I See Rude People: One Woman's Battle to Beat Some Manners into Impolite Society

This book, to me, is basically about a woman yelling at the world and explaining all the "rude" things she thinks ought to be changed. Since it's not a how-to instruction about how to best to talk to rude people nor is it a collection of amusing anecdote stories (which I was hoping for) but rather it's her tales of objecting to loud phone talkers, telemarketers & crying children in public spaces and how she aggressive hounds people, hunts down their personal phone numbers, calls wives of telemarketers to complain and sends bills for money to be paid her for any offensive "rude" intrusion, even take you to court---she's a bully. I definitely believe there is a time to speak up to be assertive to address things such as someone using their cell phone in movie theater in front of me while film is on or teens swearing F word at gym nearby (which I have politely spoken to). But her style is aggressive: harassing, demeaning and focused on winning "her way." Her telemarketing chapter is very dated: she was clearly still using a land-line phone (she slams a phone down in anger hanging up) and apparently no answering machine (a phone ringing and ringing until she feels she must answer it.) The book was published in 2010. Answering machines became available in the 90's. She advocates the government "no call list" and maybe that was effective once upon a time, but back between 2009 and 2013, when I put my then cell phone number on that list the telemarketing calls INCREASED exponentially and I quickly realized telemarketers were cleverly using that "no call list" for number harvesting rather then respecting it as a stop. The problems she was having with a land-line in the day are just not relevant any more. She offered examples of how she'd google executives personal home phones to harangue them to "pay" her fees for bothering her by phone or hunt down a company PR person's office phone to harangue them for that company to "pay" her fee bothering her----I question the legality of that & the possibility of harassment charges? I would never suggest such things as a good idea. Her last chapter is on being nice. She ought to have led with that. If foul language and Fwords bother you, this book is FULL of them! Believe me, this is NOT a five-star read!

Totally refreshing and fabulous book. Amy Alkon does a wonderful job of creating a fun to read, entertaining book that is also practical and slips in the science as well. No one is surprised that there are rude people out there, we deal with them every day. But Amy's insights are entertaining and helpful...and very topical, like the discussion of people big and rude enough to annex half your plane seat. :-)Totally worth the price and more.

...because Amy Alkon will knee-cap them with crow-bar of her searing wit. Ms. Alkon writes of her efforts to save us from the the petit sociopaths of society: the cell yeller, the anonymous Internet character assassin, and the child-controlled parent. This book is plain cover-to-cover funny. I was impressed by her social and psychological analysis of humankind's roots and de-evolution of its ill-behavior. Our barely post-Paleolithic brains are not handling modern tools too well and we're not behaving too well outside of the cave. Buy, read, laugh, and learn.

Amy Alkon is one of the cleverest writers out there. Her wit is a sharp instrument, and she uses it not just to get a laugh here and there, but also to make you think. She's fearless as she calls rude people on their behavior - from the guy talking on his cell phone and holding up the line (because he's talking, not paying) to telemarketers who unashamedly call all hours of the day. In addition, she also goes into detail about some of the reasons we're seeing an increase of rudeness and selfish behavior in society today. Ms. Alkon's book is a great read, and a lot of people on my Christmas list will be getting a copy. Hopefully they won't think I'm hinting that they're rude ;-)

Rude people beware: Amy Alkon may see you, and if she does, it is unlikely to be a pleasant experience for you. Car thieves, "underparenting" parents, cell-phone users, and telemarketers have all attracted her ire, and she has responded with persistence and ingenuity in ways that most of us can only dream of. But this book is not just a rant about the unmannered. Alkon skillfully weaves in learning from the fields of psychology and anthropology (among others) to explain why we face such a scourge of the impolite. People have always been "grabby, self-involved jerks," but the anonymity of modern society means that they are no longer constrained by the norms of the small groups that traditionally kept those jerky tendencies in check. This a book for everyone. Those burdened by the impolite may learn defensive strategies, or at least learn that they have a champion in Amy Alkon. If we're lucky, the impolite will learn that what they do is actually impolite, causing them to change their ways; at the very least, however, they will learn to look over their shoulders. "I See Rude People" is delightfully entertaining. Those familiar with Alkon's advice column ([...]) will recognize her wit and energy. After reading "I See Rude People," those not familiar with her column will be impelled to make it a regular destination for an "Alkon fix."

I've been reading Ms. Alkon's column for many years, and I was prepared to enjoy her book. Amy probably snapped at about the same time I did in regards to 'rude people'. I will quote from page 120: "I thought kids and I had a deal: I'd stay out of Chuck E. Cheese if they stayed out of the martini lounge." This hits me at home from both sides, and I am still laughing. This book is even better than my expectations. As much as I enjoy visiting her blog, I get involved in the discussions there and sometimes forget that Amy is there. And this book really was an evening with Amy. She's sassy, precocious, and absolutely fabulous in the way she relates her stories and views. Ms Alkon makes you laugh and makes you think. And from her precisely sharp wit she provides us all with courage to make the world a little more friendly, and a better place. The advicegoddess is my new Dave Barry. And with much better hair. I can't wait to send copies of her book to friends and foe.