Rules of Civility

Books | Fiction / Literary

4.2

(1.4K)

Amor Towles

From the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lincoln Highway and A Gentleman in Moscow, a “sharply stylish” (Boston Globe) book about a young woman in post-Depression era New York who suddenly finds herself thrust into high society—now with over one million readers worldwideOn the last night of 1937, twenty-five-year-old Katey Kontent is in a second-rate Greenwich Village jazz bar when Tinker Grey, a handsome banker, happens to sit down at the neighboring table. This chance encounter and its startling consequences propel Katey on a year-long journey into the upper echelons of New York society—where she will have little to rely upon other than a bracing wit and her own brand of cool nerve.With its sparkling depiction of New York’s social strata, its intricate imagery and themes, and its immensely appealing characters, Rules of Civility won the hearts of readers and critics alike.

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More Details:

Author

Amor Towles

Pages

368

Publisher

Penguin

Published Date

2012-06-26

ISBN

0143121162 9780143121169

Community ReviewsSee all

"I loved Lincoln Highway…. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for this one, but I found it a meandering, plotless diary of a young women’s social life…. I kept waiting for a point to be made…"

Merry

"I really liked this book a lot! The protagonist was witty and smart, I loved seeing New York through her eyes and experiences. I’ve been getting so bored with some authors and this one reminded me of the type of writing I enjoy. Would love any recommendations other readers have of a similar writing style to Amor."

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Kerry Werra

"I struggled with this one. I really wanted something exciting to happen, and it just didn’t. "

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Katie Mickelson

"Sometimes its not about whether the choice you made was right or wrong, but the fact that you made a choice and committed to it<br/><br/>"I could see a certain calmness in you, a tranquility you read about in books but no one ever seems to possess. A tranquility I figured could only comes from having no regrets, from having made decisions with poise and purpose""

Christopher Gilbert

"Great story telling and character development. I have read all three of Amor Towles books, loved them all. He makes you fall in love with the characters and genuinely care about what will happen to them. "

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Viviane Morgan

"I would read Amor Towels’ shopping list. All his books are fantastic."

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Denise Nash

"I shouldn’t be surprised at how much I unexpectedly loved this book, but same as with A Gentleman in Moscow, I leave off feeling like I’ve had a revelation, even though I’ve only just finished a book. It’s so beautifully written that you can’t help but savor the sentences, and I loved the scope and characters in the novel. I feel like I’ve known these people myself, and that I somehow was an active participant in the events, not just a causal observer. I wasn’t feeling it so much in the beginning, but it more than made up for it in the second half. Highly recommend, especially as an end of the year novel. It’s a great time for reflection and this book is born to help with that."

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Allie Peduto

"This book was both glamorous and decidedly unglamorous at the same time. It showed the liveliness and beauty of Manhattan during the Jazz Era, while also revealing the darkness and the loneliness that can occur in a person's life. Amor Towles has the uncanny ability to force you to feel certain things about a character and then take you on a roller coaster ride with those feelings. He wraps up the story in such a unique and wonderful way. Overall, very well done."

Bailey Wallace

"Highly enjoyable, capturing the spirit of the period in old New York. It’s also nice to see a strong female character of that time who isn’t only focused on getting married."

Robbin

"I adore his writing on this one but found Gentleman in Moscow challenging - too meandering and seemed to gloss over major plot points...."