The Unexpurgated Code: A Complete Manual of Survival and Manners

By James Patrick Donleavy

The Unexpurgated Code is J.P. Donleavy at his most gloriously mischievous; a wry, impeccably-phrased manual for surviving the theatre of manners and climbing the social ladder. With mock-solemn authority and a wicked sense of timing, Donleavy charts the triumphs, vanities, and exquisite embarrassments of social life, offering guidance that is at once outrageous, incisive, and oddly illuminating. Hailed by The New York Times as 'possibly, the funniest book ever written', and long cherished by readers who prefer their wisdom laced with humour, the book has only grown sharper with time. Its satire lands with fresh force, its elegance remains undimmed, and its laughter feels like a small act of rebellion. Reissued now as a modern classic, The Unexpurgated Code stands as a rare delight: a work that teaches nothing except how to endure the absurdities of polite society.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1843519887
• ISBN13: 9781843519881
• Release Date: June 2026
• Publisher: Lilliput Press
• Length: 348 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 7.8"