Tuesday Tea: If you could have dinner with any author, living or dead, who would it be?
Awkward conversation ahoy!
Whenever this question comes up, it seems like a toss-up between choosing a good group for great conversation or opting for chaos by bringing together authors that would clash like garlic soup and hot chocolate.
Dave says…
Friends and people I think I would like who would get along with the vibe… Mel, Tillie Walden, Emma Hunsinger, Ellen Yeomans, Anne Bogel, and James Sturm. Then also: Becky Chambers, Wil Wheaton, Jason Reynolds, Trevor Noah, and — in part to make sure everybody shows up — Dolly Parton. (I was tempted by Bruce Springsteen and the Obamas, but I think they’d pull focus.)
There’s a big list of ‘other dinner parties we could have,’ but that’s my Spring 2025 comfort list. (Also, Brett Goldstein hasn’t written a book yet.)
Mel says…
Oh, how I wish I could invite Hilary Mantel to an afternoon tea with my friend Ellen and me. The two of us were convinced we would eventually meet the Wolf Hall author and immediately become fast friends. We were robbed of that opportunity when she died in 2022 — but I still like to think she would have been taken with us.
On the chaos front, I think any combination of people plus Oscar Wilde would get raucous, and I’m here for it.
David Sedaris. Do i need to explin further?
Barbara Kingsolver. I've been impressed time and time again with how she addresses social justice issues in a compelling and entertaining way through her immeasurable writing skills.