On October 27, 1872, Emily Post was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She would become one of America’s most influential authorities on social behavior. In 1922, she published Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics, and at Home, bringing practical advice and a sharp sense of humor to a subject often associated with rigid formality. Her approach emphasized good sense and consideration for others—not simply knowing which fork to use.
Her wit shines in a section titled “The Personality of a Handshake.” Who, she asked, could like a “boneless” hand offered as though it were “a spray of sea-weed, or a miniature boiled pudding”? A proper handshake, she advised, should be brief, with “strength and warmth” in the clasp, while looking into the other person’s face. It was a small social ritual, but one she treated as an opportunity to convey genuine welcome.
Post’s own life was less conventional than her reputation might suggest. She published her first novel in 1904, before a public scandal over her husband’s infidelity brought their marriage to an end. She used her writing to help support herself and her two sons, building a career as a novelist, journalist, and travel writer before Etiquette made her a household name. She also chronicled a cross-country automobile journey—an experience far removed from the drawing-room stereotype. The woman who became synonymous with proper behavior had built an independent professional life of her own.
