The "Everything" Public Speaking Book: Deliver a Winning Presentation Every Time! (Everything) [Paperback]

Have you ever wondered how to give a stellar speech or how to give an enthralling presentation? The Everything Public Speaking Book, Scott S. Smith provides advice, ideas and tactics to not only improve your speech skills but to overcome different obstacles that may come along during public speaking.

The book is comprised of fourteen chapters in which the author provides convenient tools to aide in public speaking.

In the first chapter, entitled Overcoming Fear, the author lists ways to eliminate the presence of fear. He stresses calming yourself, speaking calmly. He also suggests taking steps such as exercise, plenty rest, and a well balanced diet to help anxiety.

In chapter two, The Psychology of Fear, Smith approaches fear and anxiety from a psychological point of view. He proposes the best way to beat fear is to understand exactly what fear is and to get to the root of it.

Chapter three is the Informative Speech, in which Smith outlines how to present facts in a way that will help the audience understand the meaning and remember what was said. This chapter really corresponds with our textbook, the Public Speaking Handbook. The way he emphasizes the use of outlining your speech. One thing I thought was really helpful was organizing the body of your speech using cause and effect or chronological order.

In chapter four, Eloquent Sources, the author shares how to make your speech more eloquent using features and phrases. He suggests using stories, personal anecdotes, and quotations.

Chapter five, Refining Touches, reveals how to polish your speech, ensuring that it is clear. Smith suggests adding some sophisticated techniques such as alliteration, allusion, metaphors and repetition.

Chapter six or You're Only Joking, demonstrates how to utilize humor to improve your speech. Smith stresses how important it is to know your audiences sense of humor and to watch your tongue.

Chapter seven, entitled Managing the Audience, touches on how to manage the audience in different situations that might arise such as heckling and troublesome question and answer session.

Chapter eight, Visual and Audio Aids , gives ways to ensure that your key points are more likely to be remembered by using tools such as handouts, props, chalkboards, videos and powerpoints.

Chapter nine , titled Its debatable, shows how to use the debate format of speech to sharpen skills of argumentation and persuasion.

Chapter Ten, Taking Care of Business, emphasizes the importance of speech and communication in business settings such as meetings and sales presentations.

Chapter eleven and chapter twelve both feature how to prepare and perform during media interviews.

Chapter Thirteen and fourteen, becoming a pro: getting started and the big time (respectively), both show how to create a career in public speaking.

All in all, this book is a helpful resource in public speaking. The author does a great job of offering detailed advice on the various trouble spots of speech. Also he is very helpful in reminding potential speakers the most important building blocks of public speaking which makes it very accessible.