It started with the toaster. Now the vacuum cleaner has feelings, the telephone answers itself and a seven-foot gentleman of polished chrome would like to be addressed as Sir. The machines have taken charge, but that is no excuse for bad manners. Sixty gracious courtesies for keeping the peace with the new management, from the proper curtsy for an appliance to the polite surrender. Every skill fits on one illustrated page.
“A kind word works on every model.”Old household saying
The television says ATTENTION, HUMANS. The lawnmower mows portraits of the toaster. Mother is coming to meet the robot. This book is the calm, gracious voice your family needs, written in the trusted style of the old etiquette books, with a painting for every step.
From the first talking toaster to the handshake of lasting friendship, every courtesy fits on a single page.
Painted 1950s scenes of the family and their chrome, tin and toaster-shaped guests show exactly what to do.
Good-natured humor about oil cans, punch cards and very polite robots. Everyone is welcome at this table, whatever they run on.
US Letter pages with color tabs on the edge, ready for a binder or a print shop.
Each chapter opens with a full-page painting and a short introduction, then moves through its skills one page at a time.
Chapter One · Skills 01–06Recognizing the uprising without making a scene
Chapter Two · Skills 07–14Making your home comfortable for its new owners
Chapter Three · Skills 15–21Who bows to whom in the mechanical age
Chapter Four · Skills 22–27Table manners when half the guests run on electricity
Chapter Five · Skills 28–34What to say, what to write and what never to mention
Chapter Six · Skills 35–40Raising polite children in a mechanical household
Chapter Seven · Skills 41–47At the market, the office and the beauty parlor
Chapter Eight · Skills 48–54Surrenders, short circuits and other awkward moments
Chapter Nine · Skills 55–60Living happily ever after, with spare parts
1
2
3
4
A green side panel lists what to gather, from a silver oil can to a lace doily for the outlet, with a picture of each item.
The skill number, its chapter, how long it takes and how hard it is. "Skill 01 · The Day the Toaster Talked Back · 5 minutes · Easy."
Six painted steps, each with a short title and plain instructions you can read across the kitchen, even while the toaster is watching.
The things that go wrong, called out before they happen. “Never unplug an appliance while it is speaking.”
Tap a page to see it full size. Scroll sideways for more.
Every robot from the Chrome Gentleman to the Supreme Computer, what it used to be, how to address it and what to offer it.
The robot hospitality kit, the list for before the robots come to supper and what to bring to an audience with the Supreme Computer.
Oil on the tablecloth, rust spots, squeaky joints and forks stuck to a guest: a handy chart for every mishap.
Tick off each skill once you’ve done it, look up odd words, and find any topic fast.
The printed book is a full-color paperback with a glossy cover, the size of a magazine. Each copy is printed fresh when you order it and mailed to your door. Take a look inside above; the rest is waiting in the book.