Manners: A modern field guide

by Kay Plunkett-Hogge, Debora Robertson

Good manners are simply codified kindness, and being in possession of them enhances the quality of your everyday life and that of the people around you. At home and abroad, Debora and Kay have done the fieldwork, made the mistakes, and committed enough embarrassing faux pas for two lifetimes, in the hope that you don’t have to.

Illustrations by Denise Dorrance

Good manners aren't about cutlery, codes or cleverness – they're about kindness. 

Writers Kay Plunkett-Hogge and Debora Robertson have honed their combined social wisdom into a warm, witty, how-to guide on how to live modern life with manners – and have a lot of fun along the way. 

Debora and Kay have done the fieldwork, made the mistakes, and committed enough embarrassing faux pas for two lifetimes, in the hope that you don’t have to! Their funny, frank handbook is your cheat sheet to every social situation, your right-hand man(ual) to styling out life with sass and a modicum of grace.

Their tried-and-tested guidelines are divided into five main family life; sharing is caring; entertaining at home; dinner; welcome to the neighbourhoodAt work; public spaces; public transport and petiquette – pets in publicAt  social life; eating out, staying away; dating in the modern world@ Your  digital decorum; phonesAt the dealing with illness and death 

Good manners are not about knowing what to wear for drinks at six, being pretentious or catching people out with some mysterious salad-fork-related regulation. In essence, good manners are simply organised kindness, and Kay and Debora will show you how being in possession of them will enhance the quality of your everyday life and that of the people around you.

135 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 18, 2021

Reviews

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fortunately none of this was much of a surprise to me, but I like the authors and the illustrations are lovely and it's very engaging.

[Silvia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was looking for some practical pointers for modern etiquette but one of the narrators has an insufferable tone. I can’t remember which of the two, but her approach is to complain about the things that annoy her instead of simply stating the proper etiquette. I could not stand her tone and she ruined the whole book for me.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love British wit. New sections on - Pets, and Social Media.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, refreshing read with a modern flair! ✨📘

I picked this book up after spotting it on Pinterest and was pleasantly surprised by how current and relevant it felt—perfectly tuned to the last decade. Manners: A Modern Field Guide covers a wide range of thoughtful topics, from pregnancy and birth 🤰 to social media etiquette 📱, funerals ⚰️, and how to host parties or events graciously. 🎉

It was a beautiful reminder of the value of kindness, consideration, and respect in today’s fast-paced world.💛 I found the balance between the two authors tasteful and well-judged—they each brought a grounded, relatable tone that made the advice feel approachable.

There were parts I agreed with and others I didn’t—but that’s part of its charm. It encourages reflection and makes space for personal preferences.🌿

A light, insightful read perfect for anyone wanting a little modern guidance with a generous side of grace. 💫

Such a kind reminder and a refreshing update on etiquette and manners in today’s society 🤍✨

[Daniela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this made me realize that a lot of people I encounter every day don’t have basic manners and it’s not just me being dramatic 🥲