Mastering the art of dinner party talk

Dinner parties can be tough to maneuver — you don't always know your fellow diners and perhaps you're stuck with an unfortunate table mate. So with the help of some veterans of the tablecloth trenches, Bruce Feiler shares some tips for navigating dinner party pitfalls.

Guests

• Bruce Feiler: author who has written for numerous publications, including The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, and Gourmet, where he won three James Beard Awards. He is also a frequent contributor to National Public Radio, CNN, and Fox News.

Resources

• About Bruce Feiler
• The Life (and Death) of the Party (New York Times)