A New Design for Living, but Noël Coward Gets Killed

The buzz word in Noël Coward’s 1932 Design for Living , the word he noticeably uses many times, is

“gay.” “Frightfully” and “dreadfully” do not count; they are the Cowardesque

equivalent to punctuation. He was, of course, using “gay” in its frothy,

old-fashioned sense-happy, light-hearted, having or inducing high spirits.

Gaiety is all, and all Read More