I met @nickgray 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.
Learn more on his great book website.
My 2021 Year in Reading at GoodReads
32 books. 8,582 pages.
16 Fiction. 16 NonFiction.
16 Female Authors. 16 Male.
7 Print. 25 Digital.
24 Library Digital.
*2020
33 books. 8,029 pages. 14 Fiction. 19 NonFiction.
16 Female Authors. 17 Male. 14 Print. 19 Digital.
18 Library Digital.
*2019
46 books/14,455 pages. 17 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.
20 Female Authors. 26 Male. 22 Print. 24 Digital.
21 Library Digital.
52 books/12,504 pages. 20 Fiction. 32 NonFiction.
30 Print. 22 Digital. 21 Female Authors. 31 Male.
18 Library Digital.
47 books/15,472 pages. 18 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.
19 Print. 28 Digital. 16 Female. 31 Male.
25 Library Digital.
50 books/18,944 pages. 22 Fiction/28 NonFiction.
18 Print/32 Digital. 15 Female/35 Male.
27 Library Digital.
44 books/14,765 pages. 25 Fiction/19 NonFiction.
30 Print/14 Digital. 10 Female/34 Male.
7 Library Digital.
*2014
39 books/14,316 pages. 18 Fiction/21 NonFiction.
20 Print/19 Digital. 14 Female/25 Male.
12 Library Digital.
-
This year I read 32 books, which was below my yearly average and my set goal for the year in reading challenge. But considering my new life (post 2hr commute and with 2 children and much more reading for work), above 30 books is going to be my new PAR, like getting more than 100 in bowling. I’m happy with it.
I read one less book (thanks Ulysses) but more pages (thanks Ulysses) than 2020.
This is the first year that I actually reached a balance, reading exactly the same number of female and male authors. And exactly as many fiction as nonfiction!
Turns out I didn’t pay for a single digital (ebook) read all year actually… they all came from the Library, NetGalley, or Prime. That’s been a goal for awhile now as well… if I want a book I’m buying it in print (to own it) or I’ll wait for the library hold.
Continuing my trends, I read mostly new (frontlist) books this year - published over the last two years, except for a handful. There’s so many amazing new books that I’m just trying to keep up. And as usual, all my favorite fiction is from female writers.
If any book ever catches your interest, I hope you follow through in finding a way to acquire and read it - check out my reviews (I write a review for every book I read) and let me know what you’re reading these days. Read on!
My top 3 reads from 2021:
Favorite Fiction:
Such A Fun Age
Laserwriter II
No One Is Talking About This
Favorite NonFiction:
Gone to the Woods
Why Fish Don’t Exist
Fulfillment
Honorable Mentions:
How Lucky
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous
The Smash-Up
My 2020 Year in Reading at GoodReads
33 books. 8,029 pages.
14 Fiction. 19 NonFiction.
16 Female Authors. 17 Male.
14 Print. 19 Digital.
18 Library Digital.
-
*2019
46 books/14,455 pages. 17 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.
20 Female Authors. 26 Male. 22 Print. 24 Digital.
21 Library Digital.
52 books/12,504 pages. 20 Fiction. 32 NonFiction.
30 Print. 22 Digital. 21 Female Authors. 31 Male.
18 Library Digital.
47 books/15,472 pages. 18 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.
19 Print. 28 Digital. 16 Female. 31 Male.
25 Library Digital.
50 books/18,944 pages. 22 Fiction/28 NonFiction.
18 Print/32 Digital. 15 Female/35 Male.
27 Library Digital.
44 books/14,765 pages. 25 Fiction/19 NonFiction.
30 Print/14 Digital. 10 Female/34 Male.
7 Library Digital.
*2014
39 books/14,316 pages. 18 Fiction/21 NonFiction.
20 Print/19 Digital. 14 Female/25 Male.
12 Library Digital.
-
This year I read 33 books, which was 13 books below my yearly average and my set goal for the year in reading challenge. Not only that, but I read more shorter books, about half of my average number of pages read over a year, as I selfishly attempted to get my numbers up and meet my goal (yet still failing). However, I stand proud by this 33 number - having persevered through many changes to remain a reader.
2020 was the first full year that I was a father of two children under the age of 4. That alone accounts for so much, that looking back I should’ve adjusted my goal leaving the hospital in 2019 with our bundle of joy. I also changed jobs in March, abandoning my daily 2-hr commute on trains where I have done the majority of my reading over the last 14 years. This new job is a lot more responsibility and work (and reading!).
Of course, no one had a commute once the pandemic hit. And to have finished any books in the year we just had, with an election on top of a pandemic and ongoing protesting, we should all be patting ourselves on the back.
Some of my trends make sense… I read more library ebooks and more ebooks in general (as a total percentage) than previous years. Being on the move for five unexpected months with a family, I didn’t bring as many print books along. Some of the trends I’ve been intentionally working towards… I finally (almost) reached exactly a 50/50 split between female and male writers.
In general, I’m glad to have been able to read many new books published in 2020 (12) and 2019 (5). 2020 was a great year for publishing and I hope that those books are still discovered and read and remembered as good new things about this year.
If any book ever catches your interest, I hope you follow through in finding a way to acquire and read it - check out my reviews (I write a review for every book I read) and let me know what you’re reading these days. Read on!
My top 3 reads from 2020:
Favorite Fiction:
The Glass Hotel
Luster
All Adults Here
Favorite NonFiction:
Eat a Peach
Ask For More
Uncanny Valley
Honorable Mentions:
Leave The World Behind
Run Studio Run
Writers & Lovers
So, what a decade this last week has been - right? I’m working on what’s to-be my first personal email newsletter, to go out tomorrow. Sign up here: http://bit.ly/PWKmail to get it.
Just experiencing what this last week has been like over social media, it’s clearer to me than ever that this platform isn’t the right fit. Let’s get back to letters. Hope you’ll join me.
Think about why it’s illegal to hire a hit man.
All you’re really doing is speaking and giving someone money.
It’s legal to speak.
It’s legal to give someone money.
Even if they actually complete the job, you’re not the one who committed the murder.
So why is it illegal to hire a hit man?
Could it be because inciting violence is not protected under free speech?
And if that’s the case, why should free speech protect Nazis advocating genocide?
Never reblogged something harder in my life
(via illogicallylogicalchick)
Apparently, I’ve been radicalized and I wasn’t aware.
Certain people call me the “radical Left” all the time.
•I never considered myself radical before.
•I just thought I was normal, ordinary, usual.
•I thought equity was important to everyone.
•I imagined America was filled with people who took that Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness stuff seriously—for all people.
•I thought the Golden Rule was actually mainstream.
Recently I took an inventory of my positions, screening for the extremism:
•I believe in full LGBTQ rights.
•I believe we should protect the planet.
•I believe everyone deserves healthcare.
•I believe all religions are equally valid.
•I believe the world is bigger than America.
•I believe to be “pro-life,” means to treasure all of it.
•I believe whiteness isn’t superior and it is not the baseline of humanity.
•I believe we are all one interdependent community.
•I believe people and places are made better by diversity.
•I believe people shouldn’t be forced to abide by anyone else’s religion.
•I believe non-American human beings have as much value as American ones.
•I believe generosity is greater than greed, compassion better than contempt, and kindness superior to derision.
•I believe there is enough in this world for everyone: enough food, enough money, enough room, enough care—if we unleash our creativity and unclench our fists.
I’m not sure how these ideas became radical, though it seems to have happened in the last few years.
I grew up being taught they were just part of being a decent human being.
I grew up believing that loving my neighbor as myself, meant that I actually worked for their welfare as much as my own.
I was taught that caring for the least in the world, was the measure of my devotion to God.
I thought that inalienable rights of other people were supposed to be a priority as a decent participant in the world.
I don’t think I’m alone. ~John Pavlovitz
(via liberalsarecool)
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