Over the course of a raucous night, a cast of hilarious characters explore and debate history, space, psychology, and what it means to be human. The reader has a front row seat at the party, from the early small talk-where they discuss light and fun ideas (Did you know that astronauts have Velcro on the inside of their helmets to scratch their noses?)-to the end of the night, when conversations get deeper. (Who were the Sea Peoples and did they cause the Bronze Age collapse?)

Each character at the party serves a purpose. There's a travel blogger who shares fun facts from around the world-the reader can even see her photos! An archaeologist from a prestigious Boston university is attending the party; he'll chime in and add context on ancient civilizations. A sharp-witted friend from Long Island is less intellectual-but he loves cracking jokes and only understands history through sports metaphors!

Through these characters and others, How to Sound Smart at Parties avoids the traditional problem that fun fact books have: they're hard to read for more than a few pages at a time. Instead, this book can be read cover-to-cover. By presenting ideas in the form of dialogue and narrative, the reader stays engaged and learns without even realizing it. Characters ask the big questions: what constitutes a conspiracy theory? How do our biases inform what we share? Are there any more hors d'oeuvres?

Between bites of cheese and bytes of information, the reader picks up facts that they can share with their real-life friends. But most importantly: they have fun. Because How to Sound Smart at Parties is a party. And, just like any great party, you'll never want it to end.