The Benevolence of Manners by Linda S. Lichter
The Benevolence of Manners: Recapturing the Lost Art
of Gracious Victorian Living (Paperback)
by Linda S. LichterBook Description
We can go home again, and not just to the hearthbut to
the art of love and the art of civilized living. . .Imagine a time when common courtesy was a standard for
all, when a genuine moral authority reigned supreme
and when relations between the sexes were marked by
mutual respect and honor. These were the hallmarks of
the Victorian era.In The Benevolence of Manners, sociologist Linda S.
Lichter guides us on a wonderful journey back to the
complex world of our Victorian ancestors, illuminating
their most precious concepts and presenting a wealth
of invaluable advice for our troubled times: the fine
and elusive art of living.Although the Victorian era is often misunderstood as a
time of sexual repression, it was in fact a time of
sexual floweringwhen love and romance were unshackled
by chronic infidelity and exploitation.In Victorian families, the greatest gift a parent
could give their child was not complete indulgence,
but a strong sense of self-reliance and restraint.Victorian parents successfully instilled confidence
and character in their children by holding them to the
same high standard of civility as adults.Whereas we often seek to be “good enough,” the
Victorians strove for consistent perfection. The
Victorians achieved more, and received more, because
they expected the very best from themselves and
others.These Victorian values, as Lichter eloquently
explains, are not simply outdated relics, but
priceless tools for mending the many problems of our
modern world. If we have the courage to follow the
path the Victorians have left behind, we can regain
the joy of gracious living. Slowly but surely,
Victorian wisdom can again become our own.About the Author
Linda S. Lichter is co-director of the Center for
Media and Public Affairs in Washington D.C. With her
husband, Bob Lichter, she has co-authored The Media
Elite and Watching America, and she has written for
The Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, The New York
Times, and other publications.http://www.amazon.com/Benevolence-Manners-Recapturing-Gracious-Victorian/dp/0060\
987456/The Benevolence of Manners
by Linda LichterThis is a fascinating look at life in Victorian times.
Lichter
explodes many myths about Victorian “prudery” and
demonstrates that
their adherence to rules of etiquette and deportment
actually made
them happier and more at ease than we often are in our
confused,
genderless culture. Lichter is not writing from a
Christian
perspective, but her insights are thought-provoking.
[Note: For older
readers.]http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/bookstore/index.htm
he Benevolence of Manners: Recapturing the Lost Art of
Gracious
Victorian Living
By Linda S. Lichter (1999)Price: $13.00
Abigail’s Review:
Linda Lichter has written a book that truly points out
all that our
enlightened era has lost in valuable manners and
virtues over the past
century. With a number of reflective essays and
examples, we are drawn
to raise concern over the losses we have sustained
including family,
home and hearth, national pride and morality.
