish. She has appeared frequently in the national media, including NBC, CNN, BBC, CSPAN, and NPR and such widely watched programs as the Today Show.
Laura Claridge’s biography of iconic publisher Blanche Knopf, The Lady with the Borzoi, will be published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux April, 2016.
Laura Claridge and her husband live in New York’s Hudson Valley.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 25, 2011
"Like a Good Movie on Fast Forward"
Laura Claridge's book is very thought provoking and interesting. I found this brief memoir deeply personal.
I'm not one to give the comment, "I wish this were a novel" after every short story I read. I personally enjoy novellas and read quite a few of them. In this case, part of me wished this story were longer and loaded with detail.
The descriptions and flashbacks are wonderful but brief. At times I felt teased or was mad that Claridge glossed over a point or tidbit. I liken it to watching a very interesting movie on fast forward. Elements of her blended family, son with Epilepsy, work life, and the way she managed recovery, etc... They were all skipped over too quickly.
Another key component of this story is the technical and medical jargon involving her brain cancer. Once again I felt as if things were going too fast. As if I were sitting in a college class and listening to the professor merely reading the highlights of his course outline.
I wanted more.
So why a four star rating? By giving the reader small bits of info I feel I was better able to place myself in her shoes. More than once I stopped to think - what if that were me? How would my husband react? Could my family cope? Could I cope?
On the one hand I wanted more. I wanted Laura Claridge to fill in all of the pieces of the puzzle for me. Her writing style is enjoyable and there is so much material available for a full length piece. On the other hand I am glad she left things open and somewhat vague. Instead of the story being only about her, I was able to place myself in her shoes.
Laura Claridge's book is very thought provoking and interesting. I found this brief memoir deeply personal.
I'm not one to give the comment, "I wish this were a novel" after every short story I read. I personally enjoy novellas and read quite a few of them. In this case, part of me wished this story were longer and loaded with detail.
The descriptions and flashbacks are wonderful but brief. At times I felt teased or was mad that Claridge glossed over a point or tidbit. I liken it to watching a very interesting movie on fast forward. Elements of her blended family, son with Epilepsy, work life, and the way she managed recovery, etc... They were all skipped over too quickly.
Another key component of this story is the technical and medical jargon involving her brain cancer. Once again I felt as if things were going too fast. As if I were sitting in a college class and listening to the professor merely reading the highlights of his course outline.
I wanted more.
So why a four star rating? By giving the reader small bits of info I feel I was better able to place myself in her shoes. More than once I stopped to think - what if that were me? How would my husband react? Could my family cope? Could I cope?
On the one hand I wanted more. I wanted Laura Claridge to fill in all of the pieces of the puzzle for me. Her writing style is enjoyable and there is so much material available for a full length piece. On the other hand I am glad she left things open and somewhat vague. Instead of the story being only about her, I was able to place myself in her shoes.
December 11, 2014
If you are interested in medical issues this is a book for you. It is also has a wonderful message about never giving up. Mind Over Manners is about Laura Claridge and her battles with cancer. Laura started to have severe mental issues and was admitted into St. Vincent's which is a hospital for people with mental problems. During that time doctors found out that she had a very rare type of cancer Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma. PCNSL was what was making her act like she had a mental problem. The book goes into great detail about what PCNSL is and what Laura had to go through. It has great medical detail. Not only did she have to deal with PCNSL but also many other dangerous diseases arouse. I do not want to give away the whole book and tell you very much that happens to Laura since the book is not that long. Laura Claridge is an amazingly strong and brave person. She endured more than I could ever imagine in one lifetime. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read detailed books about medicine. I would also recommend this book to anyone who is going through a hard time. It defiantly gives you a different look on life.
January 14, 2014
No words to convey my heartfelt appreciation for this book, but I'll try...
Knowing the author personally adds a depth of emotion to the reading of such a personal story of struggle with brain cancer. Just as Laura role-modeled self confidence and assertive communication for me as a girl, she has reminded me as a woman in my early 40s, that it is ok to accept myself as I am, flaws and all. I am not brave enough to wear red lipstick, so will not venture to guess how I would handle brain cancer. It is a privilege to read. My love to each of your family members who held you in this process.
Knowing the author personally adds a depth of emotion to the reading of such a personal story of struggle with brain cancer. Just as Laura role-modeled self confidence and assertive communication for me as a girl, she has reminded me as a woman in my early 40s, that it is ok to accept myself as I am, flaws and all. I am not brave enough to wear red lipstick, so will not venture to guess how I would handle brain cancer. It is a privilege to read. My love to each of your family members who held you in this process.
April 13, 2025
Snuck up on me… and that’s ok.
I was so intrigued by the storyline, of her amnesia phase, and the Emily Post book, that I overlooked that this was still a cancer story. I lost a sister to cancer many years ago, and find I can’t take cancer stories, so avoid them. Low and behold, it seems time has been healing old wounds, and I was able to just listen to the author’s story, without being traumatized. I actually found it enchanting.
I was so intrigued by the storyline, of her amnesia phase, and the Emily Post book, that I overlooked that this was still a cancer story. I lost a sister to cancer many years ago, and find I can’t take cancer stories, so avoid them. Low and behold, it seems time has been healing old wounds, and I was able to just listen to the author’s story, without being traumatized. I actually found it enchanting.
January 19, 2012
Interesting Kindle single written by the author os Emily Post's biography chronicling her bouts with a rare form of brain cancer. At moments, a tough read due to the author's directness in presenting her story. Reminds us to cherish what we have.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews