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The Art of Conversation (Hardcover)

by Catherine Blyth (Author)
3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
RRP: £12.99
Price: £8.44 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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The Art of Conversation + How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks For Big Success In Relationships + How to Win Friends and Influence People
Price For All Three: £18.21

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: John Murray (6 Nov 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0719521815
  • ISBN-13: 978-0719521812
  • Product Dimensions: 20.2 x 13.4 x 3.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 24,839 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #24 in  Books > Reference > Language > Communication

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Product Description

Review

'It is a treasure trove of literary and historical delights, with each page containing a little gem in the form of a quotation or a factoid' (Independent on Sunday )

‘Blyth is a passionate talker, and here she takes us on an entertaining tour of the art of proper conversation . . . you’ll never be at a loss for words at those awkward socials again!’

(Glamour )

'A bit of fun by a young genius. The Art of Conversation . . . is a  witty meditation upon
all aspects of talk . . . if you give to a friend it will itself provoke hours of amusing chat as you read out her jokes and her wisdom'

(A.N. Wilson )

'I tried my hardest to dislike The Art of Conversation, but it’s hard to dislike anything that quotes Chanelle from Big Brother in the same breath as Andrew Marvell and Henry James'

(Guardian )

'As Woodrow Wilson once opined of the US President Warren Harding, I am simply in possession of ‘a bungalow mind’. I hope that reading The Art of Conversation has furnished me with a staircase or two'

(Observer )

'Everybody will read it, but pretend they haven’t'

(Observer )

‘A witty, entertaining guide, much praised’

(Bookseller )

'Modern man - and woman - have forgotten how to engage larynx and ears. Catherine Blyth teaches the lost art with wit and charm'

(Harry Mount, author of AMO, AMAS, AMAT . . . AND ALL THAT )

'Blending science with psychology and philosophy with literature, she argues the case for banter and badinage. It’s free, fun and gets your brain cells firing like the prettiest of firework displays'

(Marie Claire )

'Brings a professional sensibility to the topic'

(Scotland on Sunday )

'It’s fun, it’s fresh and it’s flirty – all the things it teaches that we can be, if only we master the art of conversation'

(The Resident )

'A witty and thoroughly entertaining guide to the noble art of conversation'

(Katie Hickman )

'Get off that bloody computer and read this bloody great book. Reclaim the orgasmic pleasures of a bloody good conversation. Don't let modern technology turn you into an uncommunicative ninny: ingest this book and start conversing . . . and then start living'

(Simon Doonan, author of ECCENTRIC GLAMOUR )

'Witty, charming and appropriately garrulous . . . it shamed me into wanting to
mend my own, lumpen, non-conversational ways and pull my speech-related
socks up...this smart little book should be in every house like Gideon
bibles in hotel rooms'

(Mail on Sunday )

'This is a gushingly erudite, high-spirited and enjoyably bossy book . . . a lot of wit and wisdom'

(Literary Review )

'The book offers a host of delightful tips on listening, talking shop and even surviving conversational bores' (Diplomat )

'Her book, The Art of Conversation, is a rallying cry for this neglected yet vital pleasure'

(Psychologies )


Product Description


Every day we use our mobiles and computers to communicate, but ironically we are losing touch with face-to-face talk. Catherine Blyth reveals the endless possibilities of conversation and shows that when it works it can come close to heaven.


 


With examples from Elizabeth I to Tommy Cooper, courtesans to nomads, The Art of Conversation is full of tips on listening, talking shop and surviving conversational bores. Be it sharing a joke with a stranger, sparking a new idea or just letting off steam with a friend, there are infinite adventures to be had if you break the ice and say hello. . .

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The Art of Conversation
59% buy the item featured on this page:
The Art of Conversation 3.1 out of 5 stars (10)
£8.44
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20% buy
How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks For Big Success In Relationships 4.2 out of 5 stars (52)
£5.29
How to Win Friends and Influence People
9% buy
How to Win Friends and Influence People 4.7 out of 5 stars (69)
£4.48
The Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation in Any Situation
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Customer Reviews

10 Reviews
5 star:
 (3)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (6)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.1 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Blyth needs to learn the art of the written word, 3 Jul 2009
By Nicola Jarvis "English Literature Graduate" (Herts, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
I simply could not finish this book since Catherine Blyth appears to be unable to write in a clear, concise and coherent manner. Too many times I found myself re-reading passages trying to grasp her meaning. She is at her worst when explaining her personal experiences; it took several tries to determine what was even going on, who she was talking about and who said what.

I cannot possibly tell you which is worse: her choice of diction or her sentence structure. They are both terribly bad and make for very frustrating reading. Having six clauses in one sentence and employing high-brow phrases and obscure words are not the marks of a good writer. This book has every sign of a wannabe writer trying too hard.

When I attended university, a professor told the lecture hall that 'If someone has trouble understanding what you have written, it is you, the writer, not the reader, who is at fault.' This has never resonated so true. As great as the concept of this book seems (and it is) it's simply inaccessible.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars What we should all be doing, 2 Feb 2009
A wonderful book to remind us of the joys of human contact of the platonic kind, and how much richness of life we lose when we dismiss and ignore it.

The central message of the book is that to have a good conversation: listen, pay attention to the other person and be interested. The message is delivered in many charming and different ways, through anecdotes, psychology, philosophy, literature, history and humour.

Anyone can follow her advice, and if you do, you'll have lots of friends, a loving partner and everyone will think you're wonderful. A deep and valuable message despite its lightness of touch and apparent frivolity. Enjoy the book and then go out and listen (with warmth). That's a gift you can give the world.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A superb piece of writing, 29 Dec 2008
This is an excellent book written by a promising new author of obvious talent. the author has used her wit and erudition to create a charming little book about an often neglected subject. This book addresses the topic of conversation in all its various forms and situations fairly comprehensively. The author, in the first chapter and indeed throughout the book, presents the case for conversation successfully. It can be a little florid at times, but I am sure this is only the result of the author's vast acquaintance with the English language and also the writer's unquenchable enthusiasm on this particular subject. The book is well written with a rich vocabulary, it is often quite insightful, contains many interesting anecdotes, and lots of useful tips, complemented by a pleasing design. The book uses the anecdotes and stories to good effect by drawing many reasonable conclusions from them. The book is aesthetically satisfying in both its writing and design. It is interesting, informative, useful and a pleasure to read. All in all this is a great book which I would highly recommend.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars The Art of the Title
Not quite what I was hoping for. As a bit of a wallflower, I expected a book giving a strategy for guiding me through the maze of conversation, some ideas for navigating its dead... Read more
Published 4 months ago by M. Williams

2.0 out of 5 stars Too clever by half
This was a reasonably entertaining read - the author has experience of many interesting conversations - but, having read it, I cannot say that it improved the art of my... Read more
Published 5 months ago by shadows in the rain

2.0 out of 5 stars Except That . . .
The Art of Conversation is bursting with ideas but seldom have I read a book in English that felt as though it were my second language. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Jonathan Posner

2.0 out of 5 stars A good book that could have been better
This book could have been more enjoyable if it was not overpowered by a questionable sentance structure. Pick any paragraph, "Other snipers are at work. Read more
Published 8 months ago by M. Brennan

2.0 out of 5 stars Artless conversation?
This book is ok, author has a slightly irritating manner which made it hard work to get through the book. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Candy camera

5.0 out of 5 stars sparkling, entertaining and..... educational.
I don't really consider myself one of life's natural converationalists, so I approached this book with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation, hoping for something light and... Read more
Published 9 months ago by the_sozz

4.0 out of 5 stars Start talking
This book is a delight. Refreshing, informative and full of entertaining and interesting quotations. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Mostly Cheese

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