An essential guide to modern manners, this enlightening and useful book strikes a balance between the stuffy, rigid rules of the 1950s and today’s anything-goes school of thought. It is packed with good-humoured advice for the way we live today, but also discusses which formal points of etiquette are still relevant in the 21st century.

• Introduction: who needs manners?
• A Few Basics: punctuality (and overstaying your welcome), saying sorry and when it’s best to lie
• Party People: invitations, playing host, being a good guest, meeting and greeting
• What to Wear: avoiding the pitfalls of modern dress codes
• Rites of Passage: christenings, weddings and funerals
• Eating Out: from saying grace to understanding cutlery
• Going to Stay: following house rules, helping out, not making yourself too much at home
• Getting Around: the rules of public transport and how to avoid road rage
• Communications: how to make a phonecall and write an email
• A Good Day at the Office: how to conduct yourself at work