Complete Book of Etiquette: 50

Filled with practical advice for every occasion, business and pleasure, this updated and revised edition is the most complete and authoritative guide to living well.

First published in 1952, this classic guide has been fully updated to reflect the concerns of the modern reader. The advice that has made Amy Vanderbilt the first name in etiquette remains pertinent today. Here is the final word on buying and using stationery, responding to dinner invitations, hosting a party, and attending religious ceremonies. The chapter of the most enduring popularity is, of course, the one on weddings. From addressing invitations to sending thank you notes, everything a bride needs to plan the perfect wedding is easily accessible.

In addition to the time-honored guidance that has made this book a treasured reference, this updated edition contains information that addresses modern concerns of every kind. Here is advice on answering cellular phone calls in public, behaving courteously at the gym, and speaking at business meetings.

Whether you need to compose an invitation, write a letter of condolence, address your senator, set a dinner table, or buy a gift for a foreign business associate, you will find The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette practical, down-to-earth, and always reliable.

NANCY TUCKERMAN worked at the White House as Staff Coordinator to Mrs. Kennedy, arranging all aspects of state dinners, state entertainment, ordering state gifts, and coordinating President Kennedy's receptions on his state visits abroad. In addition to authoring In the Tiffany Style: Gift-Giving for All Occasions, she contributed to the 1978 edition of The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette.


NANCY DUNNAN is the author of numerous books, including The Dunn & Bradstreet Guide to Your Investments. She also has regular columns in Your Money and Married Women magazines and contributes to many others. Since 1989, she has had a regular one-hour call-in program on WNYC Public Radio. Both authors live in New York City.