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Rules of Civility

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Rules of Civility

By: Amor Towles
Narrated by: Graeme Malcolm, Rebecca Lowman
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About this listen

The unforgettable debut by the bestselling author of A Gentleman in Moscow and The Lincoln Highway

On the last night of 1937, twenty-five-year-old Katey Kontent is in a second-rate New York City jazz bar trying to stretch three dollars as far as it will go.

But a chance encounter with the handsome banker at the next table changes everything, opening the door to the upper echelons of New York society and a glittering new social circle. Plunged into a dizzy world of cocktail parties, sprawling mansions and glamorous magazine offices, Katey soon learns that there are rules to play by and riches can turn to rags in the trip of a heartbeat . . .

©2011 Amor Towles (P)2011 Penguin Audio 20th Century Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Urban Romance New York Witty Heartfelt City

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Critic reviews

Terrific. A smart, witty, charming dry martini of a novel (David Nicholls, author of ONE DAY)
This is a flesh-and-blood tale you believe in, with fabulous period detail. It's all too rare to find a fun, glamorous, semi-literary tale to get lost in . . . While you're lost in the whirl of silk stockings, fur and hip flasks, all you care about is what Katey Kontent does next (Viv Groskop)
Who doesn't want to be transported to Thirties Manhattan? (Lucy Mangan, author of ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?)
All stars
Most relevant  
Amor Towles has done it again! At least for me!, Having read *A Gentleman in Moscow* and *The Lincoln Highway*, iI had set my expectations high.

This latest (technically his first) book does not disappoint, delving into human nature with romance and adventure as a backdrop. Towles deftly transports readers to different realms by weaving artistic and literary references into the narrative as if using invisible footnotes. His storytelling is a captivating journey through layers of culture and emotion, leaving you eagerly anticipating what lies on the next page.

Splendid! Beautifully written snd profound!

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not my kind of tale...but good background when doing housework.
I would not recommend it.

too long for the content

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Full disclosure: I LOVED Gentleman in Moscow and thoroughly enjoyed Lincoln Highway… Towles writing here is just as magnificent, though the story itself - a relationship melodrama - is not my usual brew and not especially interesting (though I did find Katy C particularly endearing). That said, the way AT brings alive the period kept me reading happily, if not magnetically, to the end.

Poetic Prose

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I love the way Amor Towles writes. This was the first full length novel of his I have listened to, but it will not be the last. Set mostly in 1938 and with echoes of both Gatsby and Bright Lights,Big City, the story of the heroine’s rise from humble beginnings to a position of some influence, mirrored by the waxing and waning fortunes of the central male character and his ultimate rejection of the high life, make for an engaging tale, but the book’s main character is probably the city of New York.

Beautifully written, beautifully read. A real treat.

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Loved this story of life in NYC in 1938 / 1939. Amor Towles is a master writer.

Excellent book

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So beautifully written, and read well and with a dreamlike quality, evoking the magic of youth and a bygone age.

Beautifully written and read

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Another gem from the pen of Amor Towles. Magnificent prose & wonderful narration. I loved it and would highly recommend.

superb

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I think the fact that this is so different to AGIM shows the fantastic range of this author. Reminiscent of Fitzgerald and lots of other literary references. Good pace and good listen/read but took concentration

The road to Kent

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Although this may fall slightly short of the charms of A Gentlemen in Moscow this is not to this book’s detriment. This is a beautifully crafted story. A real treasure.

An amazing first novel

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Loved everything about it. Every time I opened the book, I was effortlessly immersed in the Manhattan of 1938.

The evocative writing.

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