No one knows better than Sally Quinn how to make parties work. She has thrown some of the most talked-about parties and has went to a lot of the others. Here, she turns her trademark razor-sharp wit on the Washington sociable scene and offers an irreverent take a look at what goes on at the parties you read about in the columns. From seats debacles to real-life scandals, she reveals her firsthand encounters as a member of the Washington power elite to illustrate how exactly to entertain for just about any occasion.

The Party offers a checklist of suggestions to help make the important decisions, through the invitations towards the setting to the meals and entertainment and, most importantly, the guests. On the way, Quinn stocks her own often amusing anecdotes from a number of different parties—from formal, elaborate meals to impromptu get-togethers—that may hit a chord with whoever has ever entertained.