From the New York Times-bestselling author of 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 … 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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I can’t believe I only just discovered this book! The Great Gatsby is my favorite book of all time, and Rules of Civility felt like its distant cousin. I was totally enamored with the setting (late 1930s NYC), the characters, and the writing. This was my first Towles novel, and now I definitely want to read more from him.
Finally read this book! I loved it. The post-depression Manhattan setting was so much fun. And the way that Towles explores class dynamics and upward mobility is really tactful. Plus, the writing is awesome.
If you like Edith Wharton or @The Great Gatsby, I’d definitely recommend it.
I’ve been keeping a running document of my all-time favorite books for years. It rarely gets updated because, in my opinion, once I’ve called something one of my “favorites,” whether it’s a restaurant or a flavor of ice cream or a novel, I’m intertwining a piece of my identity around that object. It feels a little scary, hitching my wagon to a work of literature (but maybe I’m being dramatic because, realistically, I’m the only one who can see my list).
I finished Rules of Civility this weekend and, the moment I turned the final page, opened that dusty old document and added it to the list.
This book is exhilirating. A sharp-witted, insightful, tough heroine who’s carving out a life that she can be proud of. A glimmering, luxurious portrait of Jazz Age New York. Characters that dazzle with their idiosyncrasies and complexities and philosophies. Flasks with golden initials, furred coats, dinner parties, and retro cinemas.
While my favorites are usually stories with deeper messaging, the sheer joy and entertainment I found from reading this light, snappy coming-of-age tale was incomparable.
The Rules of Civility takes you by surprise. It takes you into the world of 1930’s New York City, but not like the one in your head. The Great Gatsby, it ain’t. Almost every character in the book surprises you at some point and the one character you know will change drastically, does so, but not at all in the way you are expecting.
This is a lovely slow burn of a book – the writing is exquisite and savory, the story itself both smooth and sharp at different turns, and the characters are fully realized to the point of feeling like old friends. It’s a pleasure to get lost in Towles’ finely crafted sentences. This was a re-read, but I’m looking forward to discovering more of his work!
Such a funny, smart, witty and uplifting novel! It comes off as light-hearted and breezy, but in the end it reveals a story of far deeper meaning.
If you like the sound of a good literary novel that probes human nature and yet also tempts you to keep reading way past your bedtime—add this to your list, pronto.
Beautifully written, terrific characters, and loved the feel of New York in those days..
After enjoying A Gentleman in Moscow, I grabbed this one which was his first book. His style of writing is completely engaging. The way he sketches characters is very effective. I wish he’d write more….
Rules of Civility is a manners novel, in which our protagonist, Katie Kontent, basically knows she’s in a manners novel. The plot hinges on the day Katie (born Katya, and reinvented already) and her friend Evey bump into Tinker, a New Englander with the ridiculous nickname, expensive attire, vague modesty about his past in key cities, and the fat bankroll that translate into an old money family. The girls are both interested, and there’s suddenly tension just beneath the surface of their friendship, but what might turn into a rivalry is derailed when Evey, Tinker, and Katie are in a car wreck, which changes their lives forever.
Tinker, who was driving, takes responsibility for disfigured and injured Evey, and so Katie is sort of peripheral in their story. Sort of.
But the plot is really secondary to the commentary on class and on the city. Katie observes the social expectations as she climbs, and though she begins by getting invitations through Tinker, she travels through all different circles on her own.
There are also some pretty great moments about reading in the city, specifically Charles Dickens and Agatha Christie. I also discovered Agatha Christie pretty late, and cannot stop reading them now. There’s a real escapist enjoyment in them, and I enjoyed a character who also enjoyed this.
But, simply, this is great because it’s a manners novel where the main character knows she’s in a manners novel, and that’s such a delightful, lively, witty, occasionally snarky concept to read.
Probably the best, most absorbing book I’ve read in a decade. Set in 1930s New York city, the era is wonderfully realized, the main character someone you are happy to spend time with. I never miss a chance to recommend this book.
Once I let this book sit it the pocket, Great Gatsby style, I let the wonderful wording, memorable characters, and lively wittiness fill me up. There are a few scenes that I’ll never forget, and Katey Kontent’s thoughtful take on life made me think a lot about my own life. I truly enjoyed it and I think it will be one of the very few books that I will look to read more than once.
Great New York story. Both witty and romantic. I felt transported back to the latter part of the depression.
Glimpse the world of the upper crust in Manhattan’s late 1930’s. Interesting characters.
Amor Towles brings the reader back in time to the glamorous Manhattan of the late 1930s. Pour yourself a martini, put on some jazz and sink into the mores and manners of the upper-echelon society with all its beauty and ugliness. Katey Kontent and the characters she meets are so well-drawn and the story is engaging. I listened to this book on audio and became immersed in Rebecca Lowman’s voice, perfect for the period of time depicted in the novel. I’ll definitely read more by Towles and listen to more with Lowman’s voice.
Really enjoyed The Rules of Civility!
I like how this book brings you back to that time period in American history – in the 1930s.
A surprise conclusion in a richly created world. Amor Towles’ writing is top-notch. I happened to be reading this book when I was finishing up my novel The Clovis Dig about an orchardist and archaeology. Two passages jumped out at me, fitting so perfectly with my story, that I used them as cited quotes. One passage fit the female protagonist orchardist who is in danger of losing her orchard: “I think we all have some parcel of the past which is falling into disrepair or being sold off piece by piece. It’s just that for most of us, it isn’t an orchard; it’s the way we’ve thought about something, or someone.” The second is “Not only did they have manners, they thought them worth preserving. They treated the opening of a door for a lady or the hand-scripted regret the way an archaeologist treats a fragment of pottery—with all the loving care that we normally reserve for things that matter.”
What beautiful writing, and what amazing synchronicity.
This is a book my book club read as we describe as accidental. We didn’t know what to read, so picked number 13 NY Times best seller, trade fiction. And we loved it…the era..the writing. It was one of our favorites.
Character-driven, emotional, historical.