From the new york timesbestselling author of a gentleman in moscow, a sharply stylish boston globe book for mom on mothers day about a young woman in postdepression era new york who suddenly finds herself thrust into high societynow with over one million readers worldwide on the last night of 1937, twentyfiveyearold katey kontent is in a secondrate. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion on rules of civility by amor towles. Are dicky vanderwhile, wallace wolcott, bitsy, peaches, hank, and anne grandyn as essential to kateys story as tinker and eve. We are around the same age as the main character, katey.
And one attendee said it best when, after having this subject come up several times in meetings, she noted the clear indication that rules of civility was written by a man is that katey kontent is. The prose is so well written is akin to the reading equivalent of hearing sensation jazz. Somore i loved a gentleman in moscow and was ready to read another book by towles. Rules of civility is the authors first book, and although it is superbly written, his third book, a gentleman in moscow 2016, is the one worthy of 5 stars. Great supplemental information for school essays and projects. A love letter to a great american city at the end of the depression, readers will quickly fall under its spell of crisp writing, sparkling atmosphere and breathtaking revelations.
Armed with little more than a formidable intellect, a bracing wit, and her own brand of cool nerve, katey embarks on a journey from a wall. I really enjoyed this book after recently reading some hemingway, the great gatsby and a depression time period book. This 52page guide for rules of civility by amor towles includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 26 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Are dicky vanderwhile, wallace wolcott, bitsy, peaches, hank and anne grandyn as essential to kateys story as tinker and eve. And that is not even taking into account the fun, epic story set in the roaring 20s. Katey kontent narrates her own journey through the year 1938, from. Elegant and captivating, rules of civility turns a jamesian eye on how spur of the moment decisions define life for decades to come. It is almost a cliche to write about novels set in new york. What follows are some questions for discussion that might have surfaced in my reading group. In amor towless witty and slyly brutal debut novel, rules of civility, the protagonist is one katey kontent.
Rules of civility by amor towles reading guidebook club. George washingtons rules of civility are more than just etiquette. At the outset, rules of civility appears to be about the interrelationship. Some books i will skim but this one every line is worth reading. This novel is less riveting, with a more circumspect plotline, but no less beautiful and poetic in its writing. Suggested book and reading club discussion questions for rules of civility. Refined manhattan shines with glamorous civility filled with snappy dialogue and sharp observations, amor towles elegant debut novel transports readers back to new york city circa 1938.
Whether you agree with the sentiment or not, it is a clever way to dissent and discuss a perspective without personalizing, name calling, vulgar language, pitting people against one another. Rules of civility by amor towles book club discussion. Rules of civility by amor towles book club discussion questions. At the outset, rules of civility appears to be about the interrelationship between katey, tinker, and eve. I find it difficult to start another book as it will be a hard act to follow. Are dicky vanderwhile, wallace wolcott, bitsy, peaches, hank and. Five years ago, three friends and i set out to read some of the great booksor those works of literature. Rules of civility amor towles, 2011 penguin group usa 352 pp. Download book rules of civility by amor towles without. Set in new york city in 1938, rules of civility tells the story of a watershed year in the life of an uncompromising twentyfiveyear old named katey kontent. Rules of civility takes its name from the famous guide to decorum that george. Download book rules of civility by amor towles without signing pocket book buy txt epub windows fb2. Set in new york city in 1938, rules of civility tells the story of a watershed year in the life of an uncompromising twentyfiveyearold named katey kontent. Churchill guest a descendent of the famous duke of marlborough rules of civility by amor towlesbook discussion questions book rules of civility by amor towles best 1920s historical fiction 105 books book club list book chatter rules of.
Amor towles rules of civility is a novel of many charms. He suggested the 110 rules of civility were 200300 years old when washington. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. I realised then that this book will be unforgotten by me. Commentary on the role of jazz in the book is included here. It tells the story of kate, a wise and wellread working girl, who suddenly finds herself maneuvering through the sparkling upper echelons of high society. Armed with little more than a formidable intellect, a bracing wit, and her own brand of cool nerve, katey embarks on a journey from a wall street secretarial pool.
Five years ago, three friends and i set out to read some of the great books or. Its a coming of age story of sorts, about a young girl who finds her way through new york society. Rules of civility takes its name from the famous guide to decorum that george washington copied down as a young man, which tinker keeps with him. The novel examines how, by changing your attitudes, behaviors, and manners, you can reinvent yourself, and how katey, tinker, and eve all did this in 1938. Named after george washingtons book of moral and social codes, this novel documents with breezy intelligence and impeccable reserve the machinations of wealth and power at an historical moment that in some ways seems not so different from the current one. Discussion questions for rules of civility are listed. The book was rated by the wall street journal as one of the ten best works of fiction in 2011.
On the last night of 1937, twentyfiveyearold katey kontent is in a secondrate greenwich village jazz bar when tinker grey, a handsome banker, happens to sit down at the neighboring table. Here are some basic questions to get a book club discussion going i mean, lets try not to gossip the whole time. Phillips talked about his book, george washingtons rules of civility, published by goose creek productions. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that. If you are interested, there is additional content regarding rules of civility at including brief essays on walker evans and jazz, a 1930s time capsule, etcetera. The book was designed with 26 chapters, because there are 52 weeks in the year and i allotted myself two weeks to draft, revise and bank each chapter. But those little tidbits are not the bulk of this quite plotty pacey novel, which is a this book was strange for me, at points, it was a 5, at other points a 1. Are dicky vanderwhile, wallace wolcott, bitsy, peaches, hank, and anne grandyn as essential to kateys story as tinker and.
How does rules of civility compare to a gentleman in moscow. Commentary on the role of walker evanss photography in the book is included here. Towles recreates new york of the past with great conviction, and its a joy to follow katey around manhattan. How does rules of civility compare to a gentleman in. Discussion questions questions developed by the author. Study questions, project ideas and discussion topics based on important themes running throughout rules of civility by amor towles. In towless first novel, rules of civility, his clever heroine, who grew up in brooklyn as katya, restyles herself in 1930s manhattan as the more clubbable katey, aspiring to. All 51 characters in rules of civility are listed by chapter along with each characters description.
You may also submit your thoughts or questions there. The guardian book companion on the last night of 1937, twentyfiveyearold katey kontent is in. Read this for a book group book and it lent itself to a wonderful, interesting discussion. Rules of civility by amor towles discussion questions. Climbing the manhattan social ladder in rules of civility. Recently, my students and i were discussing the ways in which texting and. Reading guide five years ago, three friends and i set out to read some of the great books or those works of literature which would merit re. Besides eve, katey spends most of the book talking to men. These little nuggets are katys own rules of civility and they made the book worth reading. Armed with little more than a formidable intellect, a bracing wit, and her own brand of cool nerve, katey embarks on a journey from a wall street secretarial pool through the upper echelons of new york society in search of a brighter. Partway through rules of civility, the novels autodidact protagonist goes to work for a book publisher that is conservatively described by its celebrated fiction editor as being decades behind. Rules of civility, the first novel by amor towles, chronicles a transitional year in the life of a young woman in manhattan. After a few weeks of preparation, i started rules of civility on january 1, 2006 and wrapped it up 365 days later. Reviews, discussion questions and links for rules of civility.
Rules of civility is a beautifully written novel set in postdepression new york city. This sophisticated and entertaining first novel presents the story of a young woman whose life is on the brink of transformation. I waited until four days ago to start the book, and while i finished it. Here are some basic questions to get a book club discussion going i mean, lets. Its 1938 as the story opens, and katey has just about had it with the narrow options facing a young woman in depressionera manhattan. At the outset, rules of civility appears to be about the interrelationship between katey, tinker and eve. Katey kontent narrates her own journey through the year 1938, from the future perspective of 1966, after she runs upon photographs of a man named tinker grey. I worried initially that the reissue of rona jaffes the best of everything had slightly stolen rules of civilitys thunder.
A few friends who had read both didnt like rules of civility as much. Note that we rarely have this discussion in the other direction. Diane parfitt i loved a gentleman in moscow and was ready to read another book by towles. Rules of civility npr coverage of rules of civility by amor towles. He is an author whose best book is a gentleman in moscow.