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  • Rules of Civility

  • A Novel
  • Written by: Amor Towles
  • Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman
  • Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (168 ratings)

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Rules of Civility

Written by: Amor Towles
Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman
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Publisher's Summary

From the number one New York Times best-selling author of The Lincoln Highway and A Gentleman in Moscow, a “sharply stylish” (Boston Globe) book about a young woman in post-Depression era New York who suddenly finds herself thrust into high society - now with over one million readers worldwide.

On the last night of 1937, 25-year-old Katey Kontent is in a second-rate Greenwich Village jazz bar when Tinker Grey, a handsome banker, happens to sit down at the neighboring table. This chance encounter and its startling consequences propel Katey on a year-long journey into the upper echelons of New York society - where she will have little to rely upon other than a bracing wit and her own brand of cool nerve.

With its sparkling depiction of New York’s social strata, its intricate imagery and themes, and its immensely appealing characters, Rules of Civility won the hearts of readers and critics alike.

©2011 Amor Towles (P)2011 Penguin
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What listeners say about Rules of Civility

Average Customer Ratings
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Rules of Civility

Extraordinary writing that fully deserved Rebecca Lowman’s reading, which was expressive without the exaggerated changes in voice to denote characters that is so common. What a treat.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Beautiful Story - Well Told

My First audiobook. Decided to try this after reading “ A Gentleman in Moscow .” Both books are books to read if you enjoy a good story, well told , with amazing insights into human behaviour and a story line you will want to see through to the climax. The epilogue in “ Rules of Civility” was one of the best parts. Imagine that !
The language is so enjoyable to read and hear. The characters are so diverse, with a little of each of us in everyone of them. Read it. Hear it. You will not regret it.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amor Toweles - Rules of Civility

Amor Toweles weaves wonderful stories and this is no exception. This book was wise, witty,funny,sad and totally enjoyable. I want to listen again to catch everything I may have missed the 1st time.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A great listen - story and narrator

Found myself immersed in this story - not thinking of anything but the characters and events throughout.
As with a Gentleman in Moscow, it was hard to get a handle on where the story was going, but, the peeling
away of layers draws the listener in and it all comes together by the end.
Enjoyed the addition of George Washington's "Rules of Civility" at the end - most of them are still relevant
and could be put into practice today.
#Audible1 continues to do great things matching narrators and stories!

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2 people found this helpful

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They don't write books like this anymore

The thing that stands out most about this book is how beautifully written it is, feeling almost like a piece of classical literature. It was so lovely I was swept up in it's charm from the beginning. The narrator was excellent and brought a lot of depth, however sometimes I felt like if I was reading it in my own head, the happy parts would've felt a bit more joyful. That being said, the voices were excellent, and you could hear the personality of every character.
The story brings 1930's New York to vivid life which was so much fun to listen to. The characters had so many layers and continued to surprise you, especially just when you thought you had them figured out. The conclusion was satisfying and the story was bitter sweet. I'm happy to have read this one.
Read it if you love New York City, historical fiction, classic literature, or any and all of the above. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.

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7 people found this helpful

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Literary Historical Novel

Solid 4.5 star novel. I came to this after the amazing Gentleman of Moscow (one of the best audio books) - but this novel is not the same sublime reading experience, but for a debut novel it is astounding.

Wonderfully written, lyrical prose. It just does not land as well as his later novel.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved this book!

Be ready to be transported to New York City in the 30's and 40's. An extremely well told story told from the perspective of an interesting and independent woman, not prone to convention or loveless relationships. Full of fun, adventure, heartbreak, serendipity and rich characters. Lots of insights to the publishing world. The perfect narrator for the story.

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1 person found this helpful

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Beautifully written and performed

I purchased this in the hope that it would be as good as A Gentleman in Moscow, which I read last year. I was not disappointed. Amor Towles has the ability to bring his characters to life and create stories that keep you engaged. I listened to the short excerpt from A Gentleman in Moscow that was included at the end of this audiobook and that too was brilliantly performed. I'm thinking of purchasing it even though I have already read the book.

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Amazing

Such a wonderful story amazingly and eloquently written… and the perfectly selected voice to execute this audio…

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Sheer elegance of writing; under anyone else’s pen this could have been boring but it was riveting the entire way through.

Hard to pin point how incredible his writing is, or why it’s so riveting. Towles has this ability to use words flawlessly.

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