Dad of Divas' Reviews: Book Review - The Universal Code of (Formally) Unwritten Rules

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Book Review - The Universal Code of (Formally) Unwritten Rules


Never hog both armrests when you fly.

Doorways, staircases, and elevator entrances are inappropriate spots to stop and chitchat. 

Always remember that one's own poop does, in fact, stink.   

When you borrow someone's car, fill it up with gas before you give it back.

These are the unwritten rules of life. Observe them, and one rises above the great unwashed. Observe them not, and one goes straight to trailer trash. And The Universal Code of (Formerly) Unwritten Rules: From Airline-Armrest Etiquette to Flushing Twice, 251 Uncompromising Laws of Common Civility That We Wish Everyone Knew (Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, August 2011) is finally here to school those clueless offenders of politesse.

Everyone complains about how uncivilized people are, yet many of these same complainers are regularly committing uncouth acts of their own. Rather than assume they're complete jerks, we'll assumed that they just don't know the rules. What rules? The mostly unwritten rules we should follow in society, business, and at home.

The Universal Code of (Formerly) Unwritten Rules: Because some rules should never be broken.

About the book:
In this hilarious civil guide, you'll learn all of the principles of politesse our mothers tried to teach us--but some of us just weren't listening. You'll find advice and instruction about the proper way to practice etiquette in the twenty-first century and beyond, like:  

  • Unwritten Rule #41- One should never take the last doughnut in the box.
  • Unwritten Rule #64- One should never sing or whistle at work, despite Walt Disney's suggestion to the contrary.
  • Unwritten Rule #103- A gentleman should never eschew the "thug" look and thuggish behavior.
  • Unwritten Rule #140- A lady should never use sex as a weapon.
  • Unwritten Rule #185- One should never write an entire e-mail in all capital letters.

About the Author:
Quentin Parker, author of Welcome to Horneytown, North Carolina, Population: 15, is an experienced journalist and teacher. He takes pride in having his own official code of conduct (stamped and signed by him) for all aspects of his life, and also believes OCD is an asset, not a liability.   



My Take on the BookThis book takes a very humorous look at life through the lens of the everyday and the rules that we all live by either consciously or unconsciously. He takes some of the small innocuous  things that we do or that we learn and brings them to light and let me tell you, when you read these in person, you many times see how crazy many of them are. 


A gifted writer, the author has a gift for storytelling and he shares this through funny examples interspersed throughout the book. 


If you are looking for a book that brings out ordinary and makes it extraordinary, this book fits the bill. It was a fun, enjoyable quick read and one that I would highly recommend! 


All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

No comments: