24 Karat Etiquette: Golden Rules from the World’s Most Glamorous Zip Code

Manners are the grease on the axles of socializing, and in a community like Beverly Hills, they can be notably lacking. It comes as no surprise that Gaché, founder of Beverly Hills Manners, carved out a niche for herself teaching the rich and famous how to comport themselves with dignity and grace. Here, the etiquette guru provides advice on every aspect of life that her clients might encounter, from social media to travel, from marriage to what to do if you screw up in public. While some of Gaché’s points—particularly those grounded in common decency, basic hygiene, and consideration—are universal, much of her advice is coupled with class and income assumptions (such as that the reader takes tea in Beverly Hills) that won’t be relevant to most Americans. In many ways, the book serves less as a guide for proper behavior and more as a glimpse into an isolated, exotic culture based in artifice and illusions. Agent: Ian Kleinert and Jill Mazursky, Objective Entertainment. (Sept.)