But if you remember towles predecessors from stodgy classroom lectures, and expect the same dull elongated sentences from this book, youll be wrong. But because i get new books from the library we have less and less room for new books on our bookshelves, it means i cant always get hold of the latest. People who like rules of civility book by amor towles s. Asparagus gratin from rules of civility novel food no. In general, books with unique choices in character, plot, and style make for the heartiest discussions. Are dicky vanderwhile, wallace wolcott, bitsy, peaches, hank, and anne grandyn as essential to kateys story as tinker and eve. If you have other questions or would like to be on my distribution list for rare news of my writing and receive an occasional short story, please register on my contact page. At the outset, rules of civility appears to be about the interrelationship. If youre meeting an public area like a library community room it might have its rules about things like bringing food or putting chairs away after the meeting. The civility of his book s title is very often a puton. May 19, 2020 whether in person or online, theyre the perfect place to read great books with great book nerds, and dive deep dive into stories that really make you think. Book club basics getting started before you start recruiting folks, take a moment to think about what you want out of a book group. Book club ideas to breathe new life into your book club. These little nuggets are katys own rules of civility and they made the book worth reading.
Living the rules of civility and maria popovas article, 14yearold george washingtons 110 commandments for cultivating character at. The tv book club discuss amor towles novel, the rules of civility with guest russell kane. Feb 08, 2016 rules are meant to be broken, of course, so this doesnt always have to be the case. Rules of civility by amor towles book club discussion questions. Discussion questions for rules of civility by amor. Rules of civility by amor towles book club discussion. They were basically the horsethemed books that defined your childhood, if you recall. Run by ann patchett trinireads book club of east amherst, new york. With the new year quickly approaching, its safe to assume.
Are dicky vanderwhile, wallace wolcott, bitsy, peaches, hank, and anne grandyn as essential to kateys story as tinker and. Sometimes, im overly excited to talk to my book club about a book i liked and that was the case with rules of civility. Openended questions help ignite discussions involving the whole group. Novel noshes the book club cookbookthe book club cookbook. The new york times bestselling novel that enchants on first reading and only improves on the second the philadelphia inquirer. After seeing tinker at chinoisserie, katey indicts george washingtons rules of civility as a doityourself charm school.
Katey and val attend an exhibit of the works of photographer walker evans. 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. Chances are, only half of those people will show up, and then only half of those people will. Find discussion questions and reading group guide for rules of civility by amor towles. Find resources for your book club, whether it meets in your living room or across cyberspace. Though much of the narrative takes place at the end of the 1930s, the preface and epilogue are set in. 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. Successful groups select good books, have interesting discu. After seeing tinker at chinoisserie, katey indicts george washingtons rules of civility as a doit yourself charm school. Set at the end of the 1930s during the great depression, the narrative follows spunky roommates katey kontent and evelyn ross as they make their way up the social ladder in new york society. Here are some basic questions to get a book club discussion going i mean, lets. But dicky sees some nobility in tinkers aspiration to washingtons rules. Rules of civility amor towles, 2011 penguin group usa 352 pp.
Successful book clubs select great books, have compelling discussions, and create community. All 51 characters in rules of civility are listed by chapter along with each characters description. Choosing books figuring out what books to read throughout the year is going to be a big question, so addressing it early is wise and should even be a lot of fun. Rules of civility by amor towles great pick for 2021. O, the oprah magazine with this snappy period piece, towles resurrects the cinematic blackandwhite manhattan of the golden agehis characters are youthful americans in tricky times, trying to create authentic lives. Discussion questions questions developed by the author.
There is a lot of activity online about rules of civility and there is more talk about seeing this book on screen. 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 future. Controversial topics, unclear endings, and unreliable narrators may turn some folks off, but are certain to give people something to talk about. Praise for rules of civility an irresistible and astonishingly assured debut. But dicky sees some nobility in tinkers aspiration to follow washingtons rules.
After a few weeks of preparation, i started rules of civilityon january 1, 2006, and wrapped it up 365 days later. Jun 26, 2012 after seeing tinker at chinoisserie, katey indicts george washingtons rules of civility as a doit yourself charm school. As someone who has written quietly for twenty years, the notion that a group might. 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. But those little tidbits are not the bulk of this quite plotty pacey novel, which is a fa this book was strange for me, at points, it was a 5, at other points a 1.
This sophisticated and entertaining first novel presents the story of a young woman whose life is on the brink of transformation. While malcolm x, rosa parks and of course martin luther king jr. Apr 01, 20 our book for this month is amor towles novel rules of civility. However, keeping books on a smaller scale eliminates the stress of having to finish a massive book in a few weeks.
And if your reading group is meeting for dinner in new york somewhere between canal and 34th streets, please let me know. Book club ideas that will totally impress your friends. Another book authored by amor towles a gentleman in moscow. June 27, 2012 amor towles debuts with a crisp, 1930s manhattan love story, while george pelecanos and sapphire return with. With its sparkling depiction of new yorks social strata, its intricate imagery and themes, and its immensely appealing characters, rules of civility won the hearts of readers and critics alike. On the contrary, rules of civility updates the manners genre in lively ways. Remember all those musthave em saddle club books by bonnie bryant that totally ruled your world as a kid. Commentary on the role of jazz in the book is included here. If you are interested, there is additional content regarding rules of. Jul 15, 2011 i worried initially that the reissue of rona jaffes the best of everything had slightly stolen rules of civility s thunder. So i was worried as i picked rules of civility as our instore book club selection for november, worried that it would be too derivative of other novels and period films.
After a few weeks of preparation, i started rules of civility on january 1, 2006 and wrapped it up 365 days later. These contemporary stories are a fantastic place to start. Rules of civility by amor towles reading guidebook club. Rules of civility summary and study guide supersummary. Aug 25, 2011 still, towles gets the emotional heft of things right. Jan 22, 20 if you like james and wharton, you will especially enjoy rules of civility. From the new york timesbestselling author of a gentleman in moscow and the forthcoming the lincoln highway, a sharply stylish boston globe book 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.
If you are starting a book club yourself, you may need some ideas for creating a fun group that people will come back to time after time. Amor towles 2011 novel, rules of civility, is his homage to 1938 manhattan, its environs and a few youthful inhabitants. Book club extraordinaire home page book club extraordinaire. If you are interested, there is additional content regarding rules of civility at including brief essays. Grab some friends, choose a book, and get started on your book club today. Did you find her relatable even though her story takes place 75 years ago.
Our book for this month is amor towles novel rules of civility. Nyc was perceived to be a haven of possibilities where individuals could re. What follows are some questions for discussion that might have surfaced in my reading group. Successful groups select good books, have interesting discussions, and foster community. If youre a book club newbie, 10 invitees is a great place to start. Rules of civility by amor towles wine, women, and words of needham, massachusetts. From the new york timesbestselling author of a gentleman in moscow and the forthcoming the lincoln highway, a sharply stylish boston globe book about a young woman in postdepression era new york who suddenly finds herself thrust into high societynow with over one million readers worldwide. Rules of civility, amor towles set in new york city of the 1930s, rules of civility followed the destiny of a group of young people in their twenties who greeted life with enthusiasm and hope. Heres how you can start a fun and engaging book club. Civil rights leaders you wont read about in history books. I think themes are among the most fun and easy book club meeting. So, if youve come this far, i owe you my heartfelt thanks. Somewhere around kindergarten, most kids were given a lecture on treating books with respect. Debut novel for this author discussion questions 1.
Sep 08, 2017 its also a good idea to think about the space youll be holding your book club in. Feel free to leave a comment about what you thought. Reading groups for children and parents can bring families closer. 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. Delve deeper into the books making the charts, and get tips for keeping your reading group engaged. It blends sly humor with engaging discovery about each other and themselves. Shop and save on gifts for everyone on your list sections show more follow today setting up a book club for your children will no. Book club discussions are great conversations based on a common book that everyone has read. Commentary on the role of walker evanss photography in the book is included here. 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.
A studio optioned the rights to the movie and chose two popular writers known for successful adaptations to handle the script. 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 rereading several times over the course of our lives. A few friends who had read both didnt like rules of civility as much. Born and raised in the boston area, amor towles graduated from yale college and received an ma in english from stanford university. 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. Bring together a group of friends, tear apart a book and all of a sudden the words have a second, paperless, life.
Alison didnt get to finish, but ashley and i read it and loved it. Here are some basic questions to get a book club discussion going i mean, lets try not to gossip the whole time. Rules to make your book club run smoothly thoughtco. You may submit your thoughts or questions to me at my contact page on this site. True civility is stiff and prim traits nowhere in evidence in a splashy, dishy novel like rules of civility. Amazon best books of the month, august 2011 set during the hazy, enchanting, and martinifilled world of new york city circa 1938, rules of civility follows three friendskatey, eve, and tinkerfrom their chance meeting at a jazz club on new years eve through a year of enlightening and occasionally tragic adventures. We are around the same age as the main character, katey. To learn more about the rules of civility, please see stacie moats library of congress article, george washington. I dont remember the specifics i was probably too busy drawing aristocats fanart, but i do remember growing up with a set of mostly unspoken r. Below are some answers to commonly asked questions about rules of civility. Study questions, project ideas and discussion topics based on important themes running throughout rules of civility by amor towles. The show consisted of evans new york city subway photographs, which he took with a hidden camera during the late 1930s on the new york subways. Rules of civility, the first novel by amor towles, chronicles a transitional year in the life of a young woman in manhattan.
Climbing the manhattan social ladder in rules of civility. Its best to be aware of these when making your groups rules. One way to include all members is to write questions on an index card for e. This novel is less riveting, with a more circumspect plotline, but no less beautiful and poetic in its writing. It is a good idea to have your years worth of books somewhat figured out from the beginning. April is national poetry month, here are some ideas to celebrate and. His first novel, rules of civility, published in 2011, was a new york times bestseller and was named by the wall street journal as one of the best books of 2011. To ask other readers questions about rules of civility, please sign up.
If you are interested in reading books deeply or want to focus on a particular type of book such as. Aug 31, 2011 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. Published in 2011, rules of civility is american author amor towles acclaimed debut novel. Great supplemental information for school essays and projects. Diane parfitt i loved a gentleman in moscow and was ready to read another book by towles. The book opens on the night of october 4, 1966, husband and wife. Nov 09, 2012 so i was worried as i picked rules of civility as our instore book club selection for november, worried that it would be too derivative of other novels and period films. So in launching a new book, i decided it would be a distinctive first person narrative. A sort of how to win friends and influence people 150 years ahead of its time. Heck, its clearly inspired a bit by the great gatsby, and how could you measure up to that.
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