This past weekend I attended my friend Thomas Wegner's 7th Annual Books & Bottles Party. Here’s how it works: everyone brings a copy of a book they love and a bottle of alcohol. From the paper chain decor (made from a VC Andrews novel!) to the room filled with book lovers, I was amazed by every aspect of this bookish party. 

It's an idea that needs to spread far and wide.

The world needs more literary-inspired parties!

Stay tuned for my interview with Thomas about the party's origin at the end of this post.

How To Host A Books & Bottles Party

The beauty of this party is how easily you can customize it.

Don't drink alcohol? Call your party Books And Beverages and have people bring their favorite tea, hot chocolate, or coffee to share. Interested in a particular genre? Instruct people to bring their favorite romance, mystery, etc.

The possibilities are endless.

The guests 

Figure out how many people your place can hold. We had just under 30 people at Thomas's house and thanks to double tier seating behind the couch, we made it work. Much more than that would have been complicated. 

As far as who to invite, there are a couple of ways to go about this. Most people have a favorite book so start with your circle of friends. Or invite your book-loving friends. You can ask someone to be your co-host and you can both extend invitations.

I only knew Thomas and Sarah at this party and as an introvert, I was a little nervous. But I trusted I would enjoy getting to know their friends, especially since this was a book-loving crowd and I was right. There were  a number of first timers there and the eclectic collection of people made for fascinating conversation. 

The decor

Thomas and Sarah made paper chains out of a VC Andrews book and strung them up around the house. (Check out Thomas's and Sarah's Instagram accounts if you want to see how they did it.)

Of course, you don't have to put up decorations if you don't want to or don't have time. But should you feel inspired, there are plenty of book crafts out there.

The food and drinks

In addition to asking guests to bring a bottle of alcohol, Thomas whipped up a signature whiskey cocktail for the evening. There were mixers, pop, and water as well.

Food-wise, there was a great assortment of snacks, ranging from cheese and crackers to fruit to chips and dip. Plus dessert! Sarah added small signs with the name of the dish and whether they were allergy-friendly. There's no reason you couldn't make this a potluck. 

The prizes 

Totally optional but what a crowd pleaser! While people were mixing and mingling, Thomas would occasionally call for a prize round. For example, he said he was looking for three writers and gave the prize to the first three hands that shot up. One of those hands was mine and in this case, we each got a journal. 

The prizes were random, as were the categories, and they were a nice way to break up the first part of the evening. Plus, it gave Thomas a chance to brush off his showman skills.

The swap

At the start of the party, everyone wrote their name on a piece of paper and then put it in a bowl. 

One person volunteered to go first and introduced their book. We were instructed to speak for only 42 seconds and most people kept their comments relatively brief. Then they picked a name from a bowl and that’s who got the book. We then continued around the circle.

There was so much love in that room. Everyone was genuinely interested in hearing about the books people had brought and what they meant to them. Some books were crowd pleasers, like when Shelby talked about Neil Gaiman's Stardust. Others no one had heard about before. There were art books, memoirs, fiction, and self-help. It was a great mix!

A volunteer wrote down the titles and authors of what people had brought.

I received a copy of River Town, a memoir by a Peace Corps volunteer set in China. I'm not familiar with it but based on what was shared and reading reviews online, I'm excited to read it.

I brought my all-time favorite novel A Prayer For Owen Meany. I talked about John Irving's gift of creating characters. I might have said Owen Meany is not only Irving's best character but also one of the best characters in all of literature. Yep. I stand by that claim. 

After the last book was given, Thomas said people had the option to trade books if someone had wound up with one they really, really wanted. I'm not sure if anyone took him up on that. Most people seemed pretty happy with what they got. 

It was such a fun night!

Interview With Thomas Wegner

I asked Thomas a few questions about the origin and evolution of Books & Bottles. Be sure to check out MakeRoom and follow him on Instagram.

How did you first come up with the idea for Books & Bottles?

I was introduced to the idea by a friend of mine on the West Coast. He originally hosted the party each year as a ‘13^th night’ (the day after the traditional celebration where in the 12 days of Christmas are celebrated with the first day starting on December 25^th). He felt gathering friends, after the rush of the holidays were over, for a casual, easy-to-host party that brought people together to share some of their favorite literature was a great idea. I remember thinking at that first party how engaging the event was; how much fun it was for people to take a moment and talk about a book that had really touched them.

It was many years after I attended his party that I started hosting my own - maybe as much as a decade had passed - but it always remained in my mind. I never forgot it and in fact remembered fondly how much fun it was. I knew when the time was right, I would try hosting it.

The first year I hosted it the event was rather small but also very popular. I throw parties often but that first party was different. Even though I invited only a few people, all of them enthusiastically accepted the invitation and they all showed up. The turn out rate was very high and I knew then I had something people loved.

How has the party changed or grown over the years?

At that first party I had just moved to the community and I didn’t know a lot of people. I recall inviting everyone I had recently met. The party was a smaller but what we lacked for in size we made up for in enthusiasm. People were eager to get the discussion and exchange part of the evening started and it quickly became a lively discussion of all of these favorite books.

Since that first year, I have met many more people and while the crowd ebbs and flows a bit from year to year, old friends returning and new faces attending, I have gotten particular about who I invite. Because there is a focused program, I have to keep in mind the number of people. If you have too many people the discussion and book exchange can take a very long time!  We have to manage simple things like having enough seating for everyone to sit together in a circle and being able to hear each other.

What's the key(s) to having a great Books & Bottles party?

Inviting friends who are what I think of as ‘real readers’. What I mean is most everyone reads something or another but not everyone reads and really cherishes books. If people show up with books they casually read or don’t have much attachment to then you get an exchange that lacks a bit of passion. However, if everyone brings a book they have read and really love then you get a more lively and meaningful exchange. Some people bring books that have changed their lives or opinions for the better.  Others bring books that moved them in a special way or that they recall fondly from their youth.  Perhaps they bring a novel they really love because they can relate to the character. In all of these examples you end up with someone else’s amazing book. In a way, you end up with a part of them or at the least you have gotten to know that person better.

The other key to having a great B&B is some bottles of drinks. This may sound funny but I truly believe it. I personally try to offer a couple of drinks to my guests as quickly as possible. This helps everyone to loosen up, mingle, laugh and chat with each other. It may also help relieve any nerves someone might have about giving a small speech later about their book. And let’s face it, some people are sharing books that come from a very personal and sometimes vulnerable place for them.

Any advice for someone who would like to host their own Books & Bottles party?

Hosting a B&B party is a wonderful thing to do and its actually a pretty simple party to throw. I’d say to not be afraid to take the extra time and explain to guests ahead of time that they have to do a bit of homework for the party. This is not just a show up sort of affair. People have to put some time into thinking about what book they will bring, getting a copy of that book and be ready to share why it is they love it so much. In reality this may mean some people may be turned off from attending, but in the end, that may be okay as those who do attend will be a self-selected group and they are sure to love it.

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