The School of Life Guide to Modern Manners: how to navigate the dilemmas of social life

---

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Modern life is full of minor but acute dilemmas: we get stuck at a gathering with someone unusually boring and wonder how to move on without causing offence; in the course of introducing one friend to another, we realise that we have forgotten one of the party's names; we run into an ex while on an early date with a new partner; we spill red wine across a host's sofa...

Such dilemmas might - at one level - seem desperately insignificant. But they actually belong to some of the largest and most serious themes in social existence: how can you pursue our own agenda for happiness while at the same time honouring the sensitivities and wishes of others; how can you convey goodwill with sincerity; how can you be kind without being supine or sentimental These dilemmas were once covered by books on etiquette or manners. The modern age often doesn't seem to value manners, equating them with an old fashioned stuffiness, instead we are advised to communicate our feelings and tell it the way it really is.

But the result, in practice, is that we are often confused as to how to act around others and discharge our obligations to them. This book puts good manners back at the centre our lives. It features twenty case-studies on common social dilemmas and our possible responses to them, contributing to a new and original philosophy of graceful conduct. Manners are far from negligible fancies; they stand at the day-to-day end of a hugely grand and dignified mission which The School of Life is committed to: the creation of a kinder and more considerate world.

Reviews

***What readers are saying***

"Text was wise, clever, accessible; and photos perfect--apt and humorous."

Author Bio

The School of Life is devoted to developing emotional intelligence. It addresses issues such as how to find fulfilling work, how to master the art of relationships, how to understand one's past, how to achieve calm, and how better to understand and - where necessary - change the world. These ideas are delivered through a range of channels: from videos, books, and products - to classes, events, and one-to-one therapy sessions.

Headquartered in London, it operates around the globe with ten international branches (Antwerp, Amsterdam, Berlin, Istanbul, Melbourne, Paris, Sao Paulo, Sydney, Seoul, and Taipei). The School of Life is a rapidly growing global brand, with over 4.1 million YouTube subscribers, 304,000 Facebook followers, 83,000 Instagram followers and 143,000 Twitter followers.

The School of Life Press brings together the thinking and ideas of the School of Life creative team under the direction of series editor, Alain de Botton. Their books share a coherent, curated message that speaks with one voice: calm, reassuring, and sane.