Rules of Civility in Reading with Style

Jun 14, 2021 Elizabeth (Alaska) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: twenty-first-century, 5-star-reads, kindle

So far this summer, the 5-star reads by members of my challenge group have been 5-star reads for me. This grew on me the further into it I read. I thought more than once that it's really too bad Towles didn't make a series of this and by that I mean this same story told from different viewpoints. We get only the first person from Kate Kontent. We know, of course, what she is told and from that we can discern something of the others. For me, I wanted to know more than "something". The characters ...more

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Sep 08, 2018 Rachel N. rated it liked it

Shelves: new-york-city, new-york, play-book-tag, friendship, historical-fiction, read-in-2018

Katey Kontent and her friend Evey are out stretching their money on New Years Eve when they run into Tinker Grey who is an investment banker. The three become friends then an event occurs that changes all three lives. The book covers Katey's life throughout the year of 1938. Towles does a good job evoking New York City in 1938. I just never felt very connected to Katey or the other two main characters. The character I liked the most was Wallace who is only in maybe a quarter of the book. I also ...more

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Jul 19, 2011 Jeannie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, literature

If you are looking for a smart and witty story then Rules of Civility should be at the top of your book list. This was delicious. I am honestly astonished that the author, Amor Towles, is a male. He captured the voice of a New York woman. The dramatic irony reminds me of Edith Wharton. I could easily read this again.

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Oct 23, 2013 Joanna rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: rws-2013-fall, audiobooks, 2013-read, bookclub-grasslands

First, the narrator for the audiobook was fabulous. She really had the tone of the book I was able to read the sometimes overly flowery language in a credible and enjoyable way. I definitely recommend listening to this one.

Second, I have a particular pet peeve about the choice, particularly among debut authors, to book-end a story set in the past with a prologue and epilogue set further into the future or in the present-day. In this book, the prologue and epilogue are set in the 1960s while the ...more

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Feb 16, 2021 Kathleen (itpdx) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

1938 New York City, the orphaned daughter of Russian immigrants rooms with an Indiana raised bombshell. They are both in their 20’s set their courses by the decisions they make over the year-who they befriend, where they work, where and how they party. And when and how they take chances and steer their own fate. We see the American class system—new money, old money, lost money, married money and what money buys. Prohibition is over. Disturbing things are happening in Europe.
I very much enjoyed ...more

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