Terry Wasserman

Parts of a Book Assignment

8 February 2009
ILS 504
Prof. Okobi
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Introduction:

The objective of this assignment is to display our understanding of preliminary

material in print reference materials. To this end we were to choose any book that was on

reserve for this course at the library. Interestingly, none of the branch libraries in my

borough had the suggested titles (Book Review Digest, Book Review Index, Famous First

Facts or Encyclopedia of Communication). Instead I will be describing Emily Post’s

Etiquette which is an updated version of the original 1922 guide to modern etiquette by

Post’s great-granddaughter-in-law, Peggy Post (married to Emily Post’s great-grandson

Allen).

Title Page:

The title page contains the title, author, edition and publisher information. Emily

Post’s Etiquette, by Peggy Post, the 17th edition, published by Harper Collins.

Verso of the title page:

The verso of the title page contains the trademark registration, the copyright

notice, publishing information including the address of the publisher, the names of the

book designer and illustrator, Library of Congress cataloguing-in-publication data, the

International Standard Book Number and the Printers key. In this book, Emily Post is a

registered trademark of the Emily Post Institute Inc.; the copyright is as of 2004 also by

the Emily Post Inst. Inc.; published by Harper Collins Publishers Inc. 10 E 53rd St. NY,

NY 10022; book designed by Ralph Fowler and illustrated by Martie Holmer; LOC CIP

data is Post, Peggy Emily Post’s Etiquette.—17th ed./Peggy Post. p. cm. Includes Index;
3 T. Wasserman, Parts of a Book, ILS 504, Spr 09, Okobi

ISBN 0-06-620957-9; and the Printer’s key is 04 05 06 07 08 WB/QW 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

1.

The Scope of the Resource:

The book is meant to assist readers in thoughtfully dealing with modern life’s

everyday situations including some of the more unusual ones. It gives guidance in

competently handling everything from formal greetings to irritating neighbours, from

“netiquette” to being a good houseguest and from online dating to table manners.

The Table of Contents include nine sections with a brief abstract about each

section—the sections are “1. Everyday Etiquette, 2. Relationships, 3. Children and Teens,

4. Communication and Protocol, 5. Dining and Entertainment, 6. Celebrations and

Ceremonies, 7. Weddings, 8. You and Your Job and 9. Travel Etiquette.” If a reader is

looking for the appropriate way to handle a situation, pretty much any situation, this book

will provide guidance.

Information Provided in the Preface:

This book does not contain a preface, rather it has both Acknowledgements and A

Note to Readers. In the Acknowledgements, the author thanks particular people who

contributed to her book and her understanding of etiquette in different cultures. She also

thanks her family. In her Note to Readers, Peggy Post briefly describes the need that

precipitated the creation of the first edition of the book by her great grandmother-in-law,

Emily Post. At the end of the Victorian era and the dawn of the Jazz Age, a new set of

more fluid guidelines was deemed necessary by which everyone could comport

themselves (not just the upper classes). This current edition is based on a reappraisal of
4 T. Wasserman, Parts of a Book, ILS 504, Spr 09, Okobi

all of the former editions and includes answers to questions put forth by readers in Post’s

columns in both Good Housekeeping and Parents magazines.

Information about Additional Materials in the back of the book:

The only additional material provided at the end of this book is the index which is

given alphabetically but also includes subheadings within entries. An example follows

from the Index on pg. 849:

applause
public performance 824, 826, 827
wedding ceremony 716-717

Pertinent Information on When/How to Use:

The Table of Contents include within it the nine afore-mentioned sections and

brief explanatory abstracts. After these abstracts, the sections are further broken down

into chapters—the clarity of this method is so absolute that little else is needed in terms

of explanation as to when or how a reader would go about using this book. For example,

the eighth section, on pg. xi, is entitled “You and Your Job” with following abstract

“Getting along with coworkers and supervisors… Dealing with workplace dilemmas…

Cubicle etiquette… Keeping meetings running smoothly… Business meals, office parties

and other entertainments… Relationships between the sexes…” The chapters are listed

as “43. Life in the Workplace” and “44. The Social Side.” If a reader needed even more

particular information before deciding where to look, s/he could quickly check the index

for a specific subject.