It’s party time…

**Let’s face it. Fictional people lead far more dramatic, exciting and romantic lives than any of us real people do.** They’re also much, much better at throwing parties. Throughout history, authors have dazzled their readers with thrilling accounts of balls, banquets and other social gatherings. Want an invitation to a place where the refreshments are delicious and the conversation’s always scandalous? No problem. I’ve browsed the bookshelves and selected some of literature’s greatest parties for your perusal…

The Mad Hatter’s tea party
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(_Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland_ by Lewis Carroll)

During Alice’s wanderings, she stumbles across a table laid out for a tea party. But, like everything else in Wonderland, this is no ordinary occasion. Alice is highly disappointed to find that all the other guests are completely bonkers. At the tea party, Carroll introduces some of his most memorable characters – the dormouse (who is perpetually comatose) and the loquacious, perverse and argumentative Mad Hatter and March Hare. There’s no need to bring any entertainment, because the characters provide more than enough by themselves, in some of the finest and funniest illogical logic ever written. There are riddles to ponder, like why a raven is like a writing desk (but just don’t expect the Mad Hatter to give you an answer), and a spirited rendition of ‘Twinkle twinkle, little bat’ to keep things interesting.

As the time is permanently 6 o’clock (this is Wonderland, after all), it means that on top of everything else, the party is never ending! No need to worry about cleaning up, either, as when the cups get dirty, the characters all just move along. If you’re looking for bizarre humour, unsolvable puzzles and constant streams of nonsensical banter, then this is the perfect party for you!

The Netherfield Ball
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(_Pride and Prejudice_ by Jane Austen)

For those with more refined tastes, why not try the Netherfield Ball. Promising to be the event of the Hertfordshire social calendar and hosted by Mr Bingley, one of the neighbourhood’s most eligible bachelors, it really will be a lavish (but tasteful) affair. With good food and lively conversation, the ball gives the people of the town the opportunity to gossip, flirt and even dance with prospective husbands (without being bothered by tedious chaperones!).

Even though Mr Bingley’s too absorbed by Elizabeth’s sister, Jane, to dance with anyone else, there’s no shortage of partners. In particular, there’s the handsome, brooding (not to mention fabulously wealthy) Mr Darcy, who finally finds the courage to ask Elizabeth to dance with him. Naturally, verbal sparring and witty put-downs fly back and forth between the reluctant lovers. If that doesn’t strike your fancy, then there’s also an entire regiment of officers. But watch out for the fawning clergyman, Mr Collins, because the only thing worse than his conversation is his dancing.

No one portrayed the etiquette of the day, or the emotions which lay beneath it, like Jane Austen. The Netherfield ball is a perfectly-observed portrait of budding romances, brewing scandals and Elizabeth’s total humiliation because of her embarrassing family (and who can’t relate to that?).

Trimalchio’s dinner
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(_The Satyricon_ by Gaius Petronius)

If you’re looking to eat well, then there’s nothing quite like the extravagant dinner from The Satyricon. It’s hosted by the freedman Trimalchio, and is his attempt to showcase how wealthy (very) and cultured (not so much) he is. There’s an astonishing selection of exotic and elaborate food, including dishes of olives presented on a bronze donkey, dormice sprinkled with poppy-seeds and honey, a platter of food arranged to correspond with the zodiac, and a hog disguised as a goose. There’s also honeyed wine and the host’s vast numbers of slaves will wait on you hand and foot.

There’s more to the dinner than just spectacular food, however. The character of Trimalchio is part of Petronius’ biting satire of Rome’s crass nouveau riche. Watching the freedman trying to show off how well-educated and intelligent he is (and failing miserably at it) is far more entertaining than any dancing slaves or poetic recitals that he could have arranged. After all, doesn’t all food taste better when sprinkled with a little humiliation?

Gatsby’s parties
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(_The Great Gatsby_ by F. Scott Fitzgerald)

No one knew how to party like the flappers and bootleggers of the 1920s, and no one embodied that age quite like F. Scott Fitzgerald. Gatsby’s parties have everything – free-flowing champagne, good music and scandalous new dances to go with it, along with equally scandalous gossip. There’s no need to worry about having an invitation either, as practically all the people there are gate crashing! If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the mysterious host, Jay Gatsby, who rarely attends his own parties.

Every guest has a different idea about who Gatsby actually is, circulating wild rumours about his history and how he managed to accumulate such a gigantic fortune. Part of the excitement of the novel is gradually discovering the truth as the narrator, Nick Carraway, becomes more and more immersed in Gatsby’s world.

At the moment the nights are cold and gloomy, and you’re probably still recovering from New Year’s Eve. So don’t let your flatmates drag you out for another night on the town. Why not curl up with one of these books, and let yourself be transported into a great (fictional) party instead? Don’t forget to RSVP.