Lynne Truss – ISBN 1592401716
Rendered a household name with the publication of Eats, Shoots and Leaves (which is a rant over the current state of inattention to punctuation), Truss has now written a new rant, on the “utter bloody rudeness of everyday life [or] six good reasons to stay home and bolt the door.” The title is taken from the Jerry Springer Show.
As with her prior missive (or is it missile?) she fumes over a variety of situational offensiveness of modernity and the fashion in which contemporary “freedom” and “liberation” are manifest. And she is right on!
While she is from England, and writes about the English, you’ll find that it isn’t much removed from the United States when it comes to conduct. One doesn’t have to be Emily Post or Judith Martin to take offense.
Topics include the wait-staff in restaurants, clerks in stores, drivers (especially in traffic), business contacts, the incredible obnoxiousness of automated telephonic answering and visiting children who pay no heed to “Uncle John’s” valuables sprinkled about a home which isn’t childproof.
She reviews the origin and historic significance of manners, etiquette, and simple daily courtesies which used to be the norm, enquires into where and how they went, and ruminates about what might be done to resurrect them.
A rant, to be sure, but enlightening and entertaining; certain to arouse one more than a little, and maybe get the attention of the Philistines who ignore Miss Manners—or worse, are unaware of her existence.
Treat yourself to a delightful, quick read.
