Art of the Cocktail Party: The Complete Guide to Sophisticated Entertaining (Paperback)

by Leslie Brenner (Author) "Astonishing as it may seem, the cocktail party as a social institution has not been around very long at all..." (more)
Key Phrases: peel knot, quintessential cocktail party, tiny tart shells, Potato Puffs, New York, San Pellegrino (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A hip, elegant, and completely irresistible guide to throwing (or attending) that most American of institutions--the cocktail party. With informative lists and sidebars, quotations from celebrated wits, and more than 135 whimsical yet instructive illustrations, The Art of the Cocktail Party will turn any host or hostess into the talk of the town. Illustrated.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Plume (November 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452272351
• ISBN-13: 978-0452272354
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #806,682 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining book ... helpful in entertaining!, May 30, 1998

By	Dr. G. Golod ([e-mail]) (Ra'anana, ISRAEL) - See all my reviews

Do you owe a lot of invitations to friends and associates? I sure did. Then someone gave me a copy of "The Art of the Cocktail Party" (a not-so-subtle hint!). Inspired by this book, I decided to make a dent in my long list of social obligations by giving a cocktail party.

This isn't a book for reading from cover to cover. Read the first few chapters to get a sense of the history and mystique of the cocktail party. Then make your way through the rest of the book the way you would circulate at a cocktail party: check out topics that appeal to you, learn what you can from them, and move on to something else. It's all here: eats, drinks (alcoholic and non-), party themes, music, room arrangement, etc. (The drink and hors d'oeuvres recipes are useful for other types of entertaining as well, not just for "official" cocktail parties.)

This handy guide, written with humor and complete with witty illustrations, offers lots of practical advice. It helped me make my debut cocktail party a huge success, and I know I'll keep coming back to it in the future. The many tips I picked up allowed me to arrive at my party feeling prepared, instead of as a nervous wreck, so that I could enjoy the evening along with my guests.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I LOVE THIS BOOK!, March 17, 2000

By A Customer

The minute I finished this book, I ran out and got a stack of them to give as gifts to every friend I know. I've never seen (or read) a book anything like this! It's filled with brilliant ideas for entertaining, even if the party is just you and one other. Best of all, the book is hilarious and totally fun to read. Even though I've already read it, it's like a favorite snack that I keep munching on. It's one of those books you can open at any page and find something yummy. GET IT!

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Art of the Cocktail party, December 7, 1999

By A Customer

I loved this look. It was perfect for me, a cocktail party throwing novice, I am planning one in the near future and the information provided will help me get through it with ease. The author was not only knowledgable but whitty and practical. The best parts of the book were the interesting cocktail party facts, list of essentials of the cocktail party, and the step by step instruction on what you should do and when. The author also notes which thigs can be done in advance.