The Art of Mingling by Jeanne Martinet

About the Book:

Does the idea of going to a party make your mouth go dry? Are you more comfortable on FaceTime than you are face-to-face? Do you find yourself living a screen-only life? You're not alone; ninety percent of the world suffers from minglephobia, and Jeanne Martinet has the cure.

While most people have always had a fear of mixing with new people, our digital reality promotes an ever-increasing trend toward social isolation, and the habits we acquired during the pandemic have cause our mingling muscles to atrophy even more. We need face-to-face conversations as much as we need food or air. The Art of Mingling encourages you to get off your apps, get back out there and make real-life connections. In this well-timed fourth edition, the author has completely updated her sure-fire system for overcoming social fears and having a great time at any type of business or social get-together.

Filled with both simple and advanced techniques, tricks, tips, lines, and maneuvers, and illustrated with entertaining examples, The Art of Mingling teaches you:

* The value of interacting in person
* Basic survival strategies for the Truly Terrified
* Opening lines and gambits that really work
* Tools and rules for keeping the conversation going in the right direction
* The all-important etiquette of escape
* Why some white lies are essential
* Faux pas recovery techniques
* How to avoid the dumb use of smartphones
* The secret to being a good listener
* Tips for mingling in public venues
* Much-needed tactics for navigating political topics
* Instructions for following up after the party
* And much, much more!

My Review:

I really liked this informative book. I have never done well in group social settings and really appreciate the suggestions here. Her ideas for "first lines" make entering into a conversation reasonable. I like the strategies to feel at ease. I was surprised to read of one I have done on my own, imagining the people naked. I like her advice on dialogue, that kindness is more important than stark honesty. Besides good advice, she has included humor. That makes the book not only really helpful but also fun to read.

My rating:4/5 stars

St Martin's Griffin, 304 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)