A name synonymous with etiquette and everyday courtesy, writer Emily Price Post (1872–1960) was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of a famed architect. She believed that manners begin in kindness and in a true respect for the feelings of others.

She explained, “Ideal conversation must be an exchange of thought, and not, as many who worry about their shortcomings believe, an exhibition of wit or oratory.” After her divorce, Post turned to writing to support herself, crafting newspaper pieces, travel books, and novels.

In 1922, her classic Etiquette became a bestseller, and the words “according to Emily Post” entered our words and ways as a cultural touchstone. The book continued to be revised and remained popular across generations, reflecting her belief that consideration is the heart of good manners.

“A little praise is not only merest justice but is beyond the purse of no one,” Miss Emily said. In time, her family carried the torch for modern civility, offering practical guidance for changing times while keeping her spirit of grace.

She also advised restraint in drawing on the bank of love: “There is a big deposit of sympathy in the bank of love, but do not draw out little sums every hour, so that when you need it badly it is all gone, and you do not know how or on what it was spent.” Kindness, in her view, is both attentive and wise.