Worldly Ways & Byways

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gregory, Eliot, 1854-1915

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Other Title:

Worldly Ways and Byways

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Worldly Ways & Byways" by Eliot Gregory is a collection of essays written in the late 19th century that humorously explores the intricacies of social behavior and cultural norms in American society. The text touches upon various themes, including the roles of charm and the evolving expectations of women, the peculiarities of American manners, and the engage-and-reengage dynamics of social interactions. Through light, philosophical musings, Gregory illustrates the absurdities and contradictions present in contemporary social life. The opening of "Worldly Ways & Byways" presents a reflection on social customs, particularly focusing on the nature of charm and the transformations in societal expectations for women. Gregory begins by discussing the historic Pele Mele-a custom in which rank is not recognized-and draws parallels to modern society, portraying it as a perpetual competition for social standing. He highlights how charm, often overlooked in the modern woman, plays a crucial role in social interactions, lamenting that contemporary behaviors might detract from the enduring allure and influence of femininity. The author invites readers to consider deep questions surrounding identity and social expectations, setting the stage for a witty and insightful examination of American cultural life at the turn of the 20th century. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Contents:

Charm

The moth and the star

Contrasted travelling

The outer and the inner woman

On some gilded misalliances

The complacency of mediocrity

The discontent of talent

Slouch

Social suggestion

Bohemia

Social exiles

"Seven Ages" of furniture

Our elite and public life

The small summer hotel

A false start

A holy land

Royalty at play

A rock ahead

The Grand Prix

"The treadmill"

"Like master like man"

An English invasion of the Riviera

A common weakness

Changing Paris

Contentment

The climber

The last of the dandies

A nation on the wing

Husks

The Faubourg St. Germain

Men's manners

An ideal hostess

The introducer

A question and an answer

Living on Your friends

American society in Italy

The Newport of the past

A conquest of Europe

A race of slaves

Introspection.

Credits:

Transcribed from the 1899 Charles Scribner's Sons edition by David Price

Notes:

Reading ease score: 61.5 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.

Release date is 1995-12-01