PORTLAND — The dusty world of etiquette is about to receive a star-studded makeover.

Actress Liv Tyler and her grandmother Dorothea Johnson have authored a book called “Modern Manners,” which will hit bookstores in May 2012.

“The book is not a staid, old fashioned type book,” said Johnson, who lives in Falmouth and is the founder of The Protocol School of Washington and the resident etiquette expert for the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Tyler, who lives in New York, is known for her roles in numerous films, including “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “The Incredible Hulk.” She can currently be seen in James Gunn’s dark comedy “Super,” which premiered to rave reviews at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Tyler models for Givenchy and serves as celebrity spokeswoman for denim brand G-STAR.

Tyler was raised in Portland and attended Waynflete School until sixth grade when she moved to Manhattan. Tyler is the daughter of lead Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler and model and singer Bebe Buell. Buell was Playboy magazine’s Playmate of the Month in November 1974.

The book will be published by Rodale. In a prepared statement, Rodale said the book will “help us to communicate more effectively in today’s fast-paced digital world.”

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Johnson said many publishers vied for the book, but she and Tyler “decided to go with Rodale because they’re very big with publishing self-help books. They also published Liv’s good friend Alicia Silverstone’s book, ‘The Kind Diet.’ “

“Modern Manners” will feature a forward written by Tyler and a number of dos and don’ts. One section, according to Johnson, is called Lazy Language and will take on informal word contractions, such as “wanna” and “watcha.”

When she was younger, Tyler lived with Johnson in Washington, D.C., for two years.

“Everybody comments on her good manners,” Johnson said. “Regardless of her parents, she’s had a very conservative upbringing.”

 


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