Perfect Behavior: A Guide for Ladies and Gentlemen in All Social Crises

audiobook

Perfect Behavior: A Guide for Ladies and Gentlemen in All Social Crises

by Donald Ogden Stewart

EN·~3 hours·11 chapters

Chapters

11 total

Perfect Behavior - by Donald Ogden Stewart - Illustrated by Ralph Barton - A Guide for Ladies and Gentlemen in all Social Crises

0:32

CONTENTS

4:22

CHAPTER ONE:THE ETIQUETTE OF COURTSHIP - A FEW WORDS ABOUT LOVE

25:50

CHAPTER TWO:THE ETIQUETTE OF ENGAGEMENTS AND WEDDINGS - THE HISTORIC ASPECT

27:40

CHAPTER THREE:THE ETIQUETTE OF TRAVEL

23:48

CHAPTER FOUR:AT THE CONCERT AND THE OPERA

8:24

CHAPTER FIVE:ETIQUETTE FOR DRY AGENTS - SOME BROADER ASPECTS OF PROHIBITION

11:36

CHAPTER SIX:A CHAPTER FOR SCHOOLGIRLS

10:06

CHAPTER SEVEN:THE ETIQUETTE OF GAMES AND SPORTS - GOLF AS A PASTIME

40:24

CHAPTER EIGHT:CORRESPONDENCE AND INVITATIONS - CORRESPONDENCE

44:38

Description

A witty, tongue‑in‑cheek handbook that treats the rituals of everyday life as if they were military operations, this guide humorously dissects everything from the awkward first call to the chaos of a wedding gone awry. Its mock‑serious voice, peppered with absurd anecdotes—like a congressman’s slip in a Turkish bath or a bride’s misplaced aisle—offers both laugh‑out‑loud moments and surprisingly sharp observations about the social codes we all follow.

The book walks listeners through a parade of scenarios: courting, engagements, travel, concerts, dry‑agent escapades, schoolgirl etiquette, and even the quirks of sports and correspondence. Each chapter bursts with playful illustrations of faux pas and the “correct” ways to avoid them, turning ordinary situations into comic tableaux. Listeners will enjoy the blend of historical references, clever footnotes, and the author’s delightfully dry humor, making the age‑old art of manners feel fresh, absurd, and oddly instructive.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~3 hours (210K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Charles Keller, and David Widger

Release date

Sep 1, 1998

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Donald Ogden Stewart

Donald Ogden Stewart

1894–1980

A sharp wit of the Algonquin Round Table, he moved from humorous writing and Broadway to Hollywood screenplays, winning an Academy Award for The Philadelphia Story. His career later became part of the larger story of the Hollywood blacklist, adding a poignant turn to an already remarkable life.

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