They are the raconteurs, the wits, the storytellers. They bring the fizz and froth to parties and functions in the city.

In our culture of screens — where communication is waged by emojis — the art of conversation can sometimes feel like it’s in peril. And yet it’s still what makes the social sphere go ‘round, as the folks below know so well.

As we head deep into holiday-party season, Toronto’s liveliest talkers — the people you want to be seated beside at the dinner party — give us their advice on sparking meaningful, interesting conversation.

1. Edward Burtynsky, photographer

Edward Burtynsky ‘s large-scale, bird’s-eye Earth images may sit in some of the most prestigious museums in the world — everywhere from the Guggenheim to the Tate — but the Toronto artist is not just one of the

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