The Table Where We Meet - by Jess Janz (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

We all want to be known. Most of us just don't know how to begin.

When Jess Janz found herself craving deeper conversations--but trapped in a world of small talk--she took a leap. What started as a casual idea in a hair salon soon became Dinner With Strangers: a growing movement where guests gather around a table, introduce themselves without ever mentioning work, and share who they are beyond the job title. No scripts, no expectations--just curiosity, courage, and a seat at the table.

In The Table Where We Meet, Jess reflects on what she's learned from hosting dinners with more than a thousand strangers across North America. With essays that are both tender and practical, she explores what it means to belong, how to ask better questions, and why connection requires us to risk being truly seen. Alongside her insights are unforgettable stories--funny, heartbreaking, deeply human--that reveal how much we all have in common when we finally let our guard down.

This is a book for anyone who's ever felt alone in a crowd, tired of surface-level chatter, or unsure how to bridge the gap between isolation and intimacy. The Table Where We Meet is a guide, a memoir, and a quiet revolution--one dinner at a time.

Review Quotes

"If you're longing for connection--to yourself, to your people, or to the kind of community you haven't quite found yet--this is your book. It reads like a thought provoking instruction manual for mending the parts of you that want to open again, but it also feels like sitting down with your long-lost best friend over tea. As I read, I kept nodding... omg yes, me too! I felt less alone in my quirks, my sensitivities, and how I see the world. Jess is an exceptional writer. Her stories have the warmth of an afternoon wrapped in a blanket, watching a fire with your favorite people. Her insights are invitations into a world of wonder and depth. This book is restorative on every level. I genuinely believe if everyone read it, we'd all be better for it." -- Meghan Sylvester, actor and author of The Body Positivity Journal

"In a world that has trained us to lead with our job titles, Jess Janz reminds us that the most revolutionary act is asking someone who they actually are. Drawing from her years of experience convening connection-hungry strangers, she teaches us how to find the courage we need to truly see and be seen by others. The Table Where We Meet isn't a book about wishing for connection--it's a roadmap for practicing it. This book is warm and humorous and insistent that we're all carrying universes inside us that almost no one thinks to ask about. An indispensable book for an age of loneliness." -- Jonathan Merritt, author of Learning to Speak God From Scratch

"Jess Janz has a gift: she makes you remember what it feels like to be human, These pages are alive with honesty, courage, and the kind of connection we are starving for in a lonely world. The Table Where We Meet is a reminder that meaning is built in the small moments, and every person we meet could change us for the better. Jess captures these truths masterfully." -- Doug Cartwright, founder of Alchemy Coaching, speaker, author of Holy Shit, We're Alive!

"The Table Where We Meet is a beautifully honest reflection on what it means to connect in a disconnected world. Janz's storytelling feels effortless yet deeply felt, guiding readers through moments that are both ordinary and transcendent. It's a book that reminds us of the quiet power of vulnerability and the courage it takes to truly see one another. Warning: this book will make you want to be a better neighbor." -- Tanner Olson, Author of Getting Through What You're Going Through

"For as long as I've known Jess, she's been wholly aligned with her purpose of bringing people together. The Table Where We Meet captures that gift on the page. It's an invitation to slow down, to listen, and to find yourself reflected in the stories and strangers around the table. In a fast-paced world, Jess reminds us that connection is both an art and an act of courage--and this book is her most beautiful gathering yet." -- Wendell Holland, founder and chief designer, Beve Unlimited; Builder, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

"Learning how to be a host? Invaluable. Knowing how to make people feel seen, heard, and encouraged? That's priceless. This book is fun and enlightening." -- Michael Bungay Stanier, author of The Coaching Habit

About the Author

Jess Janz is an essayist, poet and community facilitator whose work examines identity, softness, and the collective ache that binds us together. In 2017, she founded the wildly popular Dinner With Strangers, a monthly event that convenes disparate people around the table for beautiful meals and gutsy questions in cities across North America. She has also facilitated dinners for a range of prominent corporate clients including Wealthsimple, The W Hotel, Staub, and Altea Active Club. Her work has been published in respected outlets such as Thought Catalog and Simplify Magazine.

Jess lives in Toronto, Canada, with her own company and her worry, for which she is learning to make a soft bed.