"The principles and values of good manners, of course, are universal." Just Good Manners: A Quintessential Guide to Courtesy, Charm, Grace, and Decorum is a humorous, accessible guide by British etiquette expert and social media personality William Hanson (Help I S*xted My Boss).
Hanson defines manners as "the guiding principles of putting people at their ease." He observes that, in the 21st-century digital world of social media and the comments sections of news apps, manners are needed more than ever.
Although Hanson's advice pays homage to the past, it is tailored to meet the needs of the present. For example, a chapter on dining etiquette includes both a breakdown of a traditional china service as well as suggestions on navigating technology at the dinner table. On the topic of taking disruptive group photos while dining out, Hanson makes the point that "no one in that photo is going to frame it."
Every chapter is filled with personal anecdotes and historical and cultural contextual information. Hanson highlights differences between British and American etiquette, including a particularly humorous story featuring the late actor Sir Michael Gambon that showcases how the two cultures diverge in their responses to direct questions.
While Hanson admits that many of these so-called "rules" originated "from a more rarefied environment" of social class, he also points out that there will be times when using them won't be the politest way to behave. His desire is to provide readers with enough knowledge of the rules of etiquette to break them as needed. -- Grace Rajendran, freelance reviewer