Gentle reader, we feel we should forewarn you that although Ms. Manners uses this congenial and ladylike salutation, she is not a pushover. To the contrary, Ms. Manners does not shrink from voicing her disdain for business folk who shirk appropriate behavior and manners. Ms. Manners believes we are in etiquette chaos. And for that reason, with the help of her son, Nicholas, Ms. Manners, whose real name is Judith Martin, has written Miss Manners Minds Your Business. In it, she takes on the general incivility, social missteps and faux pas of the business world and helps her gentle readers deal with attention-seeking co-workers, intrusive bosses, and other everyday office and work irritations. While we don’t advise referring to yourself in the third person, we can heartily recommend that you read and refer to Ms. Manners’ perceptive, charmingly crafted advice, like:
What do you say to a colleague who has just been fired? How do you maintain a family-friendly office without discriminating against singles? What’s the difference between showing romantic interest and sexual harassment? Which colleagues should be invited to family weddings? When should you be unavailable, at or away from work?
by Judith Martin and Nicholas Ivor Martin
September, W.W. Norton & Co.; $25.95