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Modern Manners

Modern Manners

An Etiquette Book for Rude People

by P. J. O’Rourke

In Modern Manners cultural guru P. J. O’Rourke provides the essential accessory for the truly contemporary man or woman — a rulebook for living in a world without rules

Paperback

Imprint Atlantic Monthly Press
Page Count 300
Publication Date June 30, 1990
ISBN-13 978-0-8711-3375-5
Dimensions 5.5" x 8.25"
US List Price $17.00

P. J. O’Rourke (1947–2022) was an author, journalist, and political satirist who wrote twenty-two books on subjects as diverse as politics and cars and etiquette and economics. Parliament of Whores and Give War a Chance both reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. After beginning his career writing for the National Lampoon, O’Rourke went on to serve as foreign affairs desk chief for Rolling Stone where he reported from far-flung places. Later he wrote for a number of publications, including The Atlantic, the Daily Beast, the Wall Street Journal, and the Weekly Standard, and was a longtime panelist on NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me.
Read More About P. J. O’Rourke

Traditionally, good manners were a means of becoming as bland and invisible as everyone else, and thus of avoiding calling attention to one’s own awkwardness and stupidity. Today, with everyone wanting to appear special, stupidity is at a premium and manners-as outrageous and bizarre as possible-are a wonderful way to distinguish ourselves, or have a fine time trying.

Modern Manners is an irreverent and hilarious guide to anti-etiquette that offers pointed advice on a range of topics from sex and entertaining to reading habits and death. With the most up-to-date forms of vulgarity, churlishness, and presumption, the latest fashions in discourtesy and barbarous display, P. J. O’Rourke makes it easier for all of us to survive with style in a rude world.