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The Unexpurgated Code

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First edition (publ. Delacorte Press)

The Unexpurgated Code: A Complete Manual of Survival & Manners is a 1975 non-fiction humorous book by J. P. Donleavy.

Overview

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The book is a guide for people who feel that they should belong to the manner born[1] - that is, not having to work and generally living a life of luxury.

Chapters:

  1. Social Climbing
  2. Extinctions and Mortalities
  3. Vilenesses Various
  4. In Pursuit of Comfortable Habits
  5. Perils and Precautions

Advice

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The book consists of hundreds of anecdotes and events one may encounter throughout life, and how to deal with them. Some examples include:

  • Upon Embellishing your Background
  • Accent Improvement
  • Upon the Sudden Reawakening of your Sordid Background
  • Ass kissing and other types of Flattery
  • Suicide
  • Cannibalism
  • Upon Saucy Assemblages
  • Upon Marrying a Lady for Her Money
  • Stripping and Streaking
  • When the Overwhelming Desire to Goose a Lady Cannot be Suppressed
  • Upon Being a Member of the Titled Classes
  • Blowing upon Your Soup
  • Wife Beating
  • Shabby People
  • Shabby Shabby People
  • Shabby Shabby Shabby People

Quotations

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Shaving: "Hey why are you growing that beard."..."I say, you unpleasantly unfortunate radoteur, I'm not doing a thing. You're shaving every day."

When Some Supercilious Cunt Asks Is There Anything Wrong: "Yes, you evil little man, I'm looking at your tie."

How to Prevent People from Detesting You: "Don't try."

The Psychologist: "This smug son of a bitch."

References

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  • Donleavy, J. P. (1975). The Unexpurgated Code: A Complete Manual of Survival & Manners. New York: Dell Publishing Co. ISBN 0-440-19229-3.

Notes

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  1. ^ The phrase To the manner born originates in Hamlet by William Shakespeare. cf Bartleby's New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy
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