Read by Lynne Truss. — Penguin Audio, 2005. — 96 kbps. — Duration 01:56:00.

The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World, or Six Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door
"Talk to the hand, 'cause the face ain't listening," the saying goes. When did the world stop wanting to hear? When did society stop valuing basic courtesy and respect? It's a topic that has been simmering for years, and Lynne Truss says it's now reached the boiling point. Taking on the boorish behavior that for some has become a point of pride, Talk to the Hand is a rallying cry for civility.
When did "please" and "thank you" become passe? When you call a "customer service" number, why does the burden of deciphering the automatic switchboard fall to you (and where are the real people, when you, the customer, need service)? Why do people behave as if public spaces are their own chip-strewn living rooms? Perhaps most importantly, how has it come to be that we are not allowed to object? Call someone out on rude or disrespectful behavior and you're likely to get an "Eff off" or worse.
In a recent U.S. survey, 79 percent of adults said that lack of courtesy was a serious problem. For all of those fed up with anti-social behavior and suffering in silence, realize that you are the majority! Talk to the Hand is a colorful call to arms from the wittiest defender of the civilized world.
"Truss expounds on these themes with fine ire, mordant humor, and many examples." (Publishers Weekly) "Ms. Truss's witty analysis and fussbudget tactics [are] contagious." (The New York Times)