A celebration of the most remarkable acts of courtesy from the past and the present day

Delve into this trove of anecdotes and stories to prove the core decency of humankind at a time when kindness can seem in short supply.

This engaging collection demonstrates that courteous behaviour transcends all barriers, from gender and wealth to age and class – here are noble acts by footballers and fashionistas, television personalities and teenagers, great commanders and humble private soldiers, society ladies and modest housewives, elderly philosophers and very young children.It includes Alexander the Great, Marie Antoinette, the Duke of Wellington, Evelyn Waugh, Winston Churchill, Sammy Davis Junior and Colonel Tim Collins.

Often amusing, sometimes moving, occasionally astounding and always fascinating, How to Be Kind is a tribute to the finest, albeit often overlooked, qualities of humankind