MCT "In the Know: The Classic Guide to Being Cultured and Cool" (Penguin Books, $14), by Nancy MacDonell.

By Stacey Hollenbeck
McClatchy-Tribune

You wouldn't be caught dead wearing socks with sandals or drinking wine from a box, but are you truly cultured and cool? Let Nancy MacDonell decide.

MacDonell, author of the new book "In the Know: The Classic Guide to Being Cultured and Cool" (Penguin Books, $14), has cracked the code to being cool and wants to help the out-of-touch become more refined.

Divided into three sections, Culture, Fashion and Lifestyle, MacDonell's guide lists the people, places and things aspiring metropolitans should recognize. Andy Warhol, Istanbul and Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" all make an appearance, as well as more obscure cultural references like "Le Dejeuner sur l'Herbe," an 1863 painting by Edouard Manet. Thankfully, MacDonell also includes a pronunciation guide.

"In the Know" is tailored to those who have the time and desire to study being chic. The guide, which MacDonell describes as "eclectic and highly subjective," is available through www.penguingroup.com and book retailers.