THE BLUE BOOK OF BROADMINDED BUSINESS BEHAVIOR

Somehow, it's comforting to believe that a book of business etiquette may be appropriate these days. Times have changed, though, and Uris' big guidebook is a mere reflection of works like Hill's Manual of Social and Business Forms, highly regarded a century ago. Now, Uris advises, businessmen need not remove their hats when a lady enters an elevator. He tells us how to refuse a favor (one may say, ""Even though I resent your making what I consider an entirely unreasonable request, I don't want you to think it's made any difference in out relationship. . .""), and whether you may make off with company pencils. To be sure, the range is wide: how to write and how to speak, how to interview and how to throw a party, how to dress and how to eat, how to do the box step to the lively gavotte of today's business world. But if the subject matter is extensive, the answers are not deep and it's all very like a torrent of well-intended advice from Polonius in a three-piece suit. Don't write anonymous notes to the boss, treat those beneath you with courtesy, and don't drink too much. The writing admittedly has a certain occasional charm in the slightly goofy choice of words-an ""optical"" display for a visible one, ""logogram"" for ""logotype,"" and a gaggle of ""attendees,"" ""celebratees,"" and ""entertainees."" To the mature and secure, the book may seem naive, repetitious, and not worth much more than pipe dottle, but if it's the sort of guide the new recruit thinks he or she needs, it might be just what's needed after all. (Oh, but Hill's Manual showed the proper way to assist a lady from a carriage.)