This was social planning, Plimpton style: a last-minute carnival where the interns were included with the luminaries and where a drop-in by the Grateful Dead was only barely notable. When Mr. Plimpton died in his sleep on Sept. 26, at 76, he left behind a considerable legacy — The Paris Review, which plans to continue publishing; dozens of published books; and appearances in numerous films. But to the deep chagrin of the New York literary world and not a few lost, late-night stragglers, Mr. Plimpton took one grand New York institution with him: the effervescent swirl of young and old, of hard-drinking literary lions, starry-eyed editorial assistants and totally random passers-by that was a Plimpton party.

noch einmal george plimpton: nyt >The Five-Decade Book Party and Its Tireless Host