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A Curious Invitation
A Curious Invitation: The Forty Greatest Parties in Literature | Suzette Field
6 posts | 1 read | 4 to read
Since ancient times human beings have gathered together for social purposes. And since not very long after that writers have written about these occasions. The party is a useful literary device, not only for social comment and satire, but as an occasion where characters can meet, fall in love, fall out or even get murdered. A Curious Invitation features forty of the greatest fictional festivities. Some of these parties are depictions of real events, like the Duchess of Richmonds Ball on the eve of battle with Napoleon in Thackerays Vanity Fair; others draw on the authors experience of the society they lived in, such as Lady Metrolands party in Evelyn Waughs Vile Bodies; while yet others come straight from the writers bizarre imagination, like Douglas Adams flying party above an unknown planet from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Suzette Field offers you the chance to gatecrash these parties, spanning most of the history of human civilization, seen through the eyes of the worlds greatest writers.
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Bookwomble
Bookwomble
A Curious Invitation: The Forty Greatest Parties in Literature | Suzette Field
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A lesson in not judging a book by its cover: rather than being 40 short stories & extracts from novels on the theme of parties, which I'd mistaken it for, it summarises such into categories (guest list, menus, dress code, etc.), followed by the author's critique of the occasion. It's possibly ok, & I don't begrudge the 40p I paid to charity, but it's not for me, so straight back to the charity shop! I need to pay more attention when browsing 😏📖

vivastory I think this is the type of book you're looking for
[tagged book]Parties: A Literary Companion
2y
Bookwomble @vivastory Thanks for the recommendation. I'm very much not a party animal, so these books would be a kind of otherworldly literature for me 😁 2y
vivastory My idea of a party is 🍷📚🍺📚 2y
Bookwomble Ha, ha! Mine, too, though with whisky rather than beer, and with added cheese 😄 2y
24 likes4 comments
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vivastory
vivastory
A Curious Invitation: The Forty Greatest Parties in Literature | Suzette Field
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A recent acquisition, I really enjoy browsing this collection of the greatest parties in literature. Each section features the host, guest list, venue, dress code, food & drink, entertainment, conversation & outcome. Ranging from Belshazzar's Feast in Book of Daniel (where I learned the origin of the phrase “the writing is on the wall“) to Poe's Masque of the Red Death. Great for dipping into, esp during lockdown & when you want to feel #merry🍷🎉

vivastory #maycharacters @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 3y
AlaMich This sounds like a fun read! Can‘t remember the last time I went to a party...😕 3y
vivastory @AlaMich Same! Closest I've experienced was happy hour with coworkers last week 3y
See All 7 Comments
Eggs Lovely 😊 3y
BkClubCare I assume The Great Gatsby makes an appearance? 3y
vivastory @BkClubCare It does! I've been contemplating a reread of Gatsby 3y
BkClubCare @vivastory - I did a reread when the Leo movie was out. It is much better read as an adult than a 16 yo? IMO? and then I watched the latest movie followed by the 70s Robt Redford movie. It was fun. 3y
68 likes4 stack adds7 comments
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squirrelbrain
squirrelbrain
A Curious Invitation: The Forty Greatest Parties in Literature | Suzette Field
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Thank you so much for my gifts @Caroline2 - and the card is just perfect for me! 🐿 🥜 🐿 🥜

Both books sound fab - Rose Under Fire is the sequel to Code Name Verity isn‘t it? A Curious Invitation sounds fascinating!

I‘ll drop you a reply to your email soon - you‘ve certainly had a VERY hectic few weeks! 😘

Avanders Oooh 😍😍 4y
Caroline2 Yay! I‘m glad they arrived ok and that you like em. 😊 4y
68 likes2 comments
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balletbookworm
balletbookworm
A Curious Invitation: The Forty Greatest Parties in Literature | Suzette Field
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Mehso-so

Eh, kind of boring. If you haven‘t read the work the party comes from you‘re a bit lost for context and if you have then you disagree with the author‘s analysis *cough*Mansfield Park*cough*

But I read it and now it can go in the library donation bin.

17 likes
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Clwojick
Clwojick
A Curious Invitation: The Forty Greatest Parties in Literature | Suzette Field
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I was writing out my wedding invites tonight, and I had a few extras so I figured I had to try, right?

Have any of you guys sent wedding invites to any celebrities? I kinda want to invite Jimmy Fallon too. 😍

PenguinInFlight I can‘t believe I never thought of that and it makes me sad, LOL. 6y
Ashley85 @PenguinInFlight I‘m right there with ya! 😂 6y
Amanda.T I‘ve heard if you send one to Mickey and Minnie they will send you back an autographed picture of them. 😁 6y
See All 17 Comments
RaimeyGallant lol, sometimes they actually reply. :) One of the queen's people picks a few correspondence a day to respond to, from what I remember. 6y
leahbird The Obama White House used to respond to a lot of wedding invites. Wonder if their post WH staff still does that? 6y
julesG Lovely idea! Fingers crossed! 6y
laurenlovesliterature 😳😳 6y
Itchyfeetreader Because of the church I got married in I had to get approval from the Queen to (via the Lord Chamberlain‘s office). It never occurred to me if I should have invited her as well 😂 6y
Eggs Go for it!!! 6y
niha923 ELLEN!! ❤❤❤😍 Go for it!! You never know what luck could have in store for you 6y
WeeWeegieBookworm A couple of years ago, the Queen actually turned up to someone's wedding after the couple sent the invite as a joke 😂🙈 6y
Burghbookaddict Omg, I should do this too. But if they actually showed up I would probs pass out! 6y
GripLitGrl You may get totally lucky with a turn up! I've gotten letter responses of congratulations from the Obamas we sent our invatations out to them when they were in the Whitehouse it' a very cool keepsake to have. Ellen i think will defiantly send something. If the queen shows up that would be awesome🙌 6y
Mdargusch That‘s hysterical! 😂 6y
mariaku21 Bill Murray has been known to show up from time to time when invited to weddings 6y
Bookzombie I think you should invite an author or two. You never know what might happen. 🙂 6y
rather_be_reading 😂😂 6y
123 likes17 comments
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akfreeborn
akfreeborn
A Curious Invitation: The Forty Greatest Parties in Literature | Suzette Field

My son's English Honor Society is planning a literary dinner-cool huh? They read a passage to the guests and then have food that the culinary department prepares for the course- think Seafood Chowder (Moby Dick), etc. of course it would be best if it tasted good (i.e. No gruel for Oliver Twist). Any good suggestions? Sounds fun to me.

Alfoster When I taught The Importance of Being Earnest, my kids brought cucumber sandwiches and muffins.🥒🥒 7y
LiteraryinLawrence I could picture something tea party-esque paired with Alice in Wonderland. 7y
LiteraryinLawrence There is also a scene in A Wrinkle in Time when the children eat a meal that to some tastes like a delicious turkey dinner but to others tastes like sand. But that might be too obscure a reference. 7y
See All 6 Comments
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Madeleines for Proust! 😂 7y
akfreeborn @Alfoster @LiteraryinLititz and @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Great ideas. I will pass them on to the kids.The event should be fun. I'll post about it with the menu when it happens in February. I love the Wrinkle in Time reference -such a vivid passage; I forgot about it though 7y
Alfoster Yay! Let us know! (with pics please!)😍 7y
33 likes6 comments