Comments for Book Beginnings on Friday: A Short History of Rudeness

Book Beginnings on Friday: A Short History of Rudeness: 06/03/10

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

Thank you to Rose City Reader for giving me the idea for this meme. On Rose City Reader you will find 'Opening Sentences of the Day' so please have a look at this wonderful blog for further opportunities to share opening sentences.

I am reading A Short History of Rudeness by Mark Caldwell.

Product Description:

The perceived breakdown of civility has in recent years become a national obsession, and our modern climate of boorishness has cultivated a host of etiquette watchdogs, like Miss Manners and Martha Stewart, who defend us against an onslaught of nastiness. Touching on aspects of both our public and private lives, including work, family, and sex, literary and social critic Mark Caldwell examines how the rules of behavior inevitably change and explains why, no matter how hard we try, we can never return to a golden era of civilized manners and mores.

The Opener:

The rudest man of the twentieth century was a master of every social grace.

books | Book Beginnings on Friday

Comments (14)

Permalink

Comment #1: Friday, June, 4, 2010 at 01:13:38

Becky (Page Turners)

This sounds like a great book, and it is a wonderful opening line. Can't wait to read your review :-)

Comment #2: Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 11:57:11

Pussreboots

It has some very interesting sections. Some of it is very academic.

Cmoment #3: Friday, June, 4, 2010 at 06:39:15

Aleksandra

Sounds interesting :)

Comment #4: Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 12:10:36

Pussreboots

It was but it required a lot more concentation to read than I first thought it would.

Comment #5: Friday, June, 4, 2010 at 07:49:47

Kah Woei

Haha! That opening is both funny and intriguing as well.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Comment #6: Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 12:20:47

Pussreboots

It is a funny start to the book. There are some other sections like it but much of it is rather dry.

Comment #7: Friday, June, 4, 2010 at 08:01:48

Kathy Martin

That is a very interesting juxtaposition. It would hook me! My Beginning and Friday 56 is here.

Comment #8: Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 12:23:08

Pussreboots

It hooked me for the first chapter. After that I jumped around to read about subjects and people who interested me most.

Comment #9: Friday, June, 4, 2010 at 08:10:30

Laurel-Rain Snow

That is certainly an intriguing opener, and raises interesting questions.

Comment #8: Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 12:30:18

Pussreboots

That's a perfect summary of the book. It tries to compare and contrast ideas of manners and rudeness to get to the core of human behavior. The book is mostly focused on American social norms but there are some discussions of other countries and cultures too.

Comment #9: Friday, June, 4, 2010 at 08:44:33

Juju from Tales of Whimsy.com

LOL

NICE opening :)

Here is my Book Beginning Friday :)

Comment #10: Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 12:33:48

Pussreboots

Yes it is. Thanks for stopping by.

Comment #11: day, June, 4, 2010 at 11:47:01

Carin B.

Oh what an interesting book. I will have to check back for your review!

Here's my sentence.

Comment #12: Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 17:29:14

Pussreboots

I will get it reviewed as soon as I can.

Comment #13: Friday, June, 4, 2010 at 11:55:59

Christina T

Great first sentence! This sounds like a really interesting book. I sometimes wish our society was more polite :)

At the same time I am glad that we are not as stuffy as the Victorians. I would have hated to live in a time when there were so many social rules that governed every little detail of life.

Comment #14: Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 17:31:15

Pussreboots

The book has some interesting arguments about manners being a means of control and at the worst, oppression.