19 JULY 2008, Page 63

Q. I recently gave a party which went very well

and I have received a number of charming and delightful letters of thanks. Tell me, Mary: should I thank people for their thanks? Where does it stop?

A. By all means express your delight verbally when you next run into the authors. There is absolutely no need for you to counter these effusions in writing. Name and address withheld