Scan barcode
A review by rbruehlman
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker
4.0
I did vanishingly little research on this book before buying it, and had a vague thought it was about the psychology of informal social groups (e.g., spending time with friends). It is, in fact, about how to host events like dinner parties, conferences, etc.
As a shy ambivert whose nightmare is hosting, this was about as relevant to me as reading a book about flying airplanes--I've attended parties and I've flown on airplanes, but I have not been the Man-Behind-the-Curtain for either, nor do I particularly strive to be. However, credit must be given where credit is worth--the book was actually very informative, giving solid guidelines and suggestions to how to set the tone and purpose of events, facilitate conversation among participants, closing out the event, reading the room, etc. As a person with little experience hosting or planning anything, I don't think I would intuitively think of the things she suggested, but when I think back on events I have attended that I thought were exceptionally well-organized, they all had the qualities she lays out. I had never really identified or thought critically about the elements that made those successful events so meaningful, but having read Priya Parker's book, I can understand how and why much better.
I still don't think I'm hosting anything anytime soon, but if I did, I would definitely refer to this book for guidance. Part of the reason I dislike hosting and planning so much is I'm paralyzed by "what do I do???" and "what if guests have a bad time?", but it's much easier to not fall victim to this fear when you have a blueprint like this one. (I should note I rated this 4 stars not because there was anything deficient about the book; 5 stars is "damn, this changed me and I'll be thinking about it forever". Not a demerit of the book in any way.)
As a shy ambivert whose nightmare is hosting, this was about as relevant to me as reading a book about flying airplanes--I've attended parties and I've flown on airplanes, but I have not been the Man-Behind-the-Curtain for either, nor do I particularly strive to be. However, credit must be given where credit is worth--the book was actually very informative, giving solid guidelines and suggestions to how to set the tone and purpose of events, facilitate conversation among participants, closing out the event, reading the room, etc. As a person with little experience hosting or planning anything, I don't think I would intuitively think of the things she suggested, but when I think back on events I have attended that I thought were exceptionally well-organized, they all had the qualities she lays out. I had never really identified or thought critically about the elements that made those successful events so meaningful, but having read Priya Parker's book, I can understand how and why much better.
I still don't think I'm hosting anything anytime soon, but if I did, I would definitely refer to this book for guidance. Part of the reason I dislike hosting and planning so much is I'm paralyzed by "what do I do???" and "what if guests have a bad time?", but it's much easier to not fall victim to this fear when you have a blueprint like this one. (I should note I rated this 4 stars not because there was anything deficient about the book; 5 stars is "damn, this changed me and I'll be thinking about it forever". Not a demerit of the book in any way.)