Mrs. Modern Manners

In the age of Facebook, text messages, e-mail, and business meetings conducted via conference call, the social and professional etiquette of 20 years ago can seem irrelevant. “Our new fast-paced, digital world has brought about the need for more flexible, more relaxed, and generally more enjoyable guidelines for acting with respect and consideration in the electronic space and beyond,” says Dorothea Johnson.

Dorothea Johnson, the world-renowned etiquette expert and her granddaughter, Liv Tyler, are the authors of “Modern Manners.” An elegant guide that is fresh, funny, and decidedly straightforward, taking the stuffiness out of old-school etiquette and updating the phrase “mind your manners” for the 21st century.

Dorothea and Liv take readers of all ages from the business meeting to the neighborhood bar to the formal dinner party to social media sites, and more – each section including a box with the clear-cut Do’s and Don’ts of each situation or practice to bring the lesson home. The book’s discussion of handshakes includes the greeting protocol for every continent, and she devotes a full section to the art of tipping at restaurants, at salons, and for personal services, all presented in small, digestible chunks perfect for the graphic-novel generation. Liv Tyler contributes sidebars and anecdotes recounting how her grandmother’s tutelage has served her flawlessly in social and business settings throughout her media career. $19.99 at Randomhouse.com