Whether this little 30 page book is worth the price or whether George Washington copied these as a penmanship excercise from an english translation of some 16th century French Jesuit writings is immaterial.

After you read these "Rules of Civility" you will feel like carrying this little red book around with you and handing it to rude people to read Rule # 1 "Every action done in company aught to be with some sign of respect to those that are present."

How can our kids and grandkids get exposed to this kind of thinking?

George Washington is one of few people in the history of the world to lead a major revolution for freedom and then not "betray the revolution". For that we owe him all the reverence he gets and then some. But as to his being some sort of brilliant 14-year old with these tremendous insights, it's not correct. Washington copied these rules from a translation of a work produced in the 1500's by Jesuits. The Jesuits actually had a few more. Unfortunately, we can't really give him credit for recognizing the importance of the rules and feeling a need to copy them - the copy was most likely assigned as an exercise in penmanship.

BTW, the rules are available all over the web for free.

Let me first say that I'm a George Washington fan. I've read a few biographies of "the first in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen," and was excited to find this work was available in Amazon.com. Not only would I own the only book Washington ever wrote (although it was written at age 14 and was supposed to be a personal list of do's and do not's, not a book), but I would gain valuable insight into Washington's personal mannerisms as he consulted his old list frequently.

I suppose it's my fault for not carefully reading the info that Amazon.com posted. The book is a whopping 30 pages and has 110 Rules, many of which consist of only one sentence. Furthermore, most of the Rules are things that we do without thinking. One rule advises the reader not to speak "with meat in your mouth" or "Put not off your clothes in the presence of others, nor go out of your chamber half dressed." If you regularly discuss current events while a chicken leg is dangling from your teeth or serve a cold beer in your underware (unless, of course, you work at a gentleman's club), you might benefit from this book.

But I weakly attempt humor. Most of the rules, while they are common sense, remind us of how we, over 225 years later, should interact with people. Other rules advise us not to give medical advice to friends if we're not a doctor, you frustrate the sick. Don't be too hasty to spread news of someone else's misfortunes. In a business relationship, make conversation quick and to the point, yet not cold or unpleasant. While I admit that a few (five, maybe) are very outdated, many of these rules are very useful. The small size of the book allows for it to be carried in a purse or briefcase easily so that you can frequently look at it. In sum, if you have the money to burn, I say, get the book. It's helpful and insightful. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't get it as I don't think it's worth the money.

I am writing this on America's 225th birthday. Considering the Father of Our Country's intellect--generously displayed in this slim volume, it's no wondered that America has endured the hard times and prospered so majestically. A few of his rules of civility may seem archaic; "spit not in the fire" discusses an issue that most would agree is not a teeming controversy in the 21st century. Most, though, are as timely as they are sapient. From friendliness, "let your countenance be pleasant," to respectfulness, "turn not your back to others," to the profound, "when a man does all he can though it succeeds not well, blame not him that did it," what George Washington termed rules of civility are truly words of wisdom to live by.

It is staggering to contemplate that a fourteen-year-old boy composed these perspicuous aphorisms. Yet, as the extraordinary man George Washington became later suggested, he was no ordinary fourteen-year-old either.