"The Ladies' Etiquette Handbook can be read as a testament to the growing division between social classes and, at the same time, a reflection of the middle class's overwhelming desire to cross social lines through the graces of fine etiquette. Written by a Methodist women's church group in Manchester, New Hampshire, The Ladies' Handbook and Household Assistant provides advice on subjects such as church etiquette, the proper handling of cutlery, and recipes for the socially active household.

Short Hints on Social Etiquette, published as a promotional piece by a Philadelphia soap manufacturer, strives to bring "aristocratic" values into the "republican" home by including descriptions of lavish meals, advice on proper word pronunciation, and illustrations of tasteful calling cards. Interspersed throughout both books are illustrated advertisements that reveal the level of consumerism begun in the 1880s."--BOOK JACKET.