Phineas Mollod - The Modern Gentleman, 2nd Edition: A Guide to Essential Manners, Savvy, and Vice

2002, 2011 by Phineas Mollod and Jason Tesauro
Illustrations 2002 by A.W. Shasteen

All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the
Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com

Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Permission granted to reprint material from the following publications:

D. H. Lawrence, Lady Chatterleys Lover. New York: Penguin, 1962.

Henry Miller, My Life and Times. New York: Gemini Smith/Playboy Press, 1971.

Stephen Potter, Anti-Woo Gambits for Non-Lovers. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, 1965. Excerpt reproduced with permission of the McGraw-Hill Companies.

Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye. New York: Random House, 1992.

One-Upmanship by Stephen Potter, 1952 by Stephen Potter. Reprinted by permission of Henry Holt & Co., LLC.

Tom Robbins, Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates. New York: Bantam Books, 2001.

Jackie Stewart, Interview, Playboy, June 1972.

Amy Vanderbilts Complete Book of Etiquette. New York: Random House, 1958.

The Library of Congress has cataloged the first edition as follows:
Mollod, Phineas.
The modern gentleman / Phineas Mollod and Jason Tesauro.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Etiquette for men. I. Tesauro, Jason. II. Title.
BJ1855 .M65 2002
395.142-dc21
2002001355

eISBN: 978-1-60774-019-3

v3.1

To all the books that made me think and blush, and the hidden gems of life that begged my discovery.
P. M.

To my Pop Pop and Pop, two jazzy gents who boosted me to the upper branches of a gnarly family tree.
J. T.

A litany of fond framily thanks can be found in the first edition, yet those who contributed pointedly to the second deserve mention: an old-fashioned analog thank-you to our Facebook friends and Twitter tweeps for providing fodder for Digital Man; a hat tip to Russ, Ken, Larry and Kenan, the original MG alums, as well as new recruits Jason and Bruce, for walking the walk and tipping the flask; bravo to brother Dan for his symphonic know-how and modernist vivacity on Classical Music as well as his Farmer Brown chicken-coop smarts; a thunderous rim shot to Doc Dugan for spinning vinyl in the basement and being a primal force behind the syncopated brilliance of Jazz; fond head rub to Donny for his wisdom on all things whiskered and whiskerless; back pats to Alex for Pacific and Midwest musings on file-sharing and Life Reset; handshake to Nick for philosophizing on texting and Girl Problems; and a big shout to the epidermically prosaic Joshua for talking tattoos and lost love regained.

Grazie, Jeff Gordinier, for a chapbooks worth of poesy insight; 500 g of gratitude to Michel Emery and Petrossian for copious caviar chrestomathies; and a walk-in closets worth of thanks to Monroe Robertson, Jake Mueser, Benton Bryan, and Philip Martin for the skinny on bespoke dress and snappy shoes. Lovin mouthfuls of Wednesday wabbit, 1955 Sauternes, and rich Kona to intrepid gastronauts Kendra, Tim, Andrea, and Frits; a bushel of appreciation to Manakintowne Specialty Growers, Rural Virginia Market, Chelsea Market, Sub Rosa Bread, Gearharts Chocolates, Belmont Butchery, Chef Grandinetti, and the Union Square Greenmarket for artisanal localism, foodie knowledge, crisp Mutsu apples, and Ronnybrooks killer coconut yogurt. Gracias to Manolo for busting out the Galician orujo; thanks to Sippie for Shochu 101 and for explaining fractions to me at Stonybrook Elementary; cheers to Matthew Rowley for talking moonshine; plus caffeinated credit to Lamplighter Roasting Company, Caf Grumpy, and a broad bear hug to the world below 23rd Street, the modern gentlemans modern bazaar.

Gratefulness to James River Writers for literary support in VA; dotted-line thanks to Kirk Schroder for legal muscle when we were wrasslin for rights; and a humidors worth of acknowledgment to John, Dina, Debbie, and Michael for turning vision into joint venture. A full decanter of thanks to David and Maria Denton, and Carol Colby for vinoventures and sommelier mentoring, with an especial PS to Bartholomew Broadbent for texted mischief and wisdom over a drained bottle of 1964 Bual. Hatfuls o love to gents-in-training Sebastion and Brooks, and a couchful of kudos to Holli for the high-minded headshrinking. Confit and Country Style Thanks to Julia, Dean, and Jessica for Crash Pad insight; and truffle-scented appreciation for Luca, Alessandro, Chef Melissa, the Tasting Room babes, and my dear Barboursville family for friendship and franc.

A secret handshake to the dapper designer, Colleen Cain. Thanks to our sharp-eyed copyeditor, Kristi Hein; proofer, Jennifer McClain; and indexer, Ken Della Penta. Bon mots to our staunch supporters at Random House and Ten Speed Press, especially Aaron Wehner, a fellow gent, and Madame Editor Lisa Westmoreland for polishing our silver tongues. Lastly, a goodie-drawers worth of liplocked reverence for Gillington and ALN for bringing us to our knees.

A man may possess expensive duds, slick wheels, and a tongue to match, but these are not the prerequisites of a gentleman. A gentleman is defined by how he carries himself in fairways and stormy climes. A student of the classics and a pilot of the new, he recommends sizzling reads, pays his gambling debts, mans the grill, and curbs his dog. Reserved, flamboyant, or likely somewhere in between, a gentlemans charisma is cultivated, not canned. He fosters an infectious comfort in others as they quietly marvel at his manner and know-how. Little charms performed thoughtfully ensure that inevitable faux pas are measured against a graceful reputation. He can be trusted with his word and your wife.

Nine years after The Modern Gentleman provided a manual for the Millennial Age, were back for round deux. Certain fundamentals like wine smarts and guest decorum invited only limited updates, yet a brave new world of social media required a Second Edition addition of The Digital Man. Also expect new sections reflecting unearthed passions for coffee, caviar, and the farmers market, plus a renovation of the books cultural center to spur the postliterate generation. Further, while Jet Setting was scrapped in the wake of TSAs increasingly unfriendly skies, we address the politics of friends and spiffed-up Sartorial Savvy to include Bespoke this and that. And with an ear ever cocked for word of advancement in woo and amour, we present additional commentary on The Nooner and To the Power of 3.

The Modern Gentleman, Second Edition, remains a visually stimulating, rib-tickling, thought-provoking sourcebook of manners and mischief. Enlightened and more than a little bit decadent, its a pioneering slant on etiquette for gallery-openers and bar-closers alike. The book offers a panoramic snapshot of the gentleman: witty and poignant, traditional but spontaneous, flirtatious yet courtly. Of course, since a gentleman inevitably dabbles in the friskier areas of excess, trouble, and chance, the books naughty nucleus, The Potent Gentleman, explores liquid leisure, dalliance, character-defining obstacles and gaffes, and new Sticky Situations to navigate.

Long-forgotten cocktail recipes also pop up on these pages, reminding us of the colorful life available in fine glassware, if one is armed with an open mind and shaker. With the entire mixological oeuvre at your smartphone thumbtips, we listed ingredients without ratios. Dont kvetch, just click.