Robert's 101 Rules of Order: All You Need to Know to Live the Life You Want

Beliefs vary around the world, usually in conjunction with a person’s religious faith.

Instead of a prose account of his own views, veteran journalist and author, A. Robert Smith, uses the old-fashioned style of proverbs—short, often punchy statements that are meaningful and often humorous. Benjamin Franklin, his favorite of America’s Founding Fathers, was a master at composing terse phrases that were full of wisdom, humor, and common sense. He published them in the Pennsylvania Gazette before the American Revolution. About half of the proverbs contained here express views on marriage, family relations, child behavior, and other essential topics. The other half includes proverbs by Ben Franklin and sayings from other popular figures, such as Shakespeare, Confucius, Schweitzer, Churchill, Eleanor and Teddy Roosevelt, the Buddha, Maya Angelou, Mark Twain, and Will Rogers.

Nine of the Ten Commandments found in the Christian faith are included in Robert’s 101 Rules. And some comparable rules from all the major religions. Altogether, they comprise a guide for living the good life, so that everyone can say about their life what his granddaughter-in-law, Samantha Avery, said to him, “Angels believe in me!”

A. Robert Smith, an award-winning journalist and the author of ten books, has been an editorial writer, a magazine editor, and a Washington correspondent covering Congress and seven presidents. He was the Washington correspondent for the Portland Oregonian and has been published in the New York TimesMagazine. He was the recipient of awards by the Alaska Press Club and the Society of Professional Journalists.