Conversationally Speaking

I really like this book. It gives you straightforward techniques to use in different situations, but more than that, it explains what's happening in those situations. So you really begin to understand the dynamics of a conversation. I've put many of the tips into practice and particularly like the 'broken record', which is wonderful if you want to state your point without getting into a long drawn out debate. It's also a killer for salespeople who refuse to take no for an answer.

I've read other good books on this topic but this one is top of the list for me.

Well, I don't know.. the book gives you some pointers on how to talk to people. But the pointers are obvious and hopefully known to most civilized people. I mean, it's kind of obvious that a good way to start a conversation could be to mention the weather or talk about the other person's hobby or whatever. Everyone knows that (I hope!). To me personally, all these subjects are useless. What I would have liked to see was much more thourough techniques on how to keep a conversation going and in most cases also exactly what to say, what to ask, what you should do if you run out of questions or things to talk about. It may come easy to most people, but if you've lived more or less on your own with little social life for years, these things don't come easy at all. And in such a case it is certainly not enough to know that you should talk about this and that -- the main problem is that you simply haven't got a clue on HOW to use the subjects and especially how to turn a I-ask-you-a-stupid-question-and-you-answer-me dialoge into a real conversation.

Trust me I'm really shy and I haven't got a clue on how to talk to people. I read this book and it didnt help. If your like me you think that you read abook like this and in the next few days your be able to speak to anyone.Unfortunately it's not like that, I wish it was. The book gives youbasically information u already know and loads of lame American exampleswhich you cannot relate to. If you follow what the book says you end upspeaking like an idiot. I thought this book was totally rubbish and theonly way you could use it is if you are naturally a good conversationalistand the whole point of the book is to make you into one so it is totallypointless.

This is a comprehensively written guide which may go some way towards bolstering confidence and improving one's chances of getting a conversation going. However, British readers should note that the author makes liberal use of example dialogues, all of which are so American in style as to make them sound trite and incredible to British ears. In a guide which necessarily uses role play and learning by example, this is something of a limitation.

I bought this book with the view to being able to improve my conversational skills with unfamiliar people. Garner makes the whole subject of personal interaction very easy to digest, with each chapter covering one area of conversation. The sections are quite short, but well-written, with little or no padding at all, just good useful information. I especially enjoyed the section on the structure of conversation, and the revelation that almost anything will do as a conversation-starter! All in all money well spent and a book I will refer to over again.