The Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits: A Handbook of Etiquette with Recipes Hardcover – April 15, 2014

I don't know what to think about this book. I didn't find anything here that I haven't already learned, through my upbringing (my mother, grandmother and aunts did a fabulous job raising me to know these things) and reading old entertaining books from the 50s and 60s.I didn't find the "third person" writing to be charming at all.Furthermore, the whole premise that Southerners know more about entertaining and are better than anyone else in the US is off-putting, petty and just plain wrong. We here in the West know how to entertain with flair, to make our guests feel comfortable, to cook a delicious, home-prepared meal without using processed ingredients, and use our manners. The one thing that sets us apart is the Westerner's refusal to be phony, which is what Southerners come off as being. Honestly, get over it, this book is just another that proves Southerners are no better than anyone else at entertaining, decorating or cooking.It is puzzling that these women feel they have some sort of PhD. in such things that they have to have a school in Charleston, SC to teach these things. We're given the clear message that Southerners know all about this kind of stuff, so what gives with a school? Perhaps the image they are projecting is as false as "Bless Your Heart". (Yes, I know how to speak Southern.) I also didn't know that one had to globe trot in order to figure out how to entertain,set the table, have culture, etc. I've done just fine here in the US. Tax deductible trip, anyone?Honestly, this is an OK publication, a decent refresher course. The recipes sound interesting, so I'll give those a shot. I'm glad I didn't pay full price for this book. This will now remain on the shelf until I want to use one of those recipes, for entertaining, I'll turn to one of the standards from the 50s and 60s.Sorry, women, you're not as great as you think you are.

Information on entertaining.

I wanted so much to like this book. I like the idea of it and I love that these women have an academy for "domestic pursuits", but the book didn't live up to its own hype. I thought it would be mostly about the act of entertaining, hosting, bringing people together, and the organizational and social/etiquette side of entertaining (what to do and how to do it). Also, I thought there would be fun and clever ideas beyond what to serve.There is a little bit of that but the book is actually quite light on that aspect and is overwhelmingly recipes. Maybe it's just me (I'm not southern) but I would never serve any of these recipes to my guests - they are from another era. They are super fatty, heavy, old fashioned, meat- and dairy- centric and just plain boring. There are a billion cookbooks out there and this book does not fill any needed niche in the cookbook world.After reading the book and being disappointed but hoping to find what I was missing from the book online, I looked up the Charleston Academy for Domestic Pursuits and was excited to find YouTube videos. The two authors are charming, but again, the videos left me scratching my head. For example, why have a video on flower arranging when you clearly know absolutely nothing about it? The end result was literally (and I do mean literally) a bunch of parsley from the grocery store stuck in a silver vase. Kind of cute, but hardly inspiring. There is such a mystic about the Southern woman, Southern style and panache, Southern charm and hospitality, Southern traditions and celebrations. I wanted the book to touch on that - to give me the guidance in entertaining that Lemon Breeland might offer up.

What a treat this is to read! I am literally laughing out loud. You are hilarious! I feel like I am in the room with you, listening to you be hilarious in person. How on earth did you write this so fast?I'm sure it is a great cookbook as well. I love, for instance, your salad suggestions for the different seasons. Those kinds of ideas give a person confidence to do something on their own instead of just using one specific recipe. It is very well-organized and extremely appealing in every way. The cover even caught the eye of my six year-old, who was quite taken with it.Congratulations on an incredible job. Not only on the book, but on the whole creation of the Academy. Isn't it amazing that a year or so ago, the world didn't even realize that we needed it? You two have created something that didn't exist before and made it a great part of people's lives. So, so inspiring.Kudos to you both. Thank you for sharing your creativity, humor and wonderful selves with Charleston, and now, the rest of the world.

Why do I love this book? I'm a very busy professional with children and multiple homes who tries like crazy to have moments of grace and charm in a too-hectic life. What Suzanne Pollak and Lee Manigault have done with their book is to make grace, charm, and great food accessible to everyone, in a most pragmatic and humorous way. They are clearly very elegant AND a couple of Southern broads (as a New Yorker would say)! Whether you are a neophyte cook or already accomplished, whether you have run homes or are starting out, there are fantastic tips and really wonderful recipes for all in this beautifully simply-designed and written book. I own over 200 books on home design, cookery, lifestyle, and the like and I love many of them. The Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits Handbook stands on its own, with really useful information, some unusual but simple recipe ideas, as well as some plain fun stuff. Personally, I'd like to take a vacation from my business life and go to the Charleston Academy for a few weeks -- and I suspect my family would appreciate the results.

I enjoyed the recipes in this book and can’t wait to try with a cocktail party. A very easy read.

A beautiful read. Lots of tips. A pleasure to read & learn.

I would have liked to have seen photos and there are none.There is no table of contents to easily navigate the recipes in the book.

great