These engaging volumes were originally published in the 1920s, as part of a series which sought to help the middle classes acquire and perfect social decorum. Filled with timeless advice and charming historical detail, these books are the perfect gift for anyone who ever struggled to write a letter or expressed concern over the extinction of good manners, offering encouragement and amusement alike.

How should a motorist converse with the police? Should you switch off your headlights when another car approaches? What parts of the engine can you fix with a sheet of emery paper, insulating tape and copper wire? The 1920s heralded the age of motoring with the arrival of the 'affordable' Austin Seven and the increasing popularity of Morris Motors in Britain. Yet the first edition of the Highway Code would not appear for another decade and the rules of the road were rudimentary to say the least. This charming and practical guide provides enduring advice to novice motorists on how to cope with such hazards as skidding, headlight dazzle and sheep on the road, much of which is still instructive on today's car journeys. Many of the author's observations will strike a chord with the modern driver: When driving, look on all other drivers as fools... Others evoke the style and etiquette of a glamorous bygone era: A good chauffeur... will save his employer a great deal of expense; an average speed of twenty miles per hour... allows you and your passengers to see something of the countryside. Covering such topics as unscrupulous second-hand car dealers, women drivers and dashboard delights, this little book provides all the information needed to get maximum enjoyment out of the open road, complete with leisurely picnics and a little light motor-car maintenance.

Everyone knows a joke about mothers-in-law, but what are the golden rules you need to become a popular one? The authors of this pioneering guide, first published in the 1930s, aimed to dramatically improve relationships for all the family with sound advice which is as relevant today as it was in the early twentieth century: If your opinion is not sought, don't volunteer it. Practical tips are given on a range of issues, such as how to visit a married daughter, how best to interact with grandchildren, how not to pass comment at the dinner table and what degree of independence should be granted to married sons. The guide even contemplates living with the married couple and offers advice on how to negotiate this situation, as well as giving examples of how not to behave on your son or daughter's wedding day. Packed with amusing scenarios of provocative behaviour as well as pithy advice, and illustrated with contemporary line drawings, this charming guide will win over both novices and veterans in this much maligned role.

How should men and women embark on a new relationship? Is it acceptable to flirt? Should one ever kiss in a canoe? What is the ideal age gap for marriage? What gifts are appropriate for a fiancee? How should one announce an engagement? Aimed at the romantically inclined in the 1930s, this charming self-help guide is dedicated to the etiquette of choosing, wooing and winning a prospective partner. Written with both sexes in mind, this little book is brimming with nuggets of useful advice, by turns humorous, old-fashioned and timeless: Don't attempt kissing in a canoe unless you are both able to swim. Don't delay falling in love until you have reached middle age. To be easily won is to be lightly valued. It is very inadvisable to marry anyone who laughs at your parents. Don't hesitate to break off an engagement if you consider you have made a mistake. Do bear in mind when there's any mistletoe about that two heads are better than one. Delightfully illustrated with contemporary line drawings, How to be a Good Lover appears in the same series as How to be a Good Husband and How to be a Good Wife. All three guides were written for the middle classes of the 1930s — who were reading one of the first modern self-help series on relationships.

A century ago, hereditary rulers governed the great world powers. The royal houses of Europe, Africa and Asia once ruled continents and the dominions beyond the seas. Today, just ten monarchs still reign in Europe, their powers significantly curbed. Where have all the royals gone? This book presents postcard images of lost emperors, kings and queens, czars and czarinas, princes, grand dukes, dukes, and duchesses. From the Balkans to the Iberian peninsula, these regal portraits hint at the values of another era and capture something of the essence of the long-vanished world of international royalty.

The art of being a good husband is not an easy one. This little guide was written for the middle classes of the 1930s who were reading one of the first modern self-help books. Illustrated with contemporary line-drawings, it contains advice by turns delightfully arcane and timelessly true, for example: don't squeeze the tube of toothpaste from the top instead of from the bottom — this is one of the small things of life that always irritates a careful wife; don't think that your wife has placed waste-paper baskets in the rooms as ornaments; don't tell your wife terminological inexactitudes, which are, in plain English, lies — a woman has wonderful intuition for spotting even minor departures from the truth; do cultivate the habit of coming down to breakfast with a smile — remember that as the head of the house, it is your duty to see that everyone starts the day in an atmosphere of happiness; and, don't criticise the food at your own table when you are entertaining and especially refrain from doing so before the servants.

The art of being a good wife is not an easy one. This little guide was written for the middle classes of the 1930s who were reading one of the first modern self-help books. Illustrated with contemporary line-drawings, it contains advice by turns delightfully arcane and timelessly true, for example: it is a wife's duty to look her best — if you don't tidy yourself up, when you have done the bulk of the day's work, don't be surprised if your husband begins to compare you unfavourably with the typist at the office; don't forget that a wife can always set the standard of behaviour for the home — if she allows laxities of dress or conversation at the table she will soon find that they become a fixed procedure; don't forget that very true remark that while face powder may catch a man, baking powder is the stuff to hold him; and, don't criticise the food at your own table when you are entertaining and especially refrain from doing so before the servants. After all is said and done, husbands are not terribly difficult to manage.

All you need is love? Not according to W. H. Collingridge, the author of this essential guide to finding, wooing, and securing a suitable partner. Originally published in 1855, this brisk, no-nonsense handbook still has much to teach lovers and their suitors today. Love is a perilous business and the task of choosing a partner is compared to the perils of walking on thin ice. Reassuringly, the author guides the reader through the primary considerations of choice: age, health, tempter, fortune, morals, position in society, acquirements, and individualities. There is advice on the craft of writing love letters, how lovers should behave in public, and how to deal with rejection. Mixing direct instruction with short passages of borrowed verse, this book is full of sage guidance such as 'both men and women vary greatly as to the age at which they arrive at maturity; marriage should never be undertaken before that age, and generally never after.' Through all the advice, the institution of marriage shines and is credited with conferring a host of virtues, how it sharpness men's intellects, improves their morals, and 'by a certain necessity' enlarges their energy. This new, sumptuously designed edition will delight everyone with a sweetheart, and caution everyone without to choose wisely.