CHECK IT OUT

With the holiday season well underway, it may be time for a refresher

course in manners to get through those parties with utmost grace.

Like charity, decorum begins at home, and there’s hardly a better

resource for helping your family with it than “Miss Manners’ Guide to

Domestic Tranquility.” In this “authoritative manual for every civilized

household,” Judith Martin tackles such modern matters as how irrevocably

split families can handle guest lists and whether thank you notes are

obsolete in the 21st century.

Recognizing that today’s families can be nuclear, blended, shaken or

stirred, the doyenne of modern manners addresses issues involving

unmarried couples, unpopular relatives, uncouth children and

over-involved parents. With trademark wit, she offers tips for everything

from resolving family feuds to surviving reunions to paying relatives for

professional services.

For party givers and guests focused on dining etiquette, Suzanne Von

Drachenfeis provides advice in “The Art of the Table: A Complete Guide to

Table Setting, Table Manners and Tableware.” Along with explanations

about the selection and use of dinnerware, flatware, stemware and table

linens, find information about where and when to sit down and how to eat

finger foods in her comprehensive guide.

If you’re planning a party that’s fit for a king, check out “In the

Royal Manner: Expert Advice on Etiquette and Entertaining from the Former

Butler to Diana, Princess of Wales.” Calling on 20 years of experience in

Buckingham Palace, Paul Burrell sets out royal standards for teas,

children’s parties and holiday meals in this lavishly illustrated volume.

Sidebars about palace lore and favorite dishes add to its appeal for fans

of the royals.

For those traveling abroad, “Do’s and Don’ts Around the World” is an

invaluable reference for proper behavior overseas. In separate listings

for European countries, former World Bank consultant Gladson I. Nwanna

describes hundreds of cultural and social taboos. While offering insight

into foreign customs, the information can spare travelers of mistakes

that could embarrass them, cost them money or even land them in jail.

Manners may not be high on any teen’s list of favorite reading topics,

yet savvy young adults will be thankful for the information in “How

Rude!” In this entertaining encyclopedia of etiquette, Alex Packer

outlines proper behavior at home, school, online and in virtually every

other venue teens can find themselves in. From coping with cliques to

getting along with teachers, there are practical tips for practically all

occasions in this compendium of humorously delivered advice.

There’s nothing like humor to lighten up lessons, and there’s plenty

of it in “Someday We’ll Have Very Good Manners.” In this spoof on

civility for the 4- to 8-year-old set, Harriet Ziefert captures the fun

of grabbing, burping and other bad manners in a picture book that could

start lively parent-child discussions about the mileage that can be

gained from saying “please” and “thank you.”

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Melissa Adams in collaboration with

Andrea Jason. All titles may be reserved from home or office computers by

accessing the catalog at o7 https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org.

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