The Last One at the Party
THE LAST ONE AT THE PARTY
THE LAST ONE AT THE PARTY: A MEMOIR IN ESSAYS ON DATING, DESIRE & DEPARTURES
Ever the champion for “acting like a lady,” Sara’s mom began reciting a signature line to her during early days in Manhattan, perhaps as she noticed patterns emerge from afar:
"Never be the last one at the party.”
It was a reminder that nothing good happens after a certain hour (debatable), or that people might perceive a hanger-on-er as tragic and desperate (and oh, the horror that would be!). But Sara, of course, would always remember these stunningly wise words…just as she was tucking the hosts into bed, finishing off their red, and coordinating an Uber to meet up with a Tinder date. It was one piece advice she simply couldn’t adhere to—if Sara went home, predictability won.
THE LAST ONE AT THE PARTY is an eclectic and electric collection of carefully-woven stories about life, love, and longing, and hysterical vignettes in the same vein as Sara’s essays and funny work in The New Yorker. This book is an exploration of how we all thirst for romance, success, change, self-discovery, and purpose, told eloquently through humor and heartfelt reflection. With Sara’s unique voice and signature wit, she shares laugh-out-loud stories, earnest confessions, millennial musings, and single-girl hot-takes that remind readers to embrace what they do have (a sense of humor, the thrill of possibility, a million reasons not to settle, Taco Bell delivery), instead of what they don’t. Through an entertaining recollection of hard-won life lessons, this narrative ultimately reveals the power of desire, the price of dating for the (love) story, the pleasure of defying norms by doing what feels good instead of what’s expected, and the indelible value of knowing when it’s time to go.
In an era when more women than ever are choosing themselves over mediocre partnership, THE LAST ONE AT THE PARTY is a necessary memoir that highlights the perks and plights of being single in your twenties and thirties, making the most of your Wild & Indefinite Swiping Era, and taking gigantic leaps throughout girlhood, womanhood, and singlehood in the name of love or something like it. Sara strings her narrative together through relatable truths and heartwarming scenes from the close relationship with her late mother, showcasing how maternal wisdom was a guiding light (and hindrance) in Sara’s pursuit of happiness. You will laugh. You might cry. You will definitely realize how empowering it is to be a woman who doesn’t always follow “the rules.” Above all, THE LAST ONE AT THE PARTY is a reminder that all of our paths are varied, valued, and valid, and whichever road you take—however “late” you might be—if you’re having a good time, you’re doing something right.
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