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How To Be A Gentleman : A Contemporary Guide to Common Courtesy

How To Be A Gentleman : A Contemporary Guide to Common Courtesy

List Price: $14.99
Your Price: $10.19
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: My New Man!
Review: I bought this book for my boyfriend who isn't romantic, doesn't have a clue about how it should be & just common sense in general! Although I haven't read the book myself, I find myself asking him on a daily basis, "have you been reading your book?" with a big smile on my face. It's obvious that he has, and it's nice that he now knows when to open doors for me (always) & to pull out my chair when we go out to dinner, etc., etc. I have become very impressed with him all over again after 2 years of being together! I should've bought him this book a long time ago!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A brief but very useful guide
Review: I bought this book for my young nephew, and he likes it so much he carries it around in his school backpack. This is a short book, and is not meant to be comprehensive. It just hits the highlights, and is presented in very simple, everyday language. Its great virtue is that it relates, with great economy, the ideal of gentlemanly behavior: a gentleman is someone who knows how to make others feel comfortable. Once you have read this book, you will understand that being a gentleman isn't just knowing which fork to use. It's a code of conduct for your life. If you lament the lack of civility in our society, you can do something about it. Buy this book and put it in the hands of every young man you know.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A Gentleman's Guide to Common Courtesy
Review: I bought this book, then promptly returned it a few days later. If the information was worth the price, I most certainly would have kept it. As a few other reviewers have mentioned, 90% of the information is common sense. The other 10% is no real surprise either.
Unfortunatly, the majority of the book consists of 1 line advice. "A gentleman does this. A gentleman never does this" etc.

While the description says you will learn how to order a bottle of wine, it is glossed over quickly. It explains the theatre of wine presentation, but fails to give any simple recommendations regarding what types of wine are recommended for different foods and occasions.

Here's the advice from "A gentleman goes to the opera". Turn your cell phone ringer off and don't leave your seat. Oh, and don't applaud until you are sure a set is completed.

The author recommends not being the first to arrive at a party and not being more than 15 minutes late. In my opinion, a gentleman is never late, period.

In short, try to find a general etiquette book. I am sure that many who are attracted to a book of this type are interested in acting as a gentleman as to distinguish themselves for the opposite sex. Look elsewhere.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Bridges points the way to civilized manliness
Review: I grew up in typical middle-class America, where fine dinners and operas weren't a part of my everyday experience. My catholic school education instilled manners in me, but when I moved to a more cosmopolitan environment and became more social, I realized that "please/thank you" manners weren't enough. I was polite, but I lacked etiquette. Bridges' book took me a long way toward changing that.

Bridges showed me how awkwardly I made introductions and handled myself at the dinner table. Armed with his advice, I now introduce people more smoothly and facilitate an ice-breaker conversation (something I used to overlook). I now handle social dinners with grace and don't get flustered when I see my plate flanked by numerous specialized utensils, and I've noticed acknowledging glances from friends - especially female ones.

Thank you notes are another good tip. Since reading How To Be a Gentleman, I've started sending casual thank you notes via E-mail after a night out. I at first wondered if this would come across as stuffy, but these short "had a great time see you soon" notes have proven to be the perfect icing for friendships.

I especially liked Bridges' examples of what to say - and what not to say - in certain situations. We've all put our foot in our mouth and spoke without thinking first. Bridges offers good advice for avoiding these situations.

Bridges occasionally sounds starchy, such as when he says that "if the salad fork is in the wrong place [the gentleman] does not make a scene." This might sound condescending, but some people might get a little pretentious with their newfound gentleman's status. I thought it was appropriate for Bridges to throw in an occasional ego check along the way.

I've read a few other etiquette books and have noticed that 90% of the advice is the same throughout them all. Of the ones I've seen, Bridges does the best job of addressing his audience in a way that clearly makes his point, presenting advice in an easily digestible way. Sections are divided situationally ("A Gentleman Says the Right Thing," "When To Send Flowers," etc.), thus making specific advice accessible when one needs it. Illustrations of how to tie a bowtie and how to set a table are great additions.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Awful
Review: I was looking forward to reading this, instead,it was the most patronising book that I have ever read, avoid it like the plague. It even tells you to say please and thank you.Even a child knows that this is common courtesy anyway.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Over Rated Not Much Substance
Review: I was very dissappointed. Take away the words "a gentleman" and the book is reduced in half. Take away those things we all know and you have a pamphlet. It seems to add nothing new. The only thing I truely liked is the illustrations on tying a bow tie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An excellent primer
Review: In an increasingly uncivilised world its nice to see that there are more of us who wish to engage in civility. This book gives excellent advice on not just being a gentleman but also about being a man in general. Knowing how to respond in certain situations can set you apart from others and give you an advantage at work, in an interview, or even make a better husband or boyfriend.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An excellent resource
Review: In this book, author John Bridges gives his advice on how to be a gentleman. For the most part, the book is built around a series of short homilies, each of which covers a subject such as: A Gentleman Attends a Wedding, How to Seat a Table, How to Leave a Tip, and much more. Connecting the homilies are a series of maxims that give advice in the form of: a gentleman does not..., a gentleman keeps..., etc.

While some of this book sounds out-of-date in the modern scene, containing as it does so much information on formal dining, it is a goldmine of advice for all social occasions. If you wish to polish your image, then I would recommend this book to you. It is short, and to the point, and very informative.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: It seems to be a good book...
Review: It seems to be a good book. It tells of the ways a man was in the days of the past.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A good start.
Review: Mr. Bridges gives a good starting step for guys who wish to learn proper etiquette. This book is a collection of short proverb-like rules mixed along with some short case-scenarios. Both the rules and the scenarios are quite enlightening. However, on the one hand, I feel that some of the rules are too specific, and on the other hand, I wish the book were at times more detailed. Even though I realize this would make the book lengthier (and possibly less interesting), it would be nice to know some more. For example, "a gentleman knows how and under what circumstances to send flowers." I'd like some examples here.

Life experience is the best teacher, but you want to start in the right direction. This book points you in that direction and guides you in your first steps.

This book is easy to read and understandable. I actually found myself finishing it in one night. I would recommend it to anyone who would like a general primer of proper conduct.


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