Book Review: Pearls of Polish by Diane Gottsman
Diane Gottsman, is the owner of The Protocol School of Texas, a company that specializes in executive leadership and business etiquette training. She earned a Master’s Degree in Sociology with the focus on adult behavior. She is a sought out industry leader, national etiquette authority, television personality, accomplished speaker, and author of the book “Pearls of Polish”. Her clients range from university students to Fortune 500 companies. Diane Gottsman’s training seminars include topics from tattoos in the workplace to technology at the dinner table and the correct use of social media. Her approach to daily etiquette dilemmas is informative, contemporary, fun and stylish.
She is a well-known etiquette expert for two popular morning talk shows, SA Living and Good Day Austin. She is also a Huffington Post blogger, is regularly quoted in media such as CNN, Forbes, The New York Times, Kiplinger’s, US News, The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune and World Report. Her popular blog regularly attracts international attention. I highly recommend to visit her website at http://www.DianeGottsman.com air http://www.ProtocolSchoolofTexas.com and to follow her on Twitter @DianeGottsman.
Diane Gottsman’s book “Pearls of Polish” is a practical guide that provides solutions in both business and social situations. There is no such thing as perfection, however, planning and knowledge are the keys to power and polish.
Pearls of Polish: 12 Things I love about Diane Gottsman’s book
# 1 — The design, illustrations and general layout. Once I had a look inside the book it instantly caught my attention.
# 2 — The variety and quantity of topics covered. You will really find tips in it which will come in handy on a daily basis.
# 3 — The pocket-sized format and the cover page. (When I look at the author’s website, blog, book etc. it always gives me the impression of a very polished, classy, sophisticated woman.)
# 4 — The fact that the main tips where highlighted in red in order to make it instantly more memorable. When I’m reading books I always highlight the best parts with a pen, this book made it easy for me.
# 5 — The quiz at the beginning regarding women’s corporate etiquette attire. (This idea could have been applied to other chapters as well, people love testing their Etiquette IQ.)
# 6 — This book included topics on which you don’t find much information in other etiquette books, such as: tips for getting along with your in-laws, camping, parenting, classroom tips, parade etiquette, cigar etiquette, roommate etiquette, teaching children to respect pets, social dilemmas (dealing with ex-spouses), tips for hiring a housekeeper, coffee shop etiquette and many more.
# 7 — Certain topics have been presented in a more detailed way (compared to other etiquette books), such as: stationery, small talk topics, how to read a difficult menu, texting etiquette.
# 8 — The examples regarding “Asking for a pay raise” are brilliant! The author made a comparison of a poor and a good example. I loved this one, and would recommend it to anyone who is in the process of asking for a raise.
# 9 — The illustrations of setting the tea table. Usually what you can find is how to set a table (which you can find also in this book). Also the chapter on tea etiquette was very educational and enriching.
# 10 — Many suggested reading lists at the end of various chapters and at the end of the book. This gives you an idea of other books on certain topics if you want to know more about it.
# 11 — At the end of the book you will find pages for taking notes. That made it easy for me to write my thoughts for this review while reading the book.
# 12 — An original conclusion with pearls of wisdom, pearls of forgiveness, pearls of love, pearls of humility, pearls of service, and last but not least PEARLS OF POLISH.
What I didn’t expect
Since the book “Pearls of Polish” is targeted to women, I was surprised to find an entire chapter for men called “Tools & Tact — for the man in your life”. There are some really interesting tips in it. I particularly enjoyed reading: Breakfast in bed, the art of the love letter, roommate etiquette.
How I would rate it
I would give “Pearls of Polish” a 9.5 out of 10. I would have given it a 10, if it would have included some more real life stories, like the one in chapter “Parade Etiquette”. Also four good examples of Thank-you notes have been provided.
One more thing
“I would be very proud to pass on PEARLS OF POLISH to my daughter once she is a bit older. I would say this is not just a must-read but a must-gift for every woman. An ideal treat for a lady’ on her 18th birthday. It provides tips which she would find useful for the rest of her life”. Karin Schroeck-Singh
Book Title: Pearls of Polish — An Etiquette Guide for today’s busy woman
Author: Diane Gottsman
ISBN: 978–0–578–00926–1
Year of Pubication: 2009
Number of pages: 202
Can be ordered at: http://www.protocolschooloftexas.com/pearls-of-polish/ or at http://www.amazon.com
Price: $ 17.95
Content:
* Office Protocol
* Dining Skills
* Social Savvy
* Dating Etiquette
* Friendship
* Tea Time
* Weddings
* Stationery
* Etiquette on the Go
* Parenting
* Tools & Tact: For the Man in Your Life
If you know anyone who could benefit from this book “Pearls of Polish”, make sure you share it. Thanks!
