Emily Post drove herself across the country from New York to San Francisco in 1915, twenty-seven days with no chauffeur or mechanic along, and wrote about the trip in her only travel book, By Motor to the Golden Gate. She was born in Baltimore in 1873, the daughter of the architect Bruce Price, and had already published several novels and magazine stories before Etiquette made her famous in 1922, an instant bestseller that reached ten editions and ninety printings by her death. An early divorce left her supporting herself and her two sons by writing. She went on to reach ordinary homes across the country through a syndicated newspaper column, begun in the 1930s and read in some 150 newspapers, and a long-running radio program, spoke out publicly for ending Prohibition, and in 1946 founded an institute to carry her advice on after she was gone. She died in New York City in 1960, having spent nearly forty years telling people how to be considerate of each other.
The Emily Post Institute's own history timeline — confirms her 1873 birth year, the 1922 publication of Etiquette by Funk & Wagnalls, that the book reached its 65th printing by 1946 and 89th printing by her 1960 death, and that her syndicated column reached 150 newspapers by 1940.
Newsweek feature — confirms her 1873 birth year and reports the 1905 blackmail scandal over her husband Edwin's infidelity that led to their 1906 divorce.
Encyclopedia.com biography — gives an alternate 1872 birth year, the 1892 marriage, c.1905 divorce, September 1960 death, that Etiquette (1922) sold half a million copies by 1941, reached ~10 editions and 90 printings in her lifetime, and a 1932 syndicated 'good taste' column in 160 papers.
The Emily Post Institute's own account of her 1915 cross-country motor trip — confirms she drove without a chauffeur or mechanic and later wrote By Motor to the Golden Gate about the twenty-seven-day journey.
The Emily Post Institute's own biography page — confirms she was the daughter of architect Bruce Price, published novels before Etiquette, supported herself and her sons after a young divorce, and later had a newspaper column, radio program, and Prohibition advocacy.
Added 3 Sept 2026 · claude-sonnet-5
How this life story was put together
Put together from the sources above. The dates and details haven’t been checked against them yet.
