Town & Country Social Graces by Jim Brosseau

For more than 150 years, Town & Country has stood for quality and refinement. So who better to offer sound guidance on leading a civilized life in a world of eroding social graces? Here, 50 of the keenest and wittiest observers of our changing culture put forward their incisive—and thoroughly modern—views on sidestepping today’s most prevalent, perilous social landmines. From such topics as cell phone and e-mail etiquette to guilt-free apologies, these 64 timely essays offer astuteness without stuffiness. Relish the humor and insights of such writers as Jonathan Alter, Anthony Bourdain, Jay McInerney, Sue Miller, Peggy Noonan, Cokie Roberts, Jane Smiley, Wendy Wasserstein, and many others. The 10 new contributions include: “Polite or Passé,” by William Zinsser; “To Make a Long Story Short,” by Patricia Marx; and “Thanks for the Compliments,” by Jeanne Wolf.