I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence (edició 2008)

I like the idea of Amy Seders sending up Martha Stewart much better than the reality. Don't get me wrong, so of this book is very funny. But I found myself out of sync with her sense of humor on more than one occasion. Despite that, I would give anything to be a guest at one of her parties. It wouldn't be boring ( )

Wow, this was weird. Entertaining and even darkly fascinating...but mostly weird. ( )

The oddest (and funniest) book on entertaining ever. It's very goofy but manages to remind us all that we don't all have to take the Martha Stewart approach. ( )

"This is not a joke cookbook." says the intro. It's true: the recipes look legit (I love the ghost sheet cake with the flaming eyes), and there is a lot of actually good advice. Although, stick-in-the-mud that I am, I was a little put off by some of the references to substance use.

The main philosophy of the book is to make your guests happy and comfortable, and not feel out of place. That's good etiquette. But this particular hostess will go out of her way to accomplish that, with suggestions that, if followed to the letter by a normal (boring) person with regular friends, will get a few odd looks. Creative, yes. Attempt in real life? Hmmm. I suppose if you're in an artistic group then this just might work for you. People will love how Dada it is (shock value! how unusual!) Think ghetto-Martha. So proceed to read with tongue firmly in cheek, because that's how many sections seem to have been written.

I imagine this is what kind of hostess I'd be if I planned and threw a party while inebriated: earnest, intense, well-meaning, but a little wacky, and any filters/censors dissolving by the third glass of strong punch. Like My Drunk Kitchen, but doing a better job at covering up the alcohol/pot fumes and putting on a pretty face.

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Very entertaining as an audiobook. The sound affects are funny. Hard to get the recipes but that's okay. I tried not to snort out loud as I listened to this at work. I don't think it would have been as funny as a printed book. ( )