Etiquette

Do you know how to use an oyster fork? Or how to skip a stone? Are you aware of how much you should tip your garbage man or your corporate jet pilot? Have you ever been accused of mansplaining, or accidentally phubbed a friend?  What do all of these things have in common? They are all situations addressed in modern etiquette books. 

In the twenty-first century, it may seem that etiquette is a thing of the past. But etiquette lessons are actually still quite popular. In fact, there are still schools of protocol for etiquette teachers in many locations, including Atlanta, Charleston, and Washington, DC. They graduate instructors certified to teach everything from children’s manners to corporate etiquette, and from the proper way to serve tea to how to become an intercultural protocol officer.

Sales of modern etiquette books are also thriving, and the manuals range from general tomes that cover all aspects of daily life to very specific books addressing everything from pickleball rules to how to start a punk rock band. Manners columns flourish in newspapers and abound on the internet.

My upcoming novel, Manners or Mayhem, features an etiquette teacher as the protagonist. It was inspired by my love of collecting both antique and current etiquette books, which give a fascinating glimpse into daily life in past and present society.