The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters
Written by Priya Parker
Narrated by Bernadette Dunne
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
A bold new approach to how we gather that will transform the ways we spend our time together—at work, at home, in our communities, and beyond.
In The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker argues that the gatherings in our lives are lackluster and unproductive—which they don't have to be. We rely too much on routine and the conventions of gatherings when we should focus on distinctiveness and the people involved. At a time when coming together is more important than ever, Parker sets forth a human-centered approach to gathering that will help everyone create meaningful, memorable experiences, large and small, for work and for play.
Drawing on her expertise as a facilitator of high-powered gatherings around the world, Parker takes us inside events of all kinds to show what works, what doesn't, and why. She investigates a wide array of gatherings—conferences, meetings, a courtroom, a flash-mob party, an Arab-Israeli summer camp—and explains how simple, specific changes can invigorate any group experience.
The result is a book that's both journey and guide, full of exciting ideas with real-world applications. The Art of Gathering will forever alter the way you look at your next meeting, industry conference, dinner party, and backyard barbecue—and how you host and attend them.
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Reviews for The Art of Gathering
24 ratings6 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I am so impressed. New thoughts and ideas. Well written... I ate it up. If you want to be a better host or even a better culture builder... this book is a must read. Gatherings can be soooo much more!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A lot of very good points were raised: 1) a gathering focusing o the purpose amd problem it is trying to solve rather han relying on tradition; 2) the host performing generous authority (enforcing some rules and being attentive to guest's needs rather than letting them chill); 3) giving a proper ending to a gathering. The part where it can improve on is that there's too much focus on host when equal attention could have been given to the audience. A gathering is made up of all attendees and it felt like the book was pointing out (probably unintentionally) that everything rests on the host's/faciliatator's shoulder.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fantastic guide to help you re-think and structure gatherings of all types.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Some excellent ideas here. It went on a bit too long in many parts, however some of the concepts were worth it.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Some bits I found really useful (the chapter on endings, thinking about protecting my guests, the idea of who to exclude), other bits did read as if, as another reviewer said, Tahani from The Good Place had written it (unironically).
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5In The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters Priya Parker makes an impassioned case for creating more meaningful gatherings and walks you through each step, from having a purpose to the closing, and everything in between. Using myriad examples from her own life and professional practice, Parker illustrates the ways in which you as the host can create a memorable occasion, whether it's your next business meeting or a social hour with friends.Almost anyone can get something out of this book. If you're human and not a hermit, you most likely gather in some way over some occasion at some point - weddings, funerals, hosting a few friends to dinner - these are all gatherings. In business, a meeting, a conference - these are gatherings too. Parker takes general principles that you can apply in almost any situation. She talks about having a specific purpose to the gathering, and using that to make decisions about where it is located and how you structure the event. From there, she uses her expertise to explain ways in which you can make a more meaningful, memorable gathering: but unlike most books on gatherings, she's less interested in logistics than in people. I liked that she includes examples of times she didn't get it right. She's not setting herself up as a perfect person who's got it all down; she's learning too, and she's here to explain what she's learned and why she believes in doing things the way she lays it out. I'm hoping to put some of this into practice in some of the gatherings I'm involved in personally and professionally.
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