From etiquette to table setting: a reading list for stylish home entertaining

Inviting friends into your home has never been just about the food. What often lingers are the small details: the way a table feels when set with care, how conversation is drawn out by pacing a meal or the sense that the host enjoys themselves as much as the guests do. Over the years, writers and hosts have explored these questions with wit, authority and practicality, producing guides that reflect different eras and approaches to hospitality. For anyone looking to sharpen their skills, refresh ideas or simply observe how others think about gathering, these books offer a perspective on home entertaining that goes beyond recipes alone.

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‘Entertaining 101’ by Beth Le Manach

‘Entertaining 101’ by Beth Le Manach (Photo: DK)

Beth Le Manach’s book takes a step-by-step approach to planning gatherings at home. Known for her accessible recipes and calm teaching style, she lays out strategies for menus, timing and preparation. Entertaining 101 reads like a manual for easing stress, reminding readers that hosting is less about perfection than organisation.

‘How to Host a Dinner Party’ by Corey Mintz

‘How to Host a Dinner Party’ by Corey Mintz (Photo: House of Anansi Press)

Corey Mintz, a former restaurant critic, examines what it means to welcome people into your space with honesty and care. The book is structured around lessons he learned after hosting hundreds of dinners, from menu planning to handling dietary restrictions. His focus stays on the mechanics of good hosting rather than spectacle, making it a practical resource for home entertaining.

‘A House Party in Tuscany’ by Amber Guinness

‘A House Party in Tuscany’ by Amber Guinness (Photo: Thames & Hudson Australia)

Amber Guinness combines memoir, recipes and design in this portrait of hosting at her family home in Tuscany. The book pairs Italian regional cooking with reflections on the rhythm of meals shared outdoors, where food and place are inseparable. It functions as both a cookbook and a meditation on the cultural dimension of home entertaining.

‘Emily Post’s Etiquette’ by Peggy Post

‘Emily Post’s Etiquette’ by Peggy Post (Photo: HarperCollins e-books)

Few books have shaped social expectations more than Emily Post’s Etiquette. The updated editions by her great-granddaughter Peggy Post balance traditional advice with contemporary realities. While not exclusively about dinner parties, it remains a standard reference for questions of manners, timing and consideration that underpin successful home entertaining.

‘I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence’ by Amy Sedaris

‘I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence’ by Amy Sedaris (Photo: Grand Central Publishing)

Amy Sedaris brings humour and satire to the subject of hospitality.I Like You is filled with comic asides, crafts and recipes, yet behind the absurd tone lies practical advice. The book reflects a playful, eccentric approach that makes the rituals of home entertaining feel less intimidating and more personal.

‘Nothing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over’ by Alison Roman

‘Nothing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over’ by Alison Roman (Photo: Hardie Grant Books)

Alison Roman’s Nothing Fancy focuses on food designed to be cooked and served casually. Her recipes highlight bold flavours, easy preparation and the joy of sharing meals casually. The book reassures hosts that gatherings need not be elaborate, framing home entertaining as something achievable on any weeknight.

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