Amor Towles Quotes

I find it awfully difficult to determine if the habit of talking about oneself at length runs contrary to the basic rules of propriety, or if instead the man exempt from this vice is rare.

We acknowledge that we should not talk of our wives; but we seem not to know that we should talk still less of ourselves.

Please, Lord Maccon, use one of the cups. My delicate sensibilities.” The earl actually snorted. “My dear Miss Tarabotti, if you possessed any such things, you certainly have never shown them to me.

A well-bred youth neither speakes of himselfe, nor being spoken to is silent.

Manners are the hypocrisy of a nation.

Polite conversation is rarely either.

I like things that are civilized.

You can't be truly rude until you understand good manners.

I'm teaching my daughters to be ladies by showing them how to dress appropriately when they leave the house, and how to be thoughtful and polite.

The Japanese have perfected good manners and made them indistinguishable from rudeness.

No gentleman ever discusses any relationship with a lady.

Tis a rule of manners to avoid exaggeration.

He who reflects on another man's want of breeding, shows he wants it as much himself

Etiquette has no regard for moral qualities.

A civil guest Will no more talk all, than eat all the feast.

I find it very eerie when somebody is being really polite.

Wisdom and virtue are by no means sufficient, without the supplemental laws of good-breeding, to secure freedom from degenerating into rudeness, or self esteem from swelling into insolence. A thousand incivilities may be committed, and a thousand offices neglected. without any remorse of conscience, or reproach from reason.

Politeness is deception in pretty packaging.

If it were not for quotations, conversations between gentlemen would consist of an endless series of 'what-ho!'s.

Being polite to a person is not a sign of respect for them. It is merely a sign of a good upbringing and a balanced nature.

It is not enough to be wrong, one must also be polite.

Miss Manners does not mind explaining the finer points of gracious living, but she feels that anyone without the sense to pick up a potato chip and stuff it in their face should probably not be running around loose on the streets.

Miss Manners herself, while never rude, is given to pulling a fast pinch in the way of a handshake on those who believe in kissing on, not even the first date, but the first sighting.

In England, we have such good manners that if someone says something impolite, the police will get involved.

There cannot be greater rudeness than to interrupt another in the current of his discourse.