The Etiquette Edge: Modern Manners for Business Success

Clocking in at 7.5 hours, this long audiobook feels more like a breezy three hours given the teaching points are thoughtfully broken down into three, large categories (Personal, Business & Sensitive Issues), then into easy-to-digest, relevant, by-topic chapters (37 in all). I found this audiobook easy-listening (sans two points listed below), very helpful, and immediately applicable--both personal and professional. That being said, two points that detracted from my listening experience (enough to deduct one Star rating-point each for narrator and book): 1. The Narrator: While the cadence was fine throughout, a distracting undertone was pervasive (via too sing-song, advertising jingle "happy" voice for the topic matter's serious tone). The voice appears better suited for children's books or late night advertising "but wait, there's more" TV slots. 2. The Pop Quiz: Just as the listener settles in after the six minute introduction, the "meat of the book" starts out with a multiple choice answers Pop Quiz. While initially it doesn't feel like a problem, the 20 questions on etiquette savvy situational decisions drags on for 9.5 minutes (6.75" - 15.25") with NO indication from the narrator how much more of the book is comprised of this non-audio-friendly format OR how the listener is to match answers supposedly to come. To boot, the audio book does not inform the listener that some questions can have multiple correct answers. This is only divulged in the answer section as answers are read off. While one would think coming to the answer section (15.25" - 16.25") would bring listening fatigue relief, that does not happen as the answers are simply read off with the question number and corresponding answer letter (i.e., 1B, 2B, 3C, 4 A & C, etc.). Then, oddly, the narrator addresses this for audio listeners (16.25" - 17.25"), but once again only rattles off the question number and correct alphabet letter. This whole experience was enough of a bad taste that it took some will power not to shut the book off, and return it to it's digital shelf. This 11.5 minute blunder in ease-of-listening comprehension is disappointing given the main point of a listener chosing an audiobook is to be hands-free and multi-tasking. The only resolution I found satisfying was seeking out a free, quick e-format to visually reference the questions and answers (https://www.questia.com/read/126615110/the-etiquette-edge-modern-manners-for-business-success wherein, luckily, this first part of the book is free to view before running into a paid subscription requirement). In summary of this quiz grievance, while multiple-choice test questions are a good visual-book format, it translates minimally to audio-book--especially when the answers are given after all the questions, and ONLY the alphabet # of the multiple-choice answer. Sadly, the audiobook's attempt to address this audio-listener issue also failed miserably. The audiobook would have been better served to read the question, followed immediately with the correct answer. Then, simply let the audiobook listener learn from hearing the other incorrect choices read off. This would still give the listener enough of an "how many right" score when they hit the post-quiz "how you faired" analysis section (@17.25"). In current format, one would have to skip to answer section (@15.25"). Manually write down the alphabet-only answers rattled off. Then go back to listen to the quiz. I encourage a new listener not to skip this excellently informative audiobook, but rather just to skip the frustrating 11.5 minute audio portion of the quiz/answers (6.75" - 17.25").