Book Review and Giveaway: The Universal Code of (Formerly) Unwritten Rules by Quentin Parker

 

While this may not be an 'educational' book per se, I consider it one, as manners 'make the man'. Like your grammar usage, the manners we show give off first impressions of us, that are usually unable to be changed. One of the things I love about Kiddo's school is how much they stress about good manners. They are out to make a WHOLE individual, not just educate them.So I'm putting it in this weeks' educational series!

Synopsis:  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. 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. 


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, mainly 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.   

Review: This book is full of things that you may not think about, that you do all the time, or don;t do and should! From the simple to the profound, it is ALL in here. I found myself nodding and thinking this is THE book to have around as I read it. In fact, I LOVED this book up until Rule #189- One should never pray in public, unless one is in a house of worship. 

Using scripture (Matthew 6:6) to back up his idea was wrong,as Parker missed the message in the WHOLE passage from Matthew, which was not to cause a scene to be seen, but to pray for the RIGHT reason and NOT for show. Yes, we pray when we eat out in public. We pray at all meals at home as well. It is what we were taught, and what we are teaching Kiddo- to be THANKFUL, not to boast she is praying. Anyone who has heard a 4 yr old make their own prayer asking to bless everyone in the restaurant would never be opposed to her saying prayer before she eats. Perhaps the author should have said "If you pray before meals in public, do so quietly, without a huge show, and drawing attention to yourself". But because the book is still a good book, I would suggest if you are Christian, and pray in public, to get a sticky note and cover #189, and go ahead and use the book! 

All in all the book is funny, because you know where the author speaks (such as everyone thinks their car makes them queen/king of the road, and no one wants to share), and a great resource for teaching teens (One should never argue about something one knows little to nothing about, or When you borrow someone's car, fill it up with gas before you give it back). It would be a great Christmas gift for older teens and college age kids (due to some of the language used). It would also make a great family gift.

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Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book, free of charge, from the Adams Media, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it.