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The 2-Hour Cocktail Party: How to Build Big Relationships with Small Gatherings
You know that well-connected friend who only exists in the movies? The one who throws the best parties and can set up any introduction you need?
Everyone wants to know someone magical like this who brings people together. The secret is: you can be that person. You should be that person. The 2-Hour Cocktail Party will show you how.
Discover a simple formula with step-by-step instructions to host parties that help you meet new people, strengthen your existing relationships, and make you the person everyone wants to know.
You'll learn which days are the best (probably not the ones you think!) and what to say to the first people who arrive. Read how to ensure your invitations get responses and your guests show up excited to mingle. Plus, get helpful pre-party checklists and a breakdown of activities to encourage new connections.
With The 2-Hour Cocktail Party, you'll make new friends, boost your career, and leave everyone asking, "When's your next party?"
Everyone wants to know someone magical like this who brings people together. The secret is: you can be that person. You should be that person. The 2-Hour Cocktail Party will show you how.
Discover a simple formula with step-by-step instructions to host parties that help you meet new people, strengthen your existing relationships, and make you the person everyone wants to know.
You'll learn which days are the best (probably not the ones you think!) and what to say to the first people who arrive. Read how to ensure your invitations get responses and your guests show up excited to mingle. Plus, get helpful pre-party checklists and a breakdown of activities to encourage new connections.
With The 2-Hour Cocktail Party, you'll make new friends, boost your career, and leave everyone asking, "When's your next party?"
267 pages, Paperback
First published June 14, 2022
377 people are currently reading
5986 people want to read
About the author
Nick Gray
1 book53 followersNICK GRAY moved to New York City with very few friends and less-than-stellar social skills. But Nick craved new relationships and exciting opportunities. He started hosting non-traditional parties-a move that opened doors he never could have imagined. Today, after hosting hundreds of 2-hour parties, he counts business owners, artists, and inspiring teachers among a circle of friends that helped him launch a multimillion-dollar company. Featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, Nick has been called a host of culturally significant parties by New York Magazine. More at www.NickGray.net or @NickGrayNews on all the socials.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
June 14, 2022
I met Nick over a decade ago at one of his parties. I didn’t know him, except through Tumblr and mutual friends, but that’s how everyone first knows Nick. There was juggling and the band Freelance Whales played in a corner. Later this party was written about in New York Magazine.
Literally a decade later and I’m at another of Nick’s parties. Somehow they have gotten even better? There’s a book swap, lightning talks, and in walks a full on drum line. I meet people that I still see and run into and meet for lunch, others I’ll stay in touch with over email and phone calls. All because of Nick.
These are not rare isolated incidents. Nick has developed, designed, and field tested an effective party format and formula that literally anyone can do (he’s tested that part!), in any city or town, with any type of group and it manages to bring out the best in host and guest alike.
Trust in people. Put good ones together. Give them name tags and something to talk about and never let anyone get too settled or boring or backed into a corner. Those people will tell their friends and you’ll grow your network along with your guest list.
I know, because I’ve done it, I’ve seen others do it, and you can do it too. This isn’t a dull memoir with tips - it’s literally checklists, illustrations, case studies, actionable templates, ready-made scripts, and a step by step How To guide.
It’s a party playbook. By someone literally known for hosting really good ones. Nick is a great guy who likes meeting people and wants to pay that forward in this book. I can’t say I’ve read anything like it before.
Invest in reading it, then doing it. You’ll see rewards in less than a month, both tangible and intangible.
It’s like if Covey’s Highly Effective People got in a room with Gary V’s energy and the science and thought in The Art of Gathering. That is to say, as unique a book as its author.
Only Nick could write this book, so that people who thought cocktail parties were boring and company mixers sucked and that they knew how to host amazing parties already - all could learn something new and different and their crowds would benefit from it.
Literally a decade later and I’m at another of Nick’s parties. Somehow they have gotten even better? There’s a book swap, lightning talks, and in walks a full on drum line. I meet people that I still see and run into and meet for lunch, others I’ll stay in touch with over email and phone calls. All because of Nick.
These are not rare isolated incidents. Nick has developed, designed, and field tested an effective party format and formula that literally anyone can do (he’s tested that part!), in any city or town, with any type of group and it manages to bring out the best in host and guest alike.
Trust in people. Put good ones together. Give them name tags and something to talk about and never let anyone get too settled or boring or backed into a corner. Those people will tell their friends and you’ll grow your network along with your guest list.
I know, because I’ve done it, I’ve seen others do it, and you can do it too. This isn’t a dull memoir with tips - it’s literally checklists, illustrations, case studies, actionable templates, ready-made scripts, and a step by step How To guide.
It’s a party playbook. By someone literally known for hosting really good ones. Nick is a great guy who likes meeting people and wants to pay that forward in this book. I can’t say I’ve read anything like it before.
Invest in reading it, then doing it. You’ll see rewards in less than a month, both tangible and intangible.
It’s like if Covey’s Highly Effective People got in a room with Gary V’s energy and the science and thought in The Art of Gathering. That is to say, as unique a book as its author.
Only Nick could write this book, so that people who thought cocktail parties were boring and company mixers sucked and that they knew how to host amazing parties already - all could learn something new and different and their crowds would benefit from it.
November 17, 2023
I've been lamenting for quite some time that making friends as an adult is hard, and it's a struggle to bring together folks who I know individually but couldn't quite figure out how to introduce to one another. If that resonates with you, read this book.
When I started reading this I challenged myself to have faith and dive in and actually throw a party according to the structure this book provides, and yesterday I did! And it went GREAT! It's funny because so much of what Gray suggests had me viscerally taken aback, I really really did not want to follow most of what he positions as a non-negotiable. When he said to [see spoiler at the very bottom] my introverted self actually felt actively nauseous at the thought. But I set out to follow it to the letter and I did it. And a little infuriatingly, it actually worked SO well.
The "party runway" made the event itself a breeze that I could actually enjoy, there wasn't a single last minute cancellation, I got to see a lot of people I probably wouldn't have otherwise, energetic conversations were happening between multiple unlikely and unexpected pairings, people responded positively to the very things I felt most nervous about, there wasn't a single wallflower (in fact, I think I only ever noticed a single person pull out their phone at all, and it was to communicate with someone making their way to the event), and I had multiple people thanking me for hosting and facilitating all of the introductions (including two people who are coworkers that see each other daily but have never managed to get together outside of work) and asking to come to the next party. Not only did the event go well, but I feel really invigorated and confident knowing that I rose to the challenge and can do scary things in pursuit of my own interests. It's also reaffirming to know that even if I go out on a limb and do something that feels a little awkward or embarrassing, my friends and acquaintances will not judge me but rather receive it warmly and even encourage it. There are a few tweaks I'll make before the next one, but I'm so excited to have more events like this and am truly shocked that I plan to keep the very things that originally made me so uncomfortable.
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Spoiler text: "use an actual HARMONICA to invite people to do an ICE BREAKER not once but THREE separate times ????"
When I started reading this I challenged myself to have faith and dive in and actually throw a party according to the structure this book provides, and yesterday I did! And it went GREAT! It's funny because so much of what Gray suggests had me viscerally taken aback, I really really did not want to follow most of what he positions as a non-negotiable. When he said to [see spoiler at the very bottom] my introverted self actually felt actively nauseous at the thought. But I set out to follow it to the letter and I did it. And a little infuriatingly, it actually worked SO well.
The "party runway" made the event itself a breeze that I could actually enjoy, there wasn't a single last minute cancellation, I got to see a lot of people I probably wouldn't have otherwise, energetic conversations were happening between multiple unlikely and unexpected pairings, people responded positively to the very things I felt most nervous about, there wasn't a single wallflower (in fact, I think I only ever noticed a single person pull out their phone at all, and it was to communicate with someone making their way to the event), and I had multiple people thanking me for hosting and facilitating all of the introductions (including two people who are coworkers that see each other daily but have never managed to get together outside of work) and asking to come to the next party. Not only did the event go well, but I feel really invigorated and confident knowing that I rose to the challenge and can do scary things in pursuit of my own interests. It's also reaffirming to know that even if I go out on a limb and do something that feels a little awkward or embarrassing, my friends and acquaintances will not judge me but rather receive it warmly and even encourage it. There are a few tweaks I'll make before the next one, but I'm so excited to have more events like this and am truly shocked that I plan to keep the very things that originally made me so uncomfortable.
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.
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.
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Spoiler text: "use an actual HARMONICA to invite people to do an ICE BREAKER not once but THREE separate times ????"
June 11, 2022
I didn't expect much. Parties and meetings. I figured nothing new here. Surprised how much more Nick shared that I never thought of. Definitely a must read if you like or want to host people.
June 15, 2022
As an extrovert who thrives on being social, it’s been a tough few years without the typical gatherings I was used to planning.
Nick’s shared some very interesting cocktail parties over the years (dinosaur themed, anyone?) that made me want to be a part of, so after reading this book I’m excited about bringing cool people together again after so long.
Having hosted my fair number of gatherings big and small, I learned and have used ideas from Nick’s book and would recommend it.
I’m the type who planned a lumberjack-themed birthday pub crawl, which included me calling up bars and asking if they wouldn’t mind me bringing 30ish people dressed in plaid to their establishment and stopping for poutine at the end of the night. My priorities were to have an easy to say yes to and a visually cohesive group look (plaid and suspenders being less common in June!) So I loved how thoughtful Nick was in testing elements of successful cocktail parties.
Finally, if you’re a checklist type, the end of each chapter will be your quick flip through after reading for a refresher!
Nick’s shared some very interesting cocktail parties over the years (dinosaur themed, anyone?) that made me want to be a part of, so after reading this book I’m excited about bringing cool people together again after so long.
Having hosted my fair number of gatherings big and small, I learned and have used ideas from Nick’s book and would recommend it.
I’m the type who planned a lumberjack-themed birthday pub crawl, which included me calling up bars and asking if they wouldn’t mind me bringing 30ish people dressed in plaid to their establishment and stopping for poutine at the end of the night. My priorities were to have an easy to say yes to and a visually cohesive group look (plaid and suspenders being less common in June!) So I loved how thoughtful Nick was in testing elements of successful cocktail parties.
Finally, if you’re a checklist type, the end of each chapter will be your quick flip through after reading for a refresher!
August 11, 2023
If you've never thrown a party before, I would definitely recommend this. Or if you've thrown a party before but have never read Priya Parker, I would still recommend this. But if you've read Priya Parker and have thrown parties before, then you probably won't learn much. Still, it might be worth picking up because it's super short and it's a fast read.
Read
January 27, 2024This is the [achievable] dream. It makes me so happy that this book was written, even though I wish I had it years ago. The book flow is excellent, the specifics/scripts helpful, font perfect, strategies apply to countless areas of communication/friendship, and overall it was just such a fun read. I wish I could gift it to many friends & then discuss it together.
November 22, 2022
A great how-to from a great party planner who knows everyone! There are tips in this book that go beyond planning two hour cocktail parties, too. Mostly I appreciated how detailed and directive this is - Nick even shared his favorite name tags and how much of each kind of food to buy. You can feel Nick’s engaging energy in this book and that makes it even more fun to read.
June 12, 2022
I'm a small business owner interested in expanding my network, an introvert who sometimes finds mingling uncomfortable, and a recovering perfectionist who had thrown in the towel on hosting parties at home (I won't go into my history here of some exhausting party failures). Good news after reading Nick Gray's book: I am picking the towel back up! I found this quick-to-read and entertaining guide to entertaining really valuable! I feel confident now that my husband and I can pull off gatherings gracefully and enjoy ourselves, even if our home has many flaws, our 3 kids are running around upstairs, and there's no beer. With Gray's proven party strategies, I also feel more confident that our guests will enjoy themselves, too.
The 2-Hour Cocktail Party will help you refocus from your anxieties as a host to what really matters, and gives you easy-to-follow scripts, timelines, and checklists to help you stick to the gameplan. I appreciate how Gray also helps you see what is going on in your guest's heads from the moment they are invited all the way until the day after the party. His approach to hosting will seem goofier and more structured than you would expect in an at-home party -- be warned that there may be a harmonica and definitely will be name tags -- but he explains the logic behind all of it, has road tested all the strategies personally and with many other hosts, and shows how you can deliberately put your guests at ease in spite of (and because of) his unusual strategies.
One other note -- even though this book is designed to show you how (and why) to host a 2 hour cocktail party, I see how most of the strategies can be used in other types of parties and gatherings too.
We are excitedly planning a party now!
The 2-Hour Cocktail Party will help you refocus from your anxieties as a host to what really matters, and gives you easy-to-follow scripts, timelines, and checklists to help you stick to the gameplan. I appreciate how Gray also helps you see what is going on in your guest's heads from the moment they are invited all the way until the day after the party. His approach to hosting will seem goofier and more structured than you would expect in an at-home party -- be warned that there may be a harmonica and definitely will be name tags -- but he explains the logic behind all of it, has road tested all the strategies personally and with many other hosts, and shows how you can deliberately put your guests at ease in spite of (and because of) his unusual strategies.
One other note -- even though this book is designed to show you how (and why) to host a 2 hour cocktail party, I see how most of the strategies can be used in other types of parties and gatherings too.
We are excitedly planning a party now!
January 1, 2023
This book has me wanting to go out and start hosting parties. I like that it gives you some sample scripts and a schedule to follow to ensure success.
December 30, 2022
I met Nick a few years ago at a gathering, probably an early version of this type of party (since I don’t recall the icebreakers or the harmonica) and somehow stumbled on his new book.
And I’m so glad I did… because I’ve decided that 2023 is finally the year to create a social circle in my new home of LA!
It is a quick read (2-3hrs max) and essentially a how to manual for throwing a successful gathering for (soon to be formerly) party-challenged folks like myself.
Yes, some of the tips seem intimidating (ie the aforementioned ice breakers and harmonica) but I’m game to give the whole approach a fair try as it’s designed.
I’ll report back after I’ve had my first party, but so far I can recommend this book for anyone looking to grow their network or just have some fun and meet cool people.
And I’m so glad I did… because I’ve decided that 2023 is finally the year to create a social circle in my new home of LA!
It is a quick read (2-3hrs max) and essentially a how to manual for throwing a successful gathering for (soon to be formerly) party-challenged folks like myself.
Yes, some of the tips seem intimidating (ie the aforementioned ice breakers and harmonica) but I’m game to give the whole approach a fair try as it’s designed.
I’ll report back after I’ve had my first party, but so far I can recommend this book for anyone looking to grow their network or just have some fun and meet cool people.
December 2, 2022
Really enjoyed reading this book! For a lot of my life, I was the person who was pulling together little events and parties when I lived in New York and Los Angeles. I've since moved back to the Midwest and have fallen out of practice. I thought I was pretty well-versed on the ins and outs of party planning, but Nick has so many outside the box suggestions, it got me thinking about revitalizing my presence as "the connector" out here.
I'm really looking forward to putting these into practice - it's all just so practical and extremely well thought out.
I'm really looking forward to putting these into practice - it's all just so practical and extremely well thought out.
June 13, 2022
When I moved to NYC I wanted to build a good circle of friends
I used Nick's system to run half a dozen odd parties (and will continue to run these parties for years to come)
I HIGHLY recommend you grab a copy.
I used Nick's system to run half a dozen odd parties (and will continue to run these parties for years to come)
I HIGHLY recommend you grab a copy.
October 23, 2023
I consider myself a fairly good hostess and experienced party planner. I picked up this book for some new inspiration and boy did I get it! Love the 2 hour cocktail and icebreaker concept. Almost every chapter I thought “I would never do that!” but by the end of the chapter I was convinced to give it a try. I’m considering setting a challenge to host 6 parties using this formula next year (in addition to the other stuff I routinely host). Can’t wait to see how they work out - and if they are all a bust (unlikely, but) at least I will have some great stories to tell!
November 7, 2022
The 2-Hour Cocktail Party by Nick Gray is a useful book on hosting parties that would be sure-as-hell engaging and make you the 'it' person in town with whom everybody would want to connect with.
This book goes into detail about not just how to host fun and successful parties but also lists the kind-of dos and don't at the party, ways to make sure your guests accept your invite and actually show up to your party and then have a fantastic experience while at your party.
If you are someone who is not sure about throwing your first or the most amazing cocktail party then this book is definitely for you!
______________________
You can also read this review at www.thereadingbud.com
This book goes into detail about not just how to host fun and successful parties but also lists the kind-of dos and don't at the party, ways to make sure your guests accept your invite and actually show up to your party and then have a fantastic experience while at your party.
If you are someone who is not sure about throwing your first or the most amazing cocktail party then this book is definitely for you!
______________________
You can also read this review at www.thereadingbud.com
August 10, 2022
This is more than a book about throwing a party
In January of 2020, I went to my last in-person event for a while in New York City. While there, I met this vibrant, hyper-alive, generous human who went by the name Nick Gray.
The man captured my attention. He seemed to be injecting a spirit of excitement into the party by force of will. He walked over to me and said, "you seem like you've hosted things before, want to help me lead an icebreaker?"
I followed his lead and took part. What I experienced in that event and in my brief interactions with Nick inspired me - here was someone that had put more thought into what people REALLY want out of social engagements than anyone I had ever met before.
In my mind, I put Nick in my mental pantheon of "people I'd love to learn more about and attempt to model in my own life.
Luckily enough I moved to Austin in 2022 and ended up getting to spend more time with him. He encouraged me to use his party approach in an informal gathering I threw in Austin.
I did (using a draft of his book) and it went incredibly well. I ended up hosting about 25 people and met a lot of great people (including a handful of people that have since become great friends).
Here's what I learned:
People appreciated me hosting an event much more than I expected. Multiple people came up and thanked me. Some people had not been out of the house in a while and were grateful for the chance to connect with new people.
People appreciated the structured icebreakers much more than I expected (Nick always suggests doing structured activities, it gives a chance for people to find out about a lot of people at once and not get stuck in conversations).
Even during the event, hosting an event still felt scary. The moment before I asked everyone to get together for an ice breaker, I felt tremendous pressure to skip it. I’m glad I didn’t.
It was a lot easier than I expected and I definitely want to host more meetups and get-togethers this year. Nick’s framework is an easy way to avoid overthinking.
Name tags feel silly but are AMAZING because we all suck at remembering people's names.
I think this book is a non-obvious way to level up your own sense of agency and confidence and even better, what you are really doing is buying a small dose of courageous playfulness straight from Nick's heart that seeps through every page.
Thanks for writing this Nick and I hope this encourages many people
In January of 2020, I went to my last in-person event for a while in New York City. While there, I met this vibrant, hyper-alive, generous human who went by the name Nick Gray.
The man captured my attention. He seemed to be injecting a spirit of excitement into the party by force of will. He walked over to me and said, "you seem like you've hosted things before, want to help me lead an icebreaker?"
I followed his lead and took part. What I experienced in that event and in my brief interactions with Nick inspired me - here was someone that had put more thought into what people REALLY want out of social engagements than anyone I had ever met before.
In my mind, I put Nick in my mental pantheon of "people I'd love to learn more about and attempt to model in my own life.
Luckily enough I moved to Austin in 2022 and ended up getting to spend more time with him. He encouraged me to use his party approach in an informal gathering I threw in Austin.
I did (using a draft of his book) and it went incredibly well. I ended up hosting about 25 people and met a lot of great people (including a handful of people that have since become great friends).
Here's what I learned:
People appreciated me hosting an event much more than I expected. Multiple people came up and thanked me. Some people had not been out of the house in a while and were grateful for the chance to connect with new people.
People appreciated the structured icebreakers much more than I expected (Nick always suggests doing structured activities, it gives a chance for people to find out about a lot of people at once and not get stuck in conversations).
Even during the event, hosting an event still felt scary. The moment before I asked everyone to get together for an ice breaker, I felt tremendous pressure to skip it. I’m glad I didn’t.
It was a lot easier than I expected and I definitely want to host more meetups and get-togethers this year. Nick’s framework is an easy way to avoid overthinking.
Name tags feel silly but are AMAZING because we all suck at remembering people's names.
I think this book is a non-obvious way to level up your own sense of agency and confidence and even better, what you are really doing is buying a small dose of courageous playfulness straight from Nick's heart that seeps through every page.
Thanks for writing this Nick and I hope this encourages many people
May 30, 2025
Note: I received this as a gift and would not pick this up on my own. Perhaps this is partially why I disliked it so much.
The writing felt very condescending and repetitive like most self-help books. Additionally, I just feel like if I attended a party like this I would not be happy to be treated like a child. When the author said that he uses a harmonica to get everyone's attention at the party to start an icebreaker, I immediately noped out.
Potentially, I am too cynical and this book and the ideas in it are too earnest. I really dislike the feeling of corporate or clinical functions, and the parties the author described feel exactly that. I just did not like the writing, the concept, the illustrations, the jokes, really nothing.
The writing felt very condescending and repetitive like most self-help books. Additionally, I just feel like if I attended a party like this I would not be happy to be treated like a child. When the author said that he uses a harmonica to get everyone's attention at the party to start an icebreaker, I immediately noped out.
Potentially, I am too cynical and this book and the ideas in it are too earnest. I really dislike the feeling of corporate or clinical functions, and the parties the author described feel exactly that. I just did not like the writing, the concept, the illustrations, the jokes, really nothing.
October 31, 2024
This book is incredibly digestible and fast to read. Each step of the party-planning process is split into its own straightforward chapter, with details and clear reasoning behind each part of his method. I appreciate that it did not feel repetitive.
This book is definitely focused on a very specific type of party, with a "proven" formula for how to best throw that particular 2-hour cocktail party. I love to host a wide range of events and parties, and that meant I felt like some tips or rules weren't relevant to me - or sometimes I just felt like I knew better. However, during my read, I did decide to throw a party following the book's formula as closely as possible and see how it goes. Partially, this is because I want to try out the process laid out in the book, and see if I am surprised by any steps (maybe some things I am skeptical about will turn out to be critical to the party!) But also, considering all the events that I throw and attend, I am often still left feeling like there is a missing piece of the formula to me, and I'm curious if something like these 2-hour cocktail parties could be that piece.
maybe I will edit this review in a few weeks after I host my own 2-hour cocktail party!
This book is definitely focused on a very specific type of party, with a "proven" formula for how to best throw that particular 2-hour cocktail party. I love to host a wide range of events and parties, and that meant I felt like some tips or rules weren't relevant to me - or sometimes I just felt like I knew better. However, during my read, I did decide to throw a party following the book's formula as closely as possible and see how it goes. Partially, this is because I want to try out the process laid out in the book, and see if I am surprised by any steps (maybe some things I am skeptical about will turn out to be critical to the party!) But also, considering all the events that I throw and attend, I am often still left feeling like there is a missing piece of the formula to me, and I'm curious if something like these 2-hour cocktail parties could be that piece.
maybe I will edit this review in a few weeks after I host my own 2-hour cocktail party!
September 11, 2022
An incredibly practical and easy to follow guide to the otherwise-daunting task of hosting a cocktail party. Probably the main value of this book is providing motivation and a clear path to hosting your first party or two; it is something which gets much easier after you've done it a few times, but which has a high barrier to getting started. A few pieces of very practical advice which I found useful (even after hosting many parties) -- some great advice on how to pick a date/establish a critical mass of attendees before inviting harder-to-invite people; he makes a strong case for name tags, in a specific way; and provides some solutions to the "people who show up early" "people show up late" "people stay too long" problems.
June 11, 2022
Following Nick on social media for a while, I saw someone who seems very confident and always throwing parties and having a good time. I was surprised when I read his book and found that he built this method through trial and error and he’s now sharing all of his hard won secrets in this book.
After taking his offer to read an advance copy, I’ve went through the pages quickly getting entertained and educated simultaneously. Nick includes scripts, things to avoid, and real world stories to quickly get you in a place where you’re ready to host your first gathering.
After taking his offer to read an advance copy, I’ve went through the pages quickly getting entertained and educated simultaneously. Nick includes scripts, things to avoid, and real world stories to quickly get you in a place where you’re ready to host your first gathering.
June 14, 2022
I never thought about how you could meet people, strengthen relationships, and have fun at the same time by throwing small events like this. I'd seen it done by other people before but I didn't know how good it could be with a little bit of smart up front work. Nick's book really opened my eyes to how effective this can be if you do it the right way.
Best of all, everything in Nick's book is accessible. It doesn't take a lot of money, just a bit of planning up front and lot of lessons learned from Nick's own events. I know have a handful of things I'll do differently next time.
Best of all, everything in Nick's book is accessible. It doesn't take a lot of money, just a bit of planning up front and lot of lessons learned from Nick's own events. I know have a handful of things I'll do differently next time.
August 11, 2022
Typically, hosting a gathering of any kind comes off as much more of an endeavor than it may sound. Planning a cocktail party can be just as complex as building an intricate cocktail, and Nick Gray’s book gets the measurements down to the exact drop. This is an outstanding guide on how to get comfortable building social opportunities that expand your network and how to enjoy yourself as a host. As someone who has now been a host for hundreds of small gatherings, I can tell you that The 2-Hour Cocktail Party is a veritable blueprint to make your next party a resounding success!
June 16, 2025
I LOVED this book. I’ve hosted 2 parties following many of Nick’s recommendations and they were wonderful. It validated hosting practices I already had and inspired many others that I will continue.
I also loved that it prioritizes authenticity and meaningful connection. It’s about community, not aesthetics and decorations.
It’s very well organized and easy to follow or refer back to. I’ll definitely refer to it again for future party planning!
I also loved that it prioritizes authenticity and meaningful connection. It’s about community, not aesthetics and decorations.
It’s very well organized and easy to follow or refer back to. I’ll definitely refer to it again for future party planning!
June 11, 2022
Nick’s book is a game changer. I went from no shows and last minute cancellations to guests who were excited to attend and get togethers where everyone really mingled. Throwing get togethers using Nick’s methods was not just fun it helped me make new friends and connections and helped my friends make new friends as well. Highly recommend!
September 8, 2022
What a fantastic book! More books like this should exist. Extremely practical, well-written, distilled advice from years of experience of organising small parties - giving the exact, tried and tested blueprint for an easy to organise, successful party. I am very much looking forward to testing the advice in practice in the near future, I'll update my review then.
August 3, 2025
Not enough books are tactical, and this one will almost give you the play by play TOO much!! I really like that he lays it out so completely, and for nervous hosts this will be a boon.
Before you ask, yes we’re hosting the first cocktail party in this style tomorrow!
Before you ask, yes we’re hosting the first cocktail party in this style tomorrow!
June 16, 2022
7 Ways to Create Meaningful Gatherings
Full disclosure: there are more than 7 ways, but I got you to look!
Like Nick knows, we NEED to know (1) what something is, (2) why it’s important, and (3) how to do it. As you look around, there are a few (many?) people who’ve helped you get from where you were to where you are.
What if you could be that person for others?
Get, read, and DO this book. And, as Jock says throughout, email to let him know how it goes!
Full disclosure: there are more than 7 ways, but I got you to look!
Like Nick knows, we NEED to know (1) what something is, (2) why it’s important, and (3) how to do it. As you look around, there are a few (many?) people who’ve helped you get from where you were to where you are.
What if you could be that person for others?
Get, read, and DO this book. And, as Jock says throughout, email to let him know how it goes!
August 4, 2024
I sincerely wish I knew enough people to throw a party like this lol.
October 8, 2024
Nick is such an inspiration & this book is a great tactical guide. One star off bc the scope is quite narrow (but that was the intent!)
Read
December 30, 2024I’m sure this is nice for someone socially awkward or off their mojo…otherwise just read Priya Parker’s book
Read
July 4, 2025y’all comin?
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