Here's an etiquette book that teens will want to read―because it keeps them laughing, doesn't preach, and deals with issues that matter to them, as teens themselves reported in a nationwide survey. In How Rude!, author Alex J. Packer blends outrageous humor with sound advice as he guides readers through the mysterious world of manners from A ("Applause") to Z ("Zits"). He starts by explaining why etiquette is important―because people who know how to handle themselves in social situations come out on top, get what they want, feel good about themselves, and enjoy life to the fullest. Fourteen chapters describe the basics of polite behavior in all kinds of situations at home, in school, and in the world. Teens learn how to be a host with the most (and a guest with the best), what to do (and not do) when going online or waiting in line, how to deal with rude relatives, how to act at the mall and the concert hall, how to make introductions, who invented manners, and much more. Hundreds of "Dear Alex" questions and answers cover everything from dating to breaking up, thank-you notes to table manners, ethnic jokes to social cliques, skateboarding to celebrating. Survey results reveal what teens, parents, and teachers think about manners and why they're important. Full of practical tips for every occasion, How Rude! is a serious etiquette encyclopedia―and a hilarious read.
'Etiquette Guru to the Youth of America,' Alex J. Packer, Ph.D., is an educator, psychologist, and award-winning author of numerous books for parents and teenagers including How Rude! The Teen Guide to Good Manners, Proper Behavior, and Not Grossing People Out and Slaying Digital Dragons ™ Tips and tools for protecting your body, brain, psyche, and thumbs from the digital dark side. Alex's books have been translated into many languages, including Spanish, German, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Mandarin, Greek, Romanian, and Serbian.
Alex is sought after by the media for his provocative commentary on manners, child-rearing, and substance abuse prevention, and has been the subject of numerous radio, television, and print interviews. Alex has led workshops and lectured widely across the United States and around the world. Talks have taken him to locations as far-flung as Caracas, Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Paris, Hamburg, Shanghai, Bogota, Beijing, Tokyo, and Mexico City.
Numerous associations have invited Alex to speak and lead workshops at their conferences, including the European Council of International Schools (ECIS), National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Association of Boarding Schools (TABS), Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE) and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).
For 14 years, Alex was President and CEO of FCD Educational Services. Founded in 1976 and recently acquired by Hazelden, FCD is the leading nonprofit provider of onsite K-12 substance abuse prevention services for schools throughout the United States and in over 65 countries abroad. For eight years, Alex was headmaster of an innovative alternative school in Washington, DC for children ages 11-15. He also served as Director of Education for the Capital Children's Museum.
His feature-length screenplay, "Digby and Fly," won Grand Prize in the Massachusetts Film Office Screenwriting Competition. His proposal for an interactive family television series was optioned by Popular Arts Entertainment in Los Angeles. Alex graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy and holds undergraduate and Master's degrees from Harvard University and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a Ph.D. in Educational and Developmental Psychology from Boston College.
