Would It Kill You to Stop Doing That?

Would It Kill You To Stop Doing That? (2012) is a non-fiction book by American humorist Henry Alford that details manners from around the world.

After being interested in a quote by Edmund Burke about how important manners are, Alford traveled around the world researching manners. He also interviews people such as etiquette authority Judith Martin.^[1]

Reception

Jincy Willet of The New York Times said that the book "amuses as much as it informs". Sarah Halzack of The Washington Post called the book "a bit haphazard" although "his self-effacing tone and dry sense of humor help to unify the pieces".^[2] Philip Marchand of National Post said that "sometimes his humour is a bit strained" although his advice can be "very practical".^[3]

References

1. Jincy Willet (6 January 2012). "Henry Alford on How to Behave". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
2. Sarah Halzack (3 February 2012). "‘Would It Kill You To Stop Doing That?: A Modern Guide to Manners’ by Henry Alford". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
3. Philip Marchand (20 January 2012). "Open Book: Would It Kill You to Stop Doing That? by Henry Alford". National Post. Retrieved 15 April 2012.