Book excerpt: In a world gone crazy one might wonder if simple acts of civility are worth the trouble. Dressing with dignity, writing letters, and innocent courtship are just some of the lost arts of kindness and integrity that Dr. Mitchell Kalpakgian tries to dig up and dust off, imploring us to regain the honor and worth our society once had. These noble habits of living fill common life with an abundance of simple pleasures that adorn day to day existence. The Lost Arts of Modern Civilization will inspire you to seek out and nourish the simple joys that lift the spirit, rejoice the heart, and enliven the mind.