The Art of Mingling, Third Edition: Fun and Proven Techniques for Mastering Any Room Paperback – October 20, 2015

This is the most wonderful book, really something I've needed for years. Being an only child, I tried always to hide in the background, lost my breath in a crowd, and most certainly had no idea how to work a room. I didn't know that skill existed. All I knew was that some people could do it, but not me. Jeanne Martinet explains it all, with very helpful tips and turns of phrase, behaviors that draw people in, and it's a game really, something you can master. Actually it's quite fun, and I've practiced literally whole chapters out of the book to get it right. After all though, there's no right to it, just the knowledge that everyone else is as nervous as you are, and that people really do want to make friends. She also has great suggestions on texting versus email, versus a real, handwritten note––which one is most appropriate under which circumstances. Hers is a sophisticated take on how communication works in our talk driven world. I should add that Martinet is a really funny woman, so those childhood fears of mine began to seem just plain silly, worst than that, irrelevant. The very best thing about the book is that at its heart is a true belief in person-to-person fun and laughter and mutual respect.

This book is very useful for anyone who is uncomfortable in crowds and mingling situations, and is absolutely essential reading for anyone with Asperger's or some other ASD condition. A lot of the "simple" methods are immediately applicable, as are the "don't"s, which I realized I was doing! My mingling has definitely improved as a result.What prevents me from giving a "5" is the tone. In general it is lighthearted and even funny. However, more often than it should, the tone is almost greater-than-thou, "you have to be as good as me to pull this off". Also she has "pet names" for each method and then refers back to them, and you have to memorize her private vocabulary.

This auther provides mingling stategies and techniques that are useful to the intrepid but inexperienced party-goer. She doesn't really address the "fear" of mingling, though.

I learned about this book in the Style section of the New York Times and was immediately intrigued. I'm one of those guys who SEEM outgoing and outspoken (when I'm with my friends), BUT throw me in a mixed party or work function and I totally clam up. For closet shy types like me, this book is extremely helpful, full of clever ideas, and a lot of fun to read. The author is extremely witty, sometimes silly, but always insightful. Her greatest revelation is that most people at parties are thinking about THEMSELVES, not YOU. Just this week, I got a chance to try some of the author's advice at a couple Christmas parties and gosh-darn-it. It worked! I stopped worrying about trying to impress people and actually managed to relax and have fun. Very cool. Check it out.UPDATE: I decided to check out this new edition since it's been updated for the age of social media. The new material is great, just as LOL funny and insightful as the original edition. The ubiquitous smartphone has definitely altered the way we socialize, but Ms. Martinet has excellent tips for keeping our phone addictions in check so we can have more fun mingling IRL (in real life.)

If you’ve never been to any parties or lack social skills this book may work for you. Otherwise you’ll recognize these moves. Surprisingly some of the suggestions are rude and rely too much on lying. You’ll also think that you’ve heard some of these lines from people that you want to get away from at parties. And there’s also some retrograde gender stereotyping and homophobia in the mingling for love section that was unnecessary.

To be honest I was trying to learn more about Milging and I read the title wrong when I ordered. So I am still unclear how to clean the weird sticky residue off the milk carton (milge). Anyway this book is pretty interesting. I read it and now I am the most interesting man in Minnesota. People often comment that my commando style attack on people who are conversing privately is inspiring. I inspire fear and loathing for example. I did notice that some particularly effective techniques to mingle are missing however.The technique where you modulate your voice to control the crowd was missing. I find it effective if I want a person to get closer to lower my voice to a whisper. If I am talking to somebody boring I just keep raising my voice louder and louder and then that person leaves. A side benefit is that more people come talk to me. They ask things like "are you okay", or "what's wrong with you"? The latter question I learned is better because it is open ended. I can talk for hours about my faults.

This book helped me a lot. I didn't like all of the techniques, but most of them were very useful and some truly helpful. The Art of Mingling taught me to get over my anxiety/fear about talking to people in social situations. Simple concepts like "the Buddy System" work (at least for me!). I can now enter room full of strangers and not want to rush out of there as quickly as possible. I can now actually have fun in such situations. Quite a contrast to my life before reading this book!

I almost never write reviews on books that I buy but wanted to write one for this one because I have really enjoyed reading it. It's one of the most useful and entertaining books I've read this year. I am frequently in social situations, especially in business, and I often face the very real possibility that I will not know a single soul in the gathering. She outlines both how to get into (and my favorite) get OUT of conversations with people. (The Escape Techniques are my favorite and some made me laugh out loud!)