Bilbo's Last Supper List for 2025

For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, a "Last Supper List" is the roster of 12 guests, living or dead, that you'd invite if you were able to throw the ultimate dinner party. Back in January, 2014, I wrote a post in which I offered my Last Supper List. My list included:

Pope Francis;

Leonardo da Vinci;

Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt;

Dorothy Parker;

Will Rogers;

J. R. R. Tolkien and George R. R. Martin;

Sherlock Holmes;

Winston Churchill;

Sun Tzu; and,

Niccolo Machiavelli.

It's been eleven years since I compiled that list, and I thought it might be time to revisit it and see if it needed updating. Turns out, it did. Six people return for my updated Last Supper List, joined by six newcomers. First, the returnees:

Will Rogers - one of my most revered heroes ... witty, perceptive, and a keen political observer and commentator with a common touch. I wish I'd known him;

Dorothy Parker - the witty, wisecracking lady who was a mainstay of the famous Algonquin Round Table ... I'd love to trade witty commentary with her, although I'd surely come out second;

J. R. R. Tolkien and George R. R. Martin - I'd love to sit down with the men who created two of the most memorable fantasy worlds ever - Middle Earth and Westeros - and learn how they dreamed up such magnificently detailed places and intricate plots;

Leonardo Da Vinci - how could I not include one of the world's great polymaths?

Niccolo Machiavelli - his insights into the twisted politics of the Italian Renaissance provide valuable insights into the behavior of our current leaders.

There are new and interesting figures who have earned a place at my table, elbowing aside other worthy, but less currently interesting characters:

Volodymyr Zelenskyy - the TV comedian who became the unexpectedly heroic leader of a nation at war takes the place of Winston Churchill for a new century;

 

Pete Buttigieg - the witty, engaging everyman whose talent for plain-spoken common sense is a breath of fresh air in a political world full of empty blather;

 

Louise Penny - the Canadian author of the wonderful adventures of Inspector Gamache of Quebec's Sureté. I love her stories, but even more the style and depth of her writing. I'd love to find out how she thinks.

 

Dr Anthony Fauci - the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) from 1984 to 2022, and the chief medical advisor to the president from 2021 to 2022, Dr Fauci was in the lead of the fights against both AIDS and Covid-19. His stories both of his work and of his struggles against the politicization of the Covid pandemic would be fascinating to hear over drinks and dinner;  

 

Jasmine Crockett - the sharp-tongued Texas representative who always brings the argument - with receipts - directly to her opponents; and finally, 

 

Charlie Kirk - if anyone might hold his own in debate against the likes of Pete Buttigieg and Jasmine Crockett, it's the founder and president of the conservative training ground Turning Point USA. I don't think I'd like him personally, and I disagree with him on almost every issue, but his presence would at least lead to some stimulating discussion. I'd pay good money to see the spirited debate among Machiavelli, Buttigieg, Crocket, and Kirk.

 

So, that's my updated Last Supper List for 2025 ... who would you invite to yours? Leave a comment, because I think we'll have some fascinating guest lists to share.

Have a good day, and come back tomorrow for another collection of Great Moments in Editing and Signage - you know you need the lift.

More thoughts then.

Bilbo