The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker

The Art of Gathering

Subtitle: How We Meet and Why It Matters

Author: Priya Parker

Genre: Nonfiction

Format: Physical Book

Publish Date: May 2018

Read: November 2023

Favorite Quote: Gatherings crackle and flourish when real thought goes into them, when (often invisible) structure is baked into them, and when a host has the curiosity, willingness, and generosity of spirit to try.

Synopsis: The Art of Gathering spotlights how to make our traditional gatherings exceptional. By now, conferences, work meetings, and even family events have a defined structure. Teammates or partners stay together. We hide in the shadows, waiting for an acceptable time for an Irish exit. We complain about the tired, overdone format.

Priya Parker gives you the concepts needed to host an amazing gathering. The focus is primarily on events with many strangers and disparate groups. However, Parker does help adjust the concept for gatherings with family and friends who know each other already. The book begins with the event, - which starts well before the day of the gathering. Then, Parker steps through each step of the event, touching on who should attend, how long, the last call, and event closure.

Why does this book beguile? Having attended quite a few conferences and more work meetings than I ever care to admit, I was excited to read this book and see how to improve gatherings. I was surprised to learn how easy it is for our gatherings to devolve. As a host, your job is to protect your guests, and sometimes, that means saying no to party-crashers and outside influences. Many events suffer from a lack of purpose or continue to exist out of misguided tradition. The Art of Gathering helps you identify what you need to do to host a truly memorable gathering.

Rating: 5/5

Link*: The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker

If you’re interested in this, read*: Think Again by Adam Grant