The Nuts and Bolts of Public Speaking: Book review

February 3rd, 2008

I have just finished a great book on public Speaking, The Nuts and Bolts of Public Speaking.  The author Craig Valentine is the 1999 World Champion of Public Speaking and a highly paid keynote speaker in the US.

What sets this book apart from others is that it focuses on the basics.  From speech structure to how to use the rule of three to gte your point across with more impact, this book has it all.

There is one fantastic section that I loved.  It was on finding the magical moments from your own life that will bring your speech alive.  These are the parts of your speech that the audience will hang off.  Despite what we think, we all have an enormous amount of stories that we can draw upon to help us illustrate our points.  This section is well worth the cost of the book alone.

If this book could be improved anywhere, it is that there is no index or detailed table of contents.  This is a great reference book, but the lack of an index makes it difficult to reference!

Over all, a great book, and you can order a copy from Craig here.  Just tell him I sent you.

‘Til next time.

Cheers

Darren Fleming

Australian Toastmasters Champion

Posted in humour in presentations, Martketing your speaking skills, nervousness, public speaking, Public Speaking books, public speaking courses, public speaking humour, public speaking tips, Understanding your audience

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  • http://www.allbusiness.com/operations/4057811-1.html Glenn (Customer Service Experience) Ross

    Check out The Exceptional Presenter by Tim Koegel, and Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds. And if you’re ever in Austin, TX, USA stop by The West Austin 2 Toastmasters Club. We’ll buy you breakfast:-)

    Glenn

  • https://executivespeaking.com.au Australian Toastmasters Champion

    HI Glen,

    If I’m in Texas again I will pop in.

    Unfortunately I have not been to Texas for 10 years.

    Cheers

    Darren

  • http://www.craigvalentine.com Craig Valentine

    Thanks Darren. Great insights and takeaways from the Nuts and Bolts of Public Speaking. I have often seen people invalidate their own experience when it comes to speaking. Instead, we should use our lessons learned to help other people. At times we are simply reminding them of what they already know. Other times we are teaching them something new. The key is we must not only give suggestions but really sell them on why they should take our advice. When you are in speaking, you are in sales. Mastering the art of storytelling and mastering the art of selling (ideas) are critical for those who want to give speeches that keep their audiences on the edge of their seats.

    Craig Valentine, MBA
    1999 World Champion of Public Speaking

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