What to Talk About


Book Description

Homo sapiens have been speaking for hundreds of years—and yet basic communication still stymies us. We freeze up in elevators, on dates, at parties, under Dumpsters. We stagger through our exchanges merely hoping not to crash, never considering that we might soar. We go home sweaty and eat a birthday cake in the shower. But no more. With What to Talk About you'll learn to speak—fluently, intelligently, charmingly—to family, friends, coworkers, lovers, future lovers, horse trainers, children, even yourself. This hilarious manual, written by two award-winning authors and illustrated by legendary cartoonist Tony Millionaire, is tailor-made for anyone who might one day attend a dinner party, start a job, celebrate a birthday, graduate from school, date a human, or otherwise use words. What to Talk About is not rocket science, but it is a lot like brain surgery, in the sense that is terrifying, risky—and could change you forever.




We Need to Talk


Book Description

“WE NEED TO TALK.” In this urgent and insightful book, public radio journalist Celeste Headlee shows us how to bridge what divides us--by having real conversations BASED ON THE TED TALK WITH OVER 10 MILLION VIEWS NPR's Best Books of 2017 Winner of the 2017 Silver Nautilus Award in Relationships & Communication “We Need to Talk is an important read for a conversationally-challenged, disconnected age. Headlee is a talented, honest storyteller, and her advice has helped me become a better spouse, friend, and mother.” (Jessica Lahey, author of New York Times bestseller The Gift of Failure) Today most of us communicate from behind electronic screens, and studies show that Americans feel less connected and more divided than ever before. The blame for some of this disconnect can be attributed to our political landscape, but the erosion of our conversational skills as a society lies with us as individuals. And the only way forward, says Headlee, is to start talking to each other. In We Need to Talk, she outlines the strategies that have made her a better conversationalist—and offers simple tools that can improve anyone’s communication. For example: BE THERE OR GO ELSEWHERE. Human beings are incapable of multitasking, and this is especially true of tasks that involve language. Think you can type up a few emails while on a business call, or hold a conversation with your child while texting your spouse? Think again. CHECK YOUR BIAS. The belief that your intelligence protects you from erroneous assumptions can end up making you more vulnerable to them. We all have blind spots that affect the way we view others. Check your bias before you judge someone else. HIDE YOUR PHONE. Don’t just put down your phone, put it away. New research suggests that the mere presence of a cell phone can negatively impact the quality of a conversation. Whether you’re struggling to communicate with your kid’s teacher at school, an employee at work, or the people you love the most—Headlee offers smart strategies that can help us all have conversations that matter.




How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read


Book Description

In this delightfully witty, provocative book, literature professor and psychoanalyst Pierre Bayard argues that not having read a book need not be an impediment to having an interesting conversation about it. (In fact, he says, in certain situations reading the book is the worst thing you could do.) Using examples from such writers as Graham Greene, Oscar Wilde, Montaigne, and Umberto Eco, he describes the varieties of "non-reading"-from books that you've never heard of to books that you've read and forgotten-and offers advice on how to turn a sticky social situation into an occasion for creative brilliance. Practical, funny, and thought-provoking, How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read-which became a favorite of readers everywhere in the hardcover edition-is in the end a love letter to books, offering a whole new perspective on how we read and absorb them.




What to Say When You Talk to Your Self


Book Description

Learn how to reverse the effects of negative self-talk and embrace a more positive, optimistic outlook on life




How to Talk to Anyone


Book Description

"You'll not only break the ice, you'll melt it away with your new skills." -- Larry King "The lost art of verbal communication may be revitalized by Leil Lowndes." -- Harvey McKay, author of “How to Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive” What is that magic quality makes some people instantly loved and respected? Everyone wants to be their friend (or, if single, their lover!) In business, they rise swiftly to the top of the corporate ladder. What is their "Midas touch?" What it boils down to is a more skillful way of dealing with people. The author has spent her career teaching people how to communicate for success. In her book How to Talk to Anyone (Contemporary Books, October 2003) Lowndes offers 92 easy and effective sure-fire success techniques-- she takes the reader from first meeting all the way up to sophisticated techniques used by the big winners in life. In this information-packed book you’ll find: 9 ways to make a dynamite first impression 14 ways to master small talk, "big talk," and body language 14 ways to walk and talk like a VIP or celebrity 6 ways to sound like an insider in any crowd 7 ways to establish deep subliminal rapport with anyone 9 ways to feed someone's ego (and know when NOT to!) 11 ways to make your phone a powerful communications tool 15 ways to work a party like a politician works a room 7 ways to talk with tigers and not get eaten alive In her trademark entertaining and straight-shooting style, Leil gives the techniques catchy names so you'll remember them when you really need them, including: "Rubberneck the Room," "Be a Copyclass," "Come Hither Hands," “Bare Their Hot Button,” “The Great Scorecard in the Sky," and "Play the Tombstone Game,” for big success in your social life, romance, and business. How to Talk to Anyone, which is an update of her popular book, Talking the Winner's Way (see the 5-star reviews of the latter) is based on solid research about techniques that work! By the way, don't confuse How to Talk to Anyone with one of Leil's previous books, How to Talk to Anybody About Anything. This one is completely different!




How to Talk about Love


Book Description

Explore the nature of love in this charming new translation of selections from Plato’s great dramatic work, the Symposium What is love? In poetry, songs, fiction, movies, psychology, and philosophy, love has been described, admired, lamented, and dissected in endless ways. Is love based on physical attraction? Does it bring out our better selves? How does it relate to sex? Is love divine? Plato’s Symposium is one of the oldest, most influential, and most profound explorations of such questions—it is even the source of the idea of “Platonic love.” How to Talk about Love introduces and presents the key passages and central ideas of Plato’s philosophical dialogue in a lively and highly readable new translation, which also features the original Greek on facing pages. The Symposium is set at a fictional drinking party during which prominent Athenians engage in a friendly competition by delivering improvised speeches in praise of Eros, the Greek god of love and sex. The aristocrat Phaedrus, the legal expert Pausanias, the physician Eryximachus, the comic playwright Aristophanes, and the tragic poet Agathon—each by turn celebrates different aspects of love before Socrates proposes not to praise love but to tell the truth about it. In the final speech, the politician and libertine Alcibiades argues that Socrates himself is the epitome of love. Deftly capturing the essence and spirit of Plato’s masterpiece, How to Talk about Love makes the Symposium more accessible and enjoyable than ever before.




How To Talk To Absolutely Anyone


Book Description

Talk to anyone, anytime, about anything — with confidence. How to Talk to Absolutely Anyone is your personal handbook for stepping up your communication game. Part confidence coach and part social manual, this book reveals the reasons behind your reserve and offers real, practical ways to break through the barriers and make a connection. Whether you fear judgement and rejection or just don't know what to say, these simple exercises will equip you with a gold mine of social tools to get you through any situation. This new second edition has been updated to include the complete 30-day Zero to Hero Personal Confidence Course, to help you build your skills and increase your chances of getting what you want out of any conversation. Working step-by-step, you'll learn how to approach strangers, strike up a conversation and exit gracefully; by first changing your outlook, you develop the ability to navigate even tricky situations with confidence and ease. Conversation skills affect more than your social life — they can impact your career as well. In removing your social hesitance, you open up a whole new world of effective communication with customers and colleagues, and begin building the relationships that get you closer to your goals. This book provides real-world techniques to help you get better and better every day, enabling you to: Overcome your fear of rejection. Strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere. Open up to make real connections and build strong rapport. Carry your confidence into networking, sales and more. Leave the days of awkwardness behind you. Stop running away from uncomfortable interactions and start getting comfortable instead. Whether you need to close the deal, build contacts or just make small talk at a party, How to Talk to Absolutely Anyone helps you build the confidence and skills you need to talk your way to success.




A Smart Girl's Guide: Knowing What to Say


Book Description

Offers advice to help girls find the right words when stressed, shy, sad, or facing other awkward moments and shares tools, tips, and techniques to teach them to speak out with confidence and grace.




How to Talk to Anyone About Anything: How to Communicate Better, Improve Social Skills and Get Your Arguments Across


Book Description

What happens when you learn to communicate better with everyone? No doubt you’ve had to endure a painfully awkward conversation, more than once in your life. Maybe it was a stranger, a colleague, a date. Maybe it was a group discussion. You found yourself breaking a sweat, not knowing what to say. The more time passed, the more tense you became. You thought about all the communication books you’ve read in your life and wished you had them with you… To knock yourself unconscious as a way out of the conversation. The best thing about the whole situation was the moment it ended. Now, you also came across people in your life who effortlessly led you through a conversation. They were charming, fun, and made you feel comfortable. You enjoyed it so much and felt uplifted afterwards. This is the book that will teach you to be that person. By the time you finish reading, you’ll know how to talk to anyone about anything. Literally. You’ll be that person. The one that can lead a conversation with the charm and authority of Morgan Freeman. The person that can glide through social interactions with ease. The person that can communicate with everybody; from a stranger at a party, to a CEO of a huge firm. Why read this book? ✅ Learn interpersonal communication skills that will help you build meaningful and deeper relationships with people. ✅ Learn how to talk to anyone and build a network of great people that will help you achieve your goals in life. ✅ Learn fun conversation starters that will immediately put you and others at ease and help you find common ground. ✅ Learn how to read people like a book, understand why they communicate the way they do, and how you can lead them in conversation. Who is this book for? If you want to… ☑️ build a professional network that will help you advance your career; ☑️ have great relationships with friends, family, and romantic partners; ☑️ laugh, have fun, and enjoy conversations; ☑️ understand yourself and others better; then this is the book for you! Say goodbye to awkward conversations, feeling insecure in social settings, and miscommunication. Welcome new possibilities, connections, and the new you. GIFT TO YOU INSIDE: Link to download the 120-page e-book “Mindfulness Based Stress and Anxiety Management Tools” for free! What’s inside How to Talk to Anyone About Anything? “The book is humorous, easy to read, and full of practical information. The writer did a fantastic job at getting this information across. Exactly what you’d expect from a communication master.” - Jane E. This book is written to educate and entertain you. There are 22 easy to digest chapters full of stories, real life situations, tips and tricks. It’ll easily be your go to communication book. Get the book today and start seeing the magic of communication mastery in your life.




How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About It


Book Description

Men are right. The “relationship talk” does not help. Dr. Patricia Love’s and Dr. Steven Stosny’s How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About It reveals the stunning truth about marital happiness: Love is not about better communication. It's about connection. You'll never get a closer relationship with your man by talking to him like you talk to one of your girlfriends. Male emotions are like women's sexuality: you can't be too direct too quickly. There are four ways to connect with a man:touch, activity, sex, routines. Men want closer marriages just as much as women do,but not if they has to act like a woman. Talking makes women move closer; it makes men move away. The secret of the silent male is this: his wife supplies the meaning in his life. The stunning truth about love is that talking doesn’t help. Have you ever had this conversation with your spouse? Wife: “Honey, we need to talk about us.” Husband: “Do we have to?” Drs. Patricia Love and Steven Stosny have studied this all-too-familiar dynamic between men and women and have reached a truly shocking conclusion. Even with the best of intentions, talking about your relationship doesn’t bring you together, and it will eventually drive you apart. The reason for this is that underneath most couples’ fights, there is a biological difference at work. A woman’s vulnerability to fear and anxiety makes her draw closer, while a man’s subtle sensitivity to shame makes him pull away in response. This is why so many married couples fall into the archetypal roles of nagging wife/stonewalling husband, and why improving a marriage can’t happen through words. How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About It teaches couples how to get closer in ways that don’t require “trying to turn a man into a woman.” Rich in stories of couples who have turned their marriages around, and full of practical advice about the behaviors that make and break marriages, this essential guide will help couples find love beyond words.