Miss Manners Rescues Civilization: From Sexual Harassment, Frivolous Lawsuits, Dissings and Other Lapses in Civility

Be the first to write a review
Marketplace (New and Used)
Hardcover (1st. Edition)
from
$0.01
$12.99 List Price (Save 100%)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
All (55)  
Used (47)  
New (8)  
Close
Sort by
Page 1 of 6
Showing 1 – 10 of 55 (6 pages)
$0.01
(Save 100%)
Better World Books
Seller since 2006

Feedback rating:

(50900)

Condition:

New — never opened or used in original packaging.

Like New — packaging may have been opened. A "Like New" item is suitable to give as a gift.

Very Good — may have minor signs of wear on packaging but item works perfectly and has no damage.

Good — item is in good condition but packaging may have signs of shelf wear/aging or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Acceptable — item is in working order but may show signs of wear such as scratches or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Used — An item that has been opened and may show signs of wear. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Refurbished — A used item that has been renewed or updated and verified to be in proper working condition. Not necessarily completed by the original manufacturer.

Good
Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase ... benefits world literacy! Read more Show Less

Ships from: Mishawaka, IN

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$0.01
(Save 100%)
OwlsBooks-TRM
Seller since 2009

Feedback rating:

(22569)

Condition: Good
Giving great service since 2004: Buy from the Best! 4,000,000 items shipped to delighted customers. We have 1,000,000 unique items ready to ship! Find your Great Buy today!

Ships from: Lakewood, WA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$0.99
(Save 92%)
Alibris NV
Seller since 2005

Feedback rating:

(20404)

Condition: Very Good
1996-05-21 Hardcover Very good in very good dust jacket. Very Good, In very good dust jacket. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. Contains: Illustrations.

Ships from: Sparks, NV

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 85%)
Hall Street Books
Seller since 2012

Feedback rating:

(152)

Condition: Good
1996 - Hardcover - - - - Used - Good - - - -

Ships from: Brooklyn, NY

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 85%)
Wonder Book
Seller since 2008

Feedback rating:

(13620)

Condition: Acceptable
Acceptable condition.. Acceptable dust jacket. Former Library book. Inside clean.

Ships from: Frederick, MD

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 85%)
Books Squared
Seller since 2009

Feedback rating:

(4455)

Condition: Good
Ex-Library book - will contain library markings. Only lightly used. Book has minimal wear to cover and binding. A few pages may have small creases and minimal underlining. Book ... selection as BIG as Texas. Read more Show Less

Ships from: Dallas, TX

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 85%)
Yankee Clipper Books
Seller since 2009

Feedback rating:

(3926)

Condition: Very Good
Very good condition book with only light signs of previous use. Sail the Seas of Value

Ships from: Windsor, CT

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 85%)
thriftbooks-com
Seller since 2007

Feedback rating:

(5911)

Condition: Very Good
Book has appearance of light use with no easily noticeable wear. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. ... Read More. Read more Show Less

Ships from: Auburn, WA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 85%)
Free State Books
Seller since 2012

Feedback rating:

(1015)

Condition: Good
Book has a small amount of wear visible on the binding, cover, pages. Free State Books. Never settle for less.

Ships from: Halethorpe, MD

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 85%)
Free State Books
Seller since 2012

Feedback rating:

(1015)

Condition: Good
Book shows minor use. Cover and Binding have minimal wear, and the pages have only minimal creases. Free State Books. Never settle for less.

Ships from: Halethorpe, MD

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
Page 1 of 6
Showing 1 – 10 of 55 (6 pages)
Close
Sort by

Overview

With the entire nation screaming for a return to civility, Miss Manners, the highest authority, takes matters into her own properly gloved hands and puts etiquette where it belongs - on the public agenda. Miss Manners Rescues Civilization is a wise, witty and startling examination of how the breakdown of etiquette is contributing to the disintegration of our society. Even the government finds itself battered by our national epidemic of rudeness, yet the very politicians who cry loudest for civility fail to understand the roots of the problem. Using a combination of essays and answers to her Gentle Readers' questions, Miss Manners examines society's ever-rising level of irritation, from the classroom to the caucus room. ...
See more details below
Sending request ...

More About This Book

Overview

With the entire nation screaming for a return to civility, Miss Manners, the highest authority, takes matters into her own properly gloved hands and puts etiquette where it belongs - on the public agenda. Miss Manners Rescues Civilization is a wise, witty and startling examination of how the breakdown of etiquette is contributing to the disintegration of our society. Even the government finds itself battered by our national epidemic of rudeness, yet the very politicians who cry loudest for civility fail to understand the roots of the problem. Using a combination of essays and answers to her Gentle Readers' questions, Miss Manners examines society's ever-rising level of irritation, from the classroom to the caucus room. She shows the crucial role of etiquette in such contemporary issues as political correctness, multiculturalism, sexual harassment, educational failure and freedom of speech. Miss Manners leads the charge toward a livable future rather than a return to the etiquette of past eras. But calling for civility without etiquette is like asking for morality without law, she says. Idealists who mistakenly reject etiquette as snobbish, repressive and dishonest fail to understand that manners form the philosophical basis for civilized life. As society's common language of behavior, manners have always functioned as the modest partner of morality to protect the dignity of everyone, especially society's less powerful members.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
"There has been a decided drop in the quality of disgusting things being done in public," Martin observes in this compendium of contemporary behavioral problems. With charm and wit, she minutely examines the rents in the social fabric since the 1960s, when many traditional guidelines for civility were abandoned with little to replace them but self-interest or confusion. She maintains that the basis for a workable society is still consideration for others as well as for self, and that etiquette is not an antiquated set of Victorian rules but an urgent necessity in what can otherwise be a social jungle. In the form of answers to real and imagined letters from readers of her syndicated "Miss Manners" newspaper column, Martin holds forth with more than superficial wisdom on problems encountered in the workplace, between the sexes, between parents and children and in a variety of legal, political, public and private situations. Little is too trivial for her to consider (if you are a vegetarian, how, if at all, should you thank your employer, who gives you a turkey for Thanksgiving every year?), but she does not ignore such larger issues as bigotry and date rape. More than a book on etiquette, this is both entertaining and serious social commentary. (June)
Library Journal
Is the concept of etiquette outmoded? Certainly not, as Martin, a.k.a. Miss Manners (Ms. Manners on (Painfully Proper) Weddings, LJ 12/95), proves in this witty dialectic. Noting that good manners have come under attack in recent years, Miss Manners points out that courtesy is not repression but the indispensable foundation of a livable society. Illustrated by letters from her syndicated column and excerpts from news stories, this is less a how-to manual than a polemic. Cogent and well written, the book provides a fascinating look at modern society. For general collections.-Susan B. Hagloch, Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, Ohio
More Reviews (2) Fewer Reviews
Gilbert Taylor
Conquering the etiquette infractions of a fractious nation, the doyenne of decorum, the princess of protocol, the regent of rules, the dictatrix of do's and don'ts (oh dear, Mr. Reviewer got carried away, he didn't really intend to harangue Miss Manners and immediately apologizes), Miss Manners here conducts her crusade for consideration and politeness. In an era when vulgarity and belching are mere background noise, isn't she tilting at windmills? If good behavior is relative in a multicultural society, isn't she foisting upon us rigid Victorian concern with forks and teacups? No, is her demurely determined answer, and her stalwart stand sustains her millions of newspaper readers discomfited by fender-benders that explode into gunplay or compliments that mutate into sexual discrimination lawsuits. Whatever the original sin, she soothingly counsels, counter-rudeness only compounds the violation. What about demands from exemptions from etiquette because it's elitist and hypocritical? Shouldn't people be natural and honest about their feelings? Miss Manners hears these revolutionaries and confounds them with her charming expressions that a little pretense is usually preferable to a lot of brutal frankness. Indulge as her correspondents might in uttering a scathing retort to whatever mannerly problem they dump at her proper little feet, Miss Manner advises (unfailingly politely, of course) biting the tongue, then allowing the malefactor a face-saving retreat from the scene of the crime. Restoring the world through courtesy, compassion, and respect may be a mission impossible, but by larding the task with mordant humor, Miss Manners makes it worth trying--and her book worth buying.
Kirkus Reviews
Here is Dear Miss Manners once again, scolding and shaking her finger at Gentle Readers who fall short in the task of lubricating the increasing, squeaky hinges of social interaction.

This time, Martin (Miss Manners on [Painfully Proper] Weddings, 1996, etc.} adopts Miss Manners's familiar, self- mocking pseudo-Victorian persona ("totally besotted with the idea of proper behavior") to address a host of millennial dilemmas in etiquette. These range from legislating protection for the American flag to netiquette on the Internet. She deplores the first (the power of etiquette is sufficient safeguard, she maintains, siding with the Supreme Court) and hails the second as a resurgence of standards to guide the new electronic community. In between, she fearlessly, but politely, tackles issues of date rape, sexual harassment, public protest, political correctness, dress codes, and even proper behavior in the operating room. Why, she wonders grumpily, should a nervous patient or even other members of the surgical team be subjected to the surgeon's taste in music—or any music at all, for that matter? That, like smoking in an unventilated room, is inflicting a possibly offensive personal whim on a defenseless public. Incidentally, etiquette does not preclude that public, individually or collectively, from protesting strongly—but politely, of course. As amusing (or irritating, depending on your tolerance for those who refer to themselves in the third person) as Miss Manners may be, she takes her subject seriously enough to equate manners with morals. Etiquette is more than social convention—it promotes orderly and predictable behavior that enhances human dignity and reduces conflict. It is worth preserving, she feels, even as traditions evolve.

With civility as the foundation of civilization, Miss Manners evokes a kinder, gentler lifestyle that still packs a (ladylike) punch.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780517701645
  • Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
  • Publication date: 5/21/1996
  • Edition description: 1st. Edition
  • Edition number: 1
  • Pages: 544
  • Product dimensions: 7.88 (w) x 9.51 (h) x 1.63 (d)

Meet the Author

Born a perfect lady in an imperfect society, Miss Manners considers it her duty and privilege to lead the way to a more civilized and possibly even pleasant society.

In her Miss Manners column, distributed by newspapers nationwide by United Features Syndicate since 1978, Judith Martin answers questions on etiquette three times a week. As readers accept her view of life as a comedy of manners, they have increasingly sent her not only their table and party questions, but those involving the more complicated aspects of life romance, work, family relationships, and child-rearing.

In contrast to Miss Manners, but with her indulgence, Mrs. Martin is also a novelist, journalist, lecturer and frequent guest on national television and radio shows. She recently presided over her own PBS television special, "Miss Manners and Company."

She has been called, by George F. Will, "the National Bureau of Standards." Mrs. Martin gives advice, in the words of People magazine, "as if she had access to the stone tablets that Moses mislaid." Miss Manners explains the etiquette element that can be found in just about every aspect of life.

Born in Washington, D.C. and reared there and in foreign capitals, Mrs. Martin spent 25 years at the Washington Post, where she covered social life at the White House, embassies, and the zoo, before becoming a film and drama critic. A graduate of Wellesley College, Mrs. Martin has been awarded several honorary degrees.

Mrs. Martin is a member of the Editorial Board of The American Scholar, the Board of Directors of the Washington Concert Opera, the National Advisory Council of the Institute of Governmental Studies of the University ofCalifornia at Berkeley and the Board of Management at the Cosmos Club.

Judith Martin and her husband, a scientist and playwright, live in Washington, D.C. They have two perfect children.

Read an Excerpt

"Watch out. Miss Manners is now going to argue that manners, far from being a weak and optional virtue, much less a nuisance in the way of morality, is the oldest social virtue and an indispensable partner of morality. Rather than being an optional luxury, a sort of hobby virtue, this is a key virtue one that can hold its own with the biggies and civilization's first necessity."

Table of Contents

Ch. 1 The Case Against Etiquette 1
Ch. 2 A Brief Definition of Etiquette 29
Ch. 3 Etiquette's Pedigree and Credentials 76
Ch. 4 The Fifth Freedom: Freedom from Etiquette 133
Ch. 5 The Law Takes Over from Etiquette 153
Ch. 6 Etiquette's Defense System 196
Ch. 7 Applications for Etiquette Exemptions 216
Ch. 8 Moving Toward an Etiquette-Free Society 230
Ch. 9 Jettisoning Professional Behavior 253
Ch. 10 Protecting Children from Etiquette 317
Ch. 11 The Good, the Bad and the Vulgar 357
Ch. 12 The Unauthorized Reinvention of Etiquette 395
Ch. 13 Tradition Moves Ahead 456
Index 489

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
( 0 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or Leave Anonymously

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identiy on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously

We're sorry, but penname is already taken.

Please select one of the following:
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously

penname is available!

By visiting the BN.com website or marking a purchase on BN.com, a User is deemed to have accepted the Terms of Use.

Continue Anonymously

Welcome, penname

You have successfully created your Pen Name. Start enjoying the benefits of the BN.com Community today.

If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)
500 character limit