How Do You Work This Life Thing?

by Elizabeth A. Post

"My roommate leaves her clothes all over the place!""I loaned my friend fifty bucks--I don't know when he'll pay me back.""That's the third night in a row that Tom's friend has crashed on our couch. Someone needs to say something. . . . "

You're on your own--and it's great! Except when problems crop up: roommate hassles, dating dilemmas, work stuff, social stuff, and just stuff. Finally, expert help is here. In How Do You Work This Life Thing? Lizzie Post, great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post, shows how to navigate the pleasures and perils of independent life, offering advice on everything from getting along with roommate(s) and dating to getting the job you want.

Highlights include Prospective Roommate Checklist . . . Romance, Dating, and Sex at Your Place . . . The Get-It-Together Party Prep List . . . What to Wear When . . . Cell Tips: What to Do Where . . . Top Ten Table Manners . . . Dating 101 . . . Tipping 101 . . . Landing the Perfect Job

Lizzie's down-to-earth style and tales from personal experience, coupled with sound advice in the Emily Post tradition, makes this a real-life guide you can trust.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

285 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2007

Reviews

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great gift for a High School graduate. It is aimed at youth, ideal for those attending college, though also good for those who have recently graduated college. It has a light tone for youth and a wide breadth of information from etiquette for roommates to the basics of sex-tiquette to the anticipated table etiquette. This is a good beginner book.

Despite my (in this context) advanced age, there were items I took from the book. However, as others have commented, by my age I have figured out many of those issues long ago. Also, this book is really aimed at the amateur practitioner of etiquette. While it may be great at insuring there are no obvious holes in one's knowledge, it is fairly elementary and lacking (in some) detail. Its light tone leads to a lot of filler (it could be more succinct) and not taking the book too seriously. It could lead to developing an interest in etiquette, but for most its immediacy to the lives of youth will be what sustains them through the covers. It is fairly well organized, allowing for one to flip to the pertinent information, but is best if read through first.

As an etiquette enthusiast, I own a variety of books on the topic; this book does not contain unique enough information for me to keep. However, this book would be a decent choice if one was to only own one book on etiquette.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is probably best suited for someone who's been out of college for a few months. Having been out of college for two years now myself, I felt like much of the book's advice covered things I'd learned by now. Nonetheless, it does a job of covering roommate relations, things to consider when hosting get-togethers or going out, and reminders of how to make a good impression in the work-place. Some of the tips seemed too old-fashioned to me and/or based on outdated gender norms. The work also seemed to assume its audience came from an upper class or upper middle class background in terms of economic expectations and considerations, and not fully aware of spending limits.

Would I recommend the book? Mmm, probably not, but at least it made me feel like a slightly less awkward twentysomething than I sometimes feel.

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

got this from a used bookstore in mt airy- very dated

[Lauren Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great introductory book in etiquette; with its age-specific content, it makes a great gift for young adults (such as a graduation gift). Post's light tone made it a fun read, though at times could be lengthy before getting to the information on the actual etiquette "rule." Best if one reads the book first, it is tough but not overly difficult to look up specific rules at a later date.

More than a light tone, what I truly appreciated about this book was the wide-breadth of information covered. Post really took the time to make certain that youth would know a bit of information in preparation for the events they would likely encounter. She approached it with good humour, balanced with realism regarding what life is like when one is young and personal stories.

The lower rating may largely be due to my not being the target audience. No longer a woman who is carded when buying my wine, I am more likely to host a dinner party than a house party (not that Post did not cover the dinner party). While a great first or base book, I find that as I aged, I needed far more detail than this book provided - also, this was not my first etiquette book so I have covered most topics. It makes a great primer, but I think one will need to supplement it later in life with a business etiquette book or an extensive manual.

[Wellington · Rating 3 out of 5]

In continuation of my "Sitting and waiting around at the doctor's office with nothing to do" series of books, I picked up a book by the great-great- grand daughter of the legendary Emily Post.

The book aims for probably a younger crowd just starting out in life. It offers some common sense, some bit of wisdom mixed with some good stories. But I do wonder how much weight Lizzie Post got because of her bloodline.

The book wasn't horrible by any means. Perhaps, it was aiming for a practical tone and this would be a solid pick up for someone starting out life on their finally. But this book had the potential to be a saucy riot.

That's why I picked up the book. Now, I return it the library whence it came.

[Anne]

I really liked this book but had to take it back to the library before I could finish it :( It is a great lesson in etiquette for everyone who is just going out into the real world.

[SC]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11578942

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Misspelled Jane Austen