The Party: A Guide to Adventurous Entertaining (Paperback)

~ (Author) "There are a thousand reasons to have a party or to entertain, but as far as I'm concerned there is only one legitimate one..." (more)
Key Phrases: buffet supper, dinner partner, seated dinner, New York, Washington Post, White House (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Before she married Ben Bradlee, former executive editor of the Washington Post, and became a society hostess herself, Sally Quinn made her living going to parties and reporting on them for the Post's "Style" section. Her years of experience as both guest and hostess have put Quinn in the perfect position to counsel others on the dos and don'ts of entertaining, and she does so with gusto in The Party. Granted, the average reader won't be faced with some of the problems Quinn and her beltway buddies cope with regularly--the president of the United States staying longer than expected at a pre-dinner cocktail party, for example, or the ambassador to Great Britain getting drunk and making out with a reporter (not his wife) in the spare bedroom. Still, Quinn points out, some things are universal, whether you're entertaining in an embassy ballroom or a one-room apartment in Queens: good food, good drink, and good company make for a great party. And even if you don't throw parties like Quinn does, you can still enjoy getting the dish on after-hours Washington . The Party is the next-best thing to being invited to Sally Quinn's house for dinner. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Having started her journalistic career covering the Washington social scene for the Washington Post's style section and now married to former executive editor Ben Bradlee, Quinn knows a thing or two about parties. "Over the years I have gone to thousands and given hundreds. And over the years I think I have been able to figure out what makes things work." Here she shares with anxious would-be hosts or hostesses her tips for throwing a successful party. Stressing the importance of making sure your guests have a good time, Quinn details elements to consider: the setting, food, booze, table, entertainment, and guests. She interposes her advice with gossipy stories of celebrity-laden disasters and hits. At times the name dropping becomes excessive ("Dick Cavett drove all the way from Montauk with his dog in the car, Swedish actress BiBi Anderson was there"). And how many of us entertain the president of the United States? But, unlike Martha Stewart, Quinn at least has a sense of humor. An optional purchase.?Wilda Williams, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (September 3, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684849607
• ISBN-13: 978-0684849607
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #774,191 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Get Over It", February 25, 2001

By	Michela (Seattle, WA, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Near the end of her book, "The Party: A Guide to Adventurous Entertaining," Washington "hostess" and Southern belle Sally Quinn discloses for whom she has written this book. Ms. Quinn says that ". . . many newcomers to Washington, whether they are members of Congress or administration types or diplomats or journalists, do find the whole notion of Washington and Georgetown dinner parties terribly intimidating." Through her outspoken and irreverent memoir-guide, she hopes to demystify "what goes on here."

Ms. Quinn does mention "names"; she says she does so in order to level the playing field, to show that anyone can drop the ball when entertaining. Her book is filled with anecdotes as well as practical tips. She exhorts would-be hosts and hostesses to follow the Golden Rule: "Treat your guests the way you would like to be treated."

Much of the book repeats commonsensical rules that those of us who entertain already know. However, I did pick up some pointers, such as ". . . no matter how bad the food is or what disaster befalls you in the kitchen, when all else fails, make sure you have plenty of booze on hand, and the party won't be a total bomb," and "[e]veryone in your home must be treated like a celebrity, must be made to feel wanted and special."

"The Party" may not appeal much to experienced party-givers and party-goers. However, it is an amusing addition to more "serious" books on entertaining. For someone who is starting out as a host or hostess, I think he or she will find some good tips here. As Ms. Quinn says, "the point is to have a good time." If one cannot do so, then she says to "get over it."

If you don't know what a "P.R.F." is, then that is reason enough to get this book.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A guide to....nothing at all, September 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The PARTY (Hardcover)

I assumed, from the title, that this would be a book of practical advice for giving parties. Instead, it was a thinly disguised excuse for the author's collection of anecdotes about the Washington rich-'n'-famous. The only practical advice given are gems such as "temperature is important--don't let your guests be too hot or too cold." Gee--that one I'd already figured out for myself. If you want to read about the Washington social scene, this is a great book. If you're seeking advice about how to entertain, don't bother with this one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A page turner, April 19, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Party : A Guide to Adventurous Entertaining (Hardcover)

OK, so it's not an etiquette book, nor is it a step-by-step party guide. The lessons are given via examples -- and what examples! The rich and famous -- including Sally herself -- are all grist for the mill.

But the key factor is Sally's breezy writing style. It's good enough that I am back on Amazon looking for other books she has authored.