How to Be: A Guide to Contemporary Living for African Americans

By Harriette Cole

Book Overview

REAL MANNERS FOR REAL LIFE
Etiquette is more than knowing which fork to use. Good manners are the rules that let us find our way in today's rapidly changing maze of lifestyles, customs, and relationships. Anyone who doesn't know these rules is living and working at a real disadvantage.
In How to Be, noted author and editor Harriette Cole treats manners as a resource for the empowerment of people of African descent. She offers guidance drawn from the tried-and-true experience and wisdom of our African-American elders, as well as from European mainstream traditions in many areas of life, including:
Family -- immediate, extended, and blended
New codes of dating, love, and sex
Entertaining family, friends, and coworkers in both casual and formal settings
Workplace issues -- from how to resign to what to wear on casual Fridays
Rites of passage, including weddings and funerals
Holiday celebrations like Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Juneteenth and much mor

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684863081
• ISBN13: 9780684863085
• Release Date: February 2000
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.0" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

Everything You Wanted to Know But Didn't Know Who To Ask

Great, great resource. History and legend come together in an easy to read, well thought out and well laid out format.True to life, accurate accounts of "How we are". For everything Emily Post is not to the African American citizen, How To Be has your answers!

How To Be

"How To Be" was a good book. But I would not say that it was an "etiquette" book. We learned about the religious beliefs of the author. We learned her personal views on things. It is fine to use your own life as an example; however, I would have gleaned more if she had used her own life to teach us about etiquette. That did not really happen

great guide to being refined ladies and gentlemen

Harriet Cole is a brilliant woman and writer. Her experiences in life and from those whom she has worked with, qualifies her to write this book. She has been seen on ABC's The View, displaying proper etiquette for dining. This book takes a look at different cultures and what is proper etiquette in different enviornments. From this wonderful book one can learn what are respectable calling times whrn calling others, proper dining, and even how to address others upon entering a room. This book is a great buy for anyone of any race or background.