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Rules of Civility

by habituallychic

08 . 16 . 11
A sign of a good book is one that you finish in a day or two.  Rules of Civility is one of those rare books.  Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. It tells the tale of friendship and love against the backdrop of both gritty and privileged New York in 1938 and the years that followed.  The author Amor Towles has been compared to F.Scott Fitzgerald and the societal views certainly are reminiscent but in this case not all is what it seems. What amazed me though is that despite the fact that it is set in the late 1930’s, the story not only still resonates but could have been set in 2011.  Just swap out calls to GRamercy 1-0923 and hand delivered telegrams with text messages and tweets. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

13 Comments
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  1. Kerri Farragut August 16, 2011 | 3:32 am

    Would love a good read to finish out the last days of summer. I was planning on re-reading The House of Mirth for the umpteenth time…. Maybe I need a change!

  2. Karena August 16, 2011 | 4:49 am

    Sounds like a great recommendation Heather! I will definitely read this!

    xoxo
    Karena

    Art by Karena

  3. Bob August 16, 2011 | 6:46 am

    Thanks for the reading suggestion!
    I have just finished the last book stacked on my bedside table. This sounds like a good read.

  4. Modern Country Lady August 16, 2011 | 9:55 am

    The cover picture alone ! Must read it!!

  5. Megs723 August 16, 2011 | 12:27 pm

    I just downloaded this last night, actually! I can’t wait to dig in. If you like this book, you’d also love Bobbed Hair & Bathtub Gin. It’s a deliciously scandalous look at the roaring twenties.

  6. fancyfunction August 16, 2011 | 12:49 pm

    Great recommendation! I’m putting it on my list 🙂

  7. Luciane at HomeBunch.com August 16, 2011 | 12:51 pm

    It sounds interesting…

    Thanks for the recommendation… Now, I better get to my French class… didn’t get what you wrote at the end. 🙂

    xo

    Luciane at HomeBunch.com

  8. Kimberly August 16, 2011 | 1:41 pm

    I finished the book in two days. It was so well written. I thought that it was fun and sophisticated. I found myself pulling for all the characters be ok. I love the ‘Hidden Hand” reference when referring to Tinker’s apartment. It’s what I strive to achieve as a designer. Loved it!

  9. Elizabeth August 16, 2011 | 2:27 pm

    I am always looking for a good book, I will download this today. As well as the suggestion from the other comment about the roaring 20’s.

    Love the cover and the title.

  10. something2writeabout August 16, 2011 | 4:42 pm

    Sounds amazing! I’ve put it on my list of books to buy. Thanks for the post!

  11. The Simply Luxurious Life August 17, 2011 | 3:51 pm

    Looks like a wonderful read. Thank you for sharing. Off to put it on my wish list now. 🙂 (PS – While quite belated, I wanted to congratulate you on your 4 year blog anniversary – thank you for your inspiration – truly).

  12. Lulu {The Home You Make} August 17, 2011 | 5:40 pm

    This is going on the must read list! Thanks!

  13. Jennifer Powell August 19, 2011 | 4:25 pm

    I have been on a major Fitsgerald kick lately, I am sure I will love this, just ordered it on Amazon! Cheers – JP