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Brunch Is Hell Lib/E: How to Save the World by Throwing a Dinner Party
Q. What makes you smart, sophisticated, generous, and stylish all at once?A. Throwing a great dinner party.Q. What doesn't?A. Brunch.Rico Gagliano and Brendan Francis Newnam have written the ultimate guide to hosting a soiree: an easy-to-follow manual for maximizing your party's spectacularness and saying no to brunch plans.They're just the gentlemen to do it. Each week on their podcast and public radio show, Rico and Brendan share the urbane wit and adult pleasures of a terrific dinner party with nearly a million other listeners as they discuss life, art, culture, news, and what's for dessert.Dinner parties are the key to a grown-up, civilized, satisfying life--and throwing one is easier than you think. The Dinner Party Manifesto demystifies invitations, food, drink, and decor, and shows how you can uncork memorable conversations and laughter that rolls into the wee hours. It also includes funny--but practical--solutions to common party pitfalls, including a formula to determine who gets the last piece of food on a communal plate, and a guide to making the ultimate dinner party playlist.In the bestselling tradition of Adulting and I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, this is an entertaining, informative book about how to become the most interesting person you know.
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Published December 5, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
June 14, 2024
This book had some funny parts, some entertaining parts, and some good advice, but I just don't think I was the intended audience. It had a fratboy-punch-each-other-in-the-shoulder kind of vibe. It does make me feel a little less intimidated about giving a dinner party, so I guess that's a good thing. I still do love a good brunch, though, hell or not.
May 13, 2018
An enjoyably funny read. This will be the one book that was on the road trip to and from Indy!
August 13, 2023
Catchy title, but probably a more accurate title would be "How to Throw a Dinner Party." And still, it was witty and had amazing one-liners/quips that made me laugh. While it was fairly short, I couldn't believe a book on dinner parties could still be so long. And while it did make me want to throw a dinner party...it actually made me want to throw up my hands, declare dinner parties to be too much work, and go out to brunch with my friends.
January 9, 2018
This book made me laugh out loud more than any I can remember reading recently. It's both snarky and earnest, blending practical advice with humor for a fast-reading primer on relaxed hosting.
As the authors point out, too many of us hold ourselves to high standards when it comes to dinner parties. Really, your friends don't care if how clean your house is (except the bathroom) and you don't need to be a world-class chef. You just need to gather an interesting combination of people around the table for food and conversation.
This was an entertaining read that made me say, "yeah, you know, I should really just have people over more often. Forget waiting until I finish painting the dining room or get my dream table."
The only thing keeping my review from five stars are the current political and pop culture references. .It almost feels like the authors expect the book to be obsolete five years from now. They're writing for the present moment, which is great, but I would've preferred a more timeless approach.
As the authors point out, too many of us hold ourselves to high standards when it comes to dinner parties. Really, your friends don't care if how clean your house is (except the bathroom) and you don't need to be a world-class chef. You just need to gather an interesting combination of people around the table for food and conversation.
This was an entertaining read that made me say, "yeah, you know, I should really just have people over more often. Forget waiting until I finish painting the dining room or get my dream table."
The only thing keeping my review from five stars are the current political and pop culture references. .It almost feels like the authors expect the book to be obsolete five years from now. They're writing for the present moment, which is great, but I would've preferred a more timeless approach.
January 12, 2018
Found it in the work kitchen and it gave me a few laughter-filled commutes. Now on to checking out their podcast!
January 9, 2018
Brunch is Hell was a fun, quick read. The author's advice is given in a witty, entertaining way, with many asides, which I personally got a kick out of. The illustrations are full of life and have a bit of humor in them, too.
The whole book leads up to the most important part: saving the world with conversation. This is where these guys really shine. They bring up many great points about what to avoid and how to bring about conversations that will appeal to most. To me, this was the most valuable part of the book.
I will definitely be trying the recipes, especially Rico's Peperonata and when I'm in the mood for fried food, Brenden's Stuffed Fried Olives.
The authors are entertaining, but I have never listened to their podcast. Keep in mind that as someone in her fifties, I have given parties over the years, so much of the general advice is common knowledge to me. I would highly recommend this to a twenty-something or anyone else who is just beginning to entertain or to those, who like me find the conversational logistics advice pertinent.
(I received this book in a goodreads giveaway.)
The whole book leads up to the most important part: saving the world with conversation. This is where these guys really shine. They bring up many great points about what to avoid and how to bring about conversations that will appeal to most. To me, this was the most valuable part of the book.
I will definitely be trying the recipes, especially Rico's Peperonata and when I'm in the mood for fried food, Brenden's Stuffed Fried Olives.
The authors are entertaining, but I have never listened to their podcast. Keep in mind that as someone in her fifties, I have given parties over the years, so much of the general advice is common knowledge to me. I would highly recommend this to a twenty-something or anyone else who is just beginning to entertain or to those, who like me find the conversational logistics advice pertinent.
(I received this book in a goodreads giveaway.)
February 10, 2018
The book encouraged me to want to host a dinner party but man did they work hard to "bring the chuckles". (Not sure it makes me want to listen to their podcast - all I can picture is that awkward forced "NPR fake laughter" " See!!! We ARE funny!!!) Still - I now want to host a dinner party. That's the fourth star.
March 6, 2024
If you're a functional adult, you're going to know most of this already. The joy in this book is not that it takes you step by step through throwing a dinner party, it's in the humor they provide and the reassurance that no matter what happens (almost) at your dinner party, everything is going to be okay. They trumpet that pursuing perfection is not what a dinner party is about.
Our favorite episodes of our show are when the guest list reads like it was devised by a guy with bipolar disorder on an ayahuasca trip.
That certainly sounds like a dinner party that would be a hoot and a half. I'd show up, if only out of curiosity for how things were going to turn out.
The authors take you through the definition of a dinner party, setting up your guest list, food ideas, drinks, music, cleaning, etcetera. And they're funny throughout if you find off the wall, unlikely, and tangential things amusing. Which I do. At one point they describe hipsters as "the Navy SEALs of gentrification." I found this resonated enough to be amusing.
This is a party, not a photo shoot for a Swedish travel brochure.
My favorite reminders were that no one is expecting an Instagram worthy setting in every room and angle in your house. If they are, they're narcissists or @$$holes who only want to talk about how much better they are or tear you down, and you don't need those kind of people in your life, let alone your house. They're automatically excluded.
If you're in your 20's or just want some motivation to finally throw that dinner party you've been imagining, this could be a great book for you.
Our favorite episodes of our show are when the guest list reads like it was devised by a guy with bipolar disorder on an ayahuasca trip.
That certainly sounds like a dinner party that would be a hoot and a half. I'd show up, if only out of curiosity for how things were going to turn out.
The authors take you through the definition of a dinner party, setting up your guest list, food ideas, drinks, music, cleaning, etcetera. And they're funny throughout if you find off the wall, unlikely, and tangential things amusing. Which I do. At one point they describe hipsters as "the Navy SEALs of gentrification." I found this resonated enough to be amusing.
This is a party, not a photo shoot for a Swedish travel brochure.
My favorite reminders were that no one is expecting an Instagram worthy setting in every room and angle in your house. If they are, they're narcissists or @$$holes who only want to talk about how much better they are or tear you down, and you don't need those kind of people in your life, let alone your house. They're automatically excluded.
If you're in your 20's or just want some motivation to finally throw that dinner party you've been imagining, this could be a great book for you.
December 31, 2021
The dinner party needed a book, and this one is adequate. Good advice in here, and the idea of the tone, being irreverent, would be great to set the vibe. But the style is off putting; just trying too hard in every paragraph to crack a joke. They don't land enough, like 5%, and so it really just breaks up flow. Half of these jokes are transcribed as footnotes, so each page has one to three footnotes, and they are a 95% fail rate, so this mechanic is very distracting, switching eyes from main text to footnotes each page.
These guys have talent and a great idea, the resumption of dinner parties in cool, modern, and hip ways, but they are probably better conveying this through their podcast or guesting on other podcasts.
These guys have talent and a great idea, the resumption of dinner parties in cool, modern, and hip ways, but they are probably better conveying this through their podcast or guesting on other podcasts.
March 26, 2021
I wanted to love this book way more than I did. The first half was very good, very funny. But the second half seemed like it was trying too hard. Too hard to be funny, and leaning in too hard into the gag of everyone drinking a lot to have a good time. Could’ve been better, but I will say that I am inspired to at least attempt having a dinner party at some point!
June 8, 2019
3.5 really. An amusing read with some good tips, particularly around small talk and dinner conversation; there was a bit too much harping against brunch (just get to the dinner parties!) At first, but that eventually went away.
April 4, 2022
This book was a very quick read, and I definitely feel prepared to host a dinner party after putting it down! However, I don't quite agree with the authors that food isn't an important part of a dinner party -- and was disappointed not to find more content and suggestions on that topic. "Brunch is Hell" also tries really hard to be funny (in a very NPRish way) and sometimes really hard is TOO hard.
August 11, 2023
Picked this book on a whim to fulfill a prompt for a reading challenge. Not a book I would have picked otherwise but it ended up being an enjoyable read! Light, funny, easy read that will leave you wanting to plan a dinner party and ditching those brunch reservations as soon as you are done!
February 16, 2018
Great dinner party planning book from 2 of my favorite podcasters! Sad that DPD (Dinner Party Download) is going away, but this book is a great parting gift. I read it while listening to the audio. They have great voices and made the funny book even funnier. **they change some small things in the audio - nothing that affects the narrative**
June 3, 2018
It’s not really fair to tell me I must overcome my fear of dinner parties for the good of mankind, & then suggest that I should stuff olives myself. Also most roasting chickens are barely adequate to feed 3 people, let alone a whole party. But it’s fine, I get the point.
April 27, 2019
Hilarious!
August 13, 2023
I laughed, I got tired of the format after an hour, then I laughed a little more and finally speed read it until the end.
February 2, 2019
This was funny! I don’t hate brunch and I won’t stop going, but I did enjoy reading about how to throw a stress-free dinner party. I might actually even try it one of these days...
January 29, 2024
Witty, snarky, succinct. I am now ready to throw a dinner party every week.
February 18, 2021
This was funny and had better advice than I expected. I learned a new word: soporific (that which tends to induce drowsiness or sleep- like riding in a car on a sunny day), and it included ideas I hadn’t considered in terms of guiding conversation from interesting small talk topics to engaging deep conversation.
It made me nostalgic for cozy dinner parties past and wonder when they will happen again. I do agree with the premise, brunch is indeed my personal hell, and while the intro to why this is true was entertaining (and called the dinner party manifesto), the book was mostly about the art of dinner and the deeper community/connection it provides.
These guys are public radio nerds so if you’re into that vibe and funny books, you will probably enjoy this.
It made me nostalgic for cozy dinner parties past and wonder when they will happen again. I do agree with the premise, brunch is indeed my personal hell, and while the intro to why this is true was entertaining (and called the dinner party manifesto), the book was mostly about the art of dinner and the deeper community/connection it provides.
These guys are public radio nerds so if you’re into that vibe and funny books, you will probably enjoy this.
February 13, 2018
Quick, fun read that will inspire you to throw a dinner party. The authors created a manifesto against brunch in order to provide a narrative for this good advice book on why you shouldn't be ashamed of your mismatched bowls or unfolded laundry on the bed, and bring human beings together to enjoy a good meal and some conversation. It is true, we do not interact with those we disagree with on any kind of regular basis (social media trolling doesn't count) and a decent meal is always a human bonding experience. I'm going to char up some meat and have people over to break bread.
December 31, 2017
I loved and mourn the Dinner Party Download. I love the blend of snark and good advice. Rico and Brendan are always funny, but they’ve got a good bit of advice about generosity, not making it overly complicated, and sitting down with people and talking. It’s not exactly the rule of St. Benedict, but it’s light and funny and excellent to call us to true hospitality.
August 19, 2021
The premise of this book is that brunch is phony, rushed, and commercial, while the antidote to brunch is the dinner party...leisurely, personal and hospitable. Written as a cheeky manifesto dealing in hyperbole (Exhibit A "Brunch is Hell."), some of the advice about how to throw a good dinner party is absolutely spot on, derived from Emily Post, while some of it is obviously absurd, played for a laugh.
The extremes are no problem, though, compared to the very specific young-professionals-living-in-Brooklyn-in-the-mid-teens world the authors assume you live in. Dinner party advice is probably not what people complain about NPR being out of touch with ordinary people, but there is only glancing acknowledgement of being poor (presumably exclusively because of crushing student debt) or of not being in one's early 30s. The very best parts were about conversation, which these podcast hosts have pat. There is an assumption that one has a lot of single, hipster friends around with whom to break break. This book was a little sad for me because I'm mostly headed out of those days, and because those days seem so innocent now.
That being said, I listened to it all in one night, took extensive notes while listening (included below) and have talked about it to a half dozen people.
Brunch is hell
-mix of people:
- into your home
-can be weeknight
Minimum standards:
Purpose: Have dinner and party.
Time. After 5 pm. After work. ½ after rush hour. No end time for dinner party. Wednesday and Thursday can be prime time—front load social time. Or Friday Saturday
Location. Private residence.
Outside is okay. Must be a table
A portion of food should be homemade. 51% homemade. hide packaging.
Mandatory table. The entire group should sit and dine. No AV—just music.
Dinner party numbers 4-12 including you. (2 couples is not a dinner party but a double date)
Family members < 25%
Ideally not the same week as a holiday. Dinner party should be fun and unexpected, and holidays are already expected to be fun.
Invite:
Start time (no end time;) address and phone number; request for rsvp;the word “dinner”
Sending invite:
Balance: Narcissists and undercutter; name dropper and quiet sleeper; eyore and comedian; players and hipsters; eager beavers and the bad drunk.
Guests: rsvp, no children unless can be in their own kid pen, immediately after getting invite offer to bring own food if food restrictions,
Process: clean priority—bathroom #1, dining room (clean, appropriate low lighting, extras if necessary, move flowers off the table to allow conversation to flow), living room (hide the remote, clean, review bookshelves, conversation starter on coffee table), turn off hall lights on way to bedroom (but clean for cell calls or coats)
Music: Vinyl records can reset the mood because of 20 minutes; homemade playlist;
Musical dictatorship—one dj
Instrumental music
Music in a language you don’t speak
Tony Bennett
Apps: something f fatty something salty
Food:
Bread: baguette not cut but torn
Stunt meat—but chunk of meat
Alpha dishes— fills your biggest dish like lasagna
Talk:
1-listening is more important than talk
2-do whatever you can to get a story out of them
3- what and why questions for details
4- questions not guesses —bland in interesting out
5- you don’t get to be cool you get to be impressed
6- remember your audience. Clarify reference include last names
7- be a classy broad: be a little naughty and let others be too. Self depricate and smileAnd wink
Polítical: you aren’t going to change their mind. Empathy of own experience, keep inviting differ politics, personal attack or attack of politician isn’t going to help
Bore: listen intently then say “I don’t mean to interrupt but that reminds me of x’s story”
The extremes are no problem, though, compared to the very specific young-professionals-living-in-Brooklyn-in-the-mid-teens world the authors assume you live in. Dinner party advice is probably not what people complain about NPR being out of touch with ordinary people, but there is only glancing acknowledgement of being poor (presumably exclusively because of crushing student debt) or of not being in one's early 30s. The very best parts were about conversation, which these podcast hosts have pat. There is an assumption that one has a lot of single, hipster friends around with whom to break break. This book was a little sad for me because I'm mostly headed out of those days, and because those days seem so innocent now.
That being said, I listened to it all in one night, took extensive notes while listening (included below) and have talked about it to a half dozen people.
Brunch is hell
-mix of people:
- into your home
-can be weeknight
Minimum standards:
Purpose: Have dinner and party.
Time. After 5 pm. After work. ½ after rush hour. No end time for dinner party. Wednesday and Thursday can be prime time—front load social time. Or Friday Saturday
Location. Private residence.
Outside is okay. Must be a table
A portion of food should be homemade. 51% homemade. hide packaging.
Mandatory table. The entire group should sit and dine. No AV—just music.
Dinner party numbers 4-12 including you. (2 couples is not a dinner party but a double date)
Family members < 25%
Ideally not the same week as a holiday. Dinner party should be fun and unexpected, and holidays are already expected to be fun.
Invite:
Start time (no end time;) address and phone number; request for rsvp;the word “dinner”
Sending invite:
Balance: Narcissists and undercutter; name dropper and quiet sleeper; eyore and comedian; players and hipsters; eager beavers and the bad drunk.
Guests: rsvp, no children unless can be in their own kid pen, immediately after getting invite offer to bring own food if food restrictions,
Process: clean priority—bathroom #1, dining room (clean, appropriate low lighting, extras if necessary, move flowers off the table to allow conversation to flow), living room (hide the remote, clean, review bookshelves, conversation starter on coffee table), turn off hall lights on way to bedroom (but clean for cell calls or coats)
Music: Vinyl records can reset the mood because of 20 minutes; homemade playlist;
Musical dictatorship—one dj
Instrumental music
Music in a language you don’t speak
Tony Bennett
Apps: something f fatty something salty
Food:
Bread: baguette not cut but torn
Stunt meat—but chunk of meat
Alpha dishes— fills your biggest dish like lasagna
Talk:
1-listening is more important than talk
2-do whatever you can to get a story out of them
3- what and why questions for details
4- questions not guesses —bland in interesting out
5- you don’t get to be cool you get to be impressed
6- remember your audience. Clarify reference include last names
7- be a classy broad: be a little naughty and let others be too. Self depricate and smileAnd wink
Polítical: you aren’t going to change their mind. Empathy of own experience, keep inviting differ politics, personal attack or attack of politician isn’t going to help
Bore: listen intently then say “I don’t mean to interrupt but that reminds me of x’s story”
July 17, 2023
BRUNCH IS HELL by B.F. Newman and Rico Gagliano is a printed extension to this duo’s popular podcast and public radio show, The Dinner Party Download. At first I was taken aback by the premise, that Brunch is just a terrible way for restaurants to rid themselves of food they didn’t manage to sell on Friday or Saturday night. Reheat, toss in a few eggs, and serve with the second round of Mimosas.
Then I thought, “If so many people find talking about why brunch is bad and why and how to host wonderful dinner parties, if they focus on this so much, it is no wonder ‘that man’ won the White House!” Focus on the big picture people.
But then I really starting reading the book and found it both funny and witty , sly remarks abound, and there are zillions of great insights into the psychology of both hosting and guesting parties centered around dinner. Here is everything you need to have friends and strangers gather round your table and still manage to enjoy themselves with you necessarily having to rely on pharmaceuticals to make it through the night.
I haven’t heard to podcasts or the radio show so I don’t know about any of that, but the book is a delight. Only, tear yourself away from the party around election time and maybe discuss something that could change the entire world, not just your neighborhood.
Then I thought, “If so many people find talking about why brunch is bad and why and how to host wonderful dinner parties, if they focus on this so much, it is no wonder ‘that man’ won the White House!” Focus on the big picture people.
But then I really starting reading the book and found it both funny and witty , sly remarks abound, and there are zillions of great insights into the psychology of both hosting and guesting parties centered around dinner. Here is everything you need to have friends and strangers gather round your table and still manage to enjoy themselves with you necessarily having to rely on pharmaceuticals to make it through the night.
I haven’t heard to podcasts or the radio show so I don’t know about any of that, but the book is a delight. Only, tear yourself away from the party around election time and maybe discuss something that could change the entire world, not just your neighborhood.
March 31, 2025
Borrow (from the public library) - don't buy.
Skim - don't (no need to) read.
Perhaps expectations were (unfairly) too high. This is very obviously a commercial product; i.e., a "hit podcast" (their words, not mine) being parlayed into a book deal for a quick buck.
For people old enough to have attended a dinner party as described by the authors, there are few if any insights.
For people too young to have attended a dinner party as described by the authors, it seems unlikely that this book (or the source podcast) would be enough to entice them away from their devices anyway.
The chapter on conversation might be the best - or only worthwhile - part.
Ironically, while this chapter does identify a few types of dinner party guests who can be "conversational black holes" - e.g., the aggressive bore, the music snob - it conveniently omits the Chandler Bing: the person who cannot go more than three sentences without saying (or at least trying to say) something funny, even if it is completely irrelevant and/or derails the conversation.
The book falls prey to this compulsion. Even when it seems to be making - or vaguely approaching - an interesting or valuable point, it throws in a hyperbolic example or pithy footnote that sucks the oxygen (i.e., momentum and meaning) out of the room.
Sorry to be so blunt. All the best in your future endeavours.
Skim - don't (no need to) read.
Perhaps expectations were (unfairly) too high. This is very obviously a commercial product; i.e., a "hit podcast" (their words, not mine) being parlayed into a book deal for a quick buck.
For people old enough to have attended a dinner party as described by the authors, there are few if any insights.
For people too young to have attended a dinner party as described by the authors, it seems unlikely that this book (or the source podcast) would be enough to entice them away from their devices anyway.
The chapter on conversation might be the best - or only worthwhile - part.
Ironically, while this chapter does identify a few types of dinner party guests who can be "conversational black holes" - e.g., the aggressive bore, the music snob - it conveniently omits the Chandler Bing: the person who cannot go more than three sentences without saying (or at least trying to say) something funny, even if it is completely irrelevant and/or derails the conversation.
The book falls prey to this compulsion. Even when it seems to be making - or vaguely approaching - an interesting or valuable point, it throws in a hyperbolic example or pithy footnote that sucks the oxygen (i.e., momentum and meaning) out of the room.
Sorry to be so blunt. All the best in your future endeavours.
February 2, 2018
The authors are under the impression that the dinner party is in jeopardy because of brunch. People meet for brunch instead of communing over a dinner party. So the authors have written a book that combines advice, recipes, and tips on how to throw the perfect dinner party.
This is an interesting concept for writing a book on the perfect dinner party. Basically the authors trashed brunch (still not sure what their reason was - except maybe a reason to write a book), and then wrote a book about how to host the perfect party. The recipes interesting, but I tried a couple and wasn't fond of them. My family hated them. The advice seems more geared towards a partying young adult and not a mature adult who wants to enjoy an evening with friends. Overall, unless you want a book for some laughs, I wouldn't recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book from Goodreads. All thoughts expressed are my own.
This is an interesting concept for writing a book on the perfect dinner party. Basically the authors trashed brunch (still not sure what their reason was - except maybe a reason to write a book), and then wrote a book about how to host the perfect party. The recipes interesting, but I tried a couple and wasn't fond of them. My family hated them. The advice seems more geared towards a partying young adult and not a mature adult who wants to enjoy an evening with friends. Overall, unless you want a book for some laughs, I wouldn't recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book from Goodreads. All thoughts expressed are my own.
March 6, 2018
A rather over-hyped how-to tome, with a misleading title, targeted at the know-nothing, low social skills Millenials who might want to act more like grownups, but don't know how.The attack on brunch as an over-priced weekend luxury bought into as a prime social gathering to be seen at is given some lip service at the beginning, and the rest is a step-by-step manual on how to throw a cool dinner party. Spoiler: invite interesting guests, serve them fun cocktails and hors-d'oeuvres, keep yourself sober enough to run interference for any social faux pas by said guests, and then feel smug for being such a social butterfly.
It is sometimes amusing most often in the dry, unexpected footnotes.
I'll remember that reading about this book gave me a nice enough hook for the brunch article in F&D; reading the book made me sort of sorry I wasted my time with it.
It is sometimes amusing most often in the dry, unexpected footnotes.
I'll remember that reading about this book gave me a nice enough hook for the brunch article in F&D; reading the book made me sort of sorry I wasted my time with it.
December 14, 2017
I was lucky enough to win this book in a good reads giveaway and really enjoyed it! I had never heard of this podcast before but love entertaining, so I thought it sounded interesting. This book is a wonderful combination of wry observations, basic etiquette rules that have been updated for today’s tech-centric world, and amazing advice on how to plan and host a great dinner party. With the holidays right around the corner, I’m planning on using many of the tips from this great book.
Just a note- although this book was listed as a cookbook, there aren’t many recipes. The authors included a few great drink and side dish recipes. Despite the lack of recipes, this is a great book that is fun to read and very practical.
Just a note- although this book was listed as a cookbook, there aren’t many recipes. The authors included a few great drink and side dish recipes. Despite the lack of recipes, this is a great book that is fun to read and very practical.
September 30, 2019
Heard about the book when catching up on the summer season of the Satellite Sisters podcast. It reminded me of how I also enjoyed Nico and Liz in the mir podcast! Anyway, super funny romp through the dinner party with some helpful suggestions for hosting a dinner party for friends and acquaintances. From soup to nuts, or rather from guests and invitations, menu and cleaning, they help you get prepared without feeling you need to be perfect! Then some great ideas about the flow of the evening and finally wrapping it up well. My husband and I began hosting more dinner parties recently and there are some great tips! And it’s a fun read.
December 1, 2024
The title and premise of this book had so much promise, and yet it left me so annoyed. The book could have been a magazine article if you took away a lot of the fluff and attempt at witty comedy. There are some good gems in there about arranging the guest list and things to think through when hosting, but a lot of the recommendations are for people who have no common sense and potentially have never ever hosted a soul. I did appreciate the idea behind having dinner parties to truly connect with individuals you may not always agree with and spark lively conversation. But I would recommend these individuals stick with their podcast.
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