The holidays are here and parties are probably starting to fill your calendar…are you excited, or do you dread the small talk that comes with the get-togethers? How can you avoid putting your foot in your mouth, sounding dumb or making banal talk about the weather? Gayle talks with David Matalon and Chris Woolsey, authors of The Concise Guide to Sounding Smart at Parties, about the art of conversation!
"We get so much feedback from people—'Oh god, I'm so tired of talking about work; I'm so tired of my husband's stories; I'm so tired of all the usual things,'" David and Chris say. "People are really excited to hear about new and interesting things, and things that not only make you sound smart but let them be smarter as well."
The book is filled with newsy tidbits and funny trivia that you can introduce at parties. For example, who is Nietzsche? (A German philosopher.) What is the history of Motown? (It was founded by Barry Gordy.) What was the Council of Nicea (A conference of Christian bishops that resulted in the first Christian creed.)
"There is tons of humor in the book—it's as funny as it is informative, so we feel like you're introducing this information in a way that doesn't make you look like you're a genius or an egghead," David and Chris say. "You're introducing it in a humorous fashion and so you just look charming."
