P. M. Forni (1951–2018)

Forni doesn't teach us anything new here. Don't say ill will about others. Be mindful of the noise you make. Wear clean clothing. Yet these 25 rules are constantly overlooked by us all in daily life and this book serves as the gentle reminder that we need in order to make this world a better place.One of my new years resolutions was to make an even more considerable effort of being kind to others. This book has become one of my bibles. I will carry it until it with me until it's ragged and show more torn. Civility has become absent from our subconscious and we need reminders like these to counsel us along in our journeys. Not only is this a self-help book for our world, but a self-help book for our lives. We are social beings and our happiness is affected by how we coexist with others. Taking the first step and showing utmost respect towards others will improve our relationships and consequently, our own lives. show less

Very readable, thought-provoking book about courtesy, politeness, civility, whatever you want to call it.

What I liked: It tried to find a balance between paying attention to/respecting the needs of yourself and paying attention to/respecting the needs of others. Being civil doesn't just mean accommodating the requests of others, it also means recognizing your own boundaries and expressing your needs (politely). Basically, be mindful of yourself and the world around you, whether in terms of show more making noise, making apologies, accepting blame, or caring for animals. It's not just about making the world a more comfortable place, but about making yourself a better person.

What I had problems with: Sometimes the rule-based nature was a bit off-putting. I would have liked it more if it had dwelt more on the personal benefits of engaging in civil behavior. show less

Our America is just crying out for a book like that. We Americans are rude. Have we always been this way? Or is it just our increased number of human interactions that make for more rudeness. In any case, Forni takes on every possible case of rudeness and proposes what we are to do about it. His fundamental approach: confrontation, albeit gentle confrontation. His solutions did not seem plausible to me. I find it almost impossible to imagine that someone who spits in public would completely show more change their behavior when approached by a stranger and gently scolded. I found him to be on spot when he spoke about things we can do in our own lives to rein in our own rude behaviors. He suggests that we slow down, become empathetic, remain positive, respect others, disagree graciously, become familiar with those around us, watch small things in our lives, and ask rather than telling. show less

I love the premise of this book - that we don't spend enough time just thinking. A lot of people are so caught up in the activities of their lives that they never spend a moment to think about what it all means. This is a great book to help you assess whether or not you do enough thinking. It is a quick read and has some good stories that reinforce the ideas.