What Would Emily Post Say?

Forget Martha, Oprah, and Rachael Ray.

The original hostess and multimedia queen was Emily Post. In 1922, her book “Etiquette” helped civilize America. Millions read her columns and listened to her radio shows. She taught us that elbows on the table, hunching over the dinner plate, and clutching silverware were, well, no-no’s.

Post's remarkable life spanned Reconstruction, the roaring 20’s, World War II, and the start of the Civil Rights movement. Nearly fifty years since her death, a new biography on the life of this remarkable woman has just been released.

This hour, On Point: civility for these uncivil times. Emily Post, the woman who tamed America.

You can join the conversation. Did you grow up in a house with a well-worn copy of "Etiquette"? Have we become too coarse to pay attention any more? Emily Post saw no difference between etiquette and ethics. Do you? Share your thoughts.
-Guy Raz, guest host

Guests:

With us from New York is Laura Claridge, author of "Emily Post: Daughter of the Gilded Age, Mistress of American Manners."
You can read an excerpt from the book at Laura Claridge's website.

Joining us from Fort Myers, Florida, is Peggy Post, the great-grand-daughter-in-law of Emily Post. Millions seek her advice through her monthly columns in Good Housekeeping and Parents magazine. She is director of the Emily Post Institute.

And with us from Cincinnati, Ohio, is LisaMarie Luccioni, also known as “Cincinnati’s Miss Manners.” She is a professor of communication and teaches business etiquette at the College of Business at the University of Cincinnati.