Perfect Behavior: A Guide for Ladies and Gentlemen in All Social Crises

by Donald Ogden Stewart, Joseph Epstein (Introduction)

Overview

First published in 1922, this parody of etiquette and social mores makes fun of the pitfalls of courtship, engagement, and marriage, as well as such social settings as dinner parties, sporting events, and the theater. With satirical Jazz-era illustrations by Ralph Barton, known at the time for his caricatures of actors and other celebrities, the book's humor holds up remarkably well today, with such "crises" as how to deal with a screaming baby in a crowded, confined space or how to write a proper love letter to one's fiancée. With Marx Brothers–like literary slapstick, Perfect Behavior is the perfect impulse gift for anyone who enjoys a good laugh over everyday social foibles.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493069248
Publisher:	Globe Pequot Publishing
Publication date:	09/01/2022
Pages:	268
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Donald Ogden Stewart (November 30, 1894–August 2, 1980) was an American author and screenwriter best known for his sophisticated comedies and melodramas such as The Philadelphia Story (based on the play by Philip Barry). Stewart was a member of the Algonquin Round Table and, with Ernest Hemingway's friend Bill Smith, the model for Bill Gorton in The Sun Also Rises.

Table of Contents

Introduction ???

I The Etiquette of Courtship 17

II The Etiquette of Engagements and Weddings 41

III The Etiquette of Travel 69

IV At the Concert and the Opera 93

V Etiquette for Dry Agents 103

VI A Chapter for Schoolgirls 117

VII The Etiquette of Games and Sports 131

VIII Correspondence and Invitations 171

IX The Etiquette of Dinner and Balls 205