Saturday, July 11, 2009

Opening Sentence of the Day: After Dinner Speaking

"Some of the sweetest sounds that a speaker can hear are the surprised ripple of laughter from the audience, the murmurs of approval at praise well deserved, and the firm hand of applause at the end of a speech, a sound of clapping that goes beyond the polite." -- After Dinner Speaking by Fawcett Boom This little book was published in 1991. I think I picked it up some time in the 1990s, when I was putting in my time with various Bar organizations and had to do my share of speaker introductions and opening remarks. Too bad I never read the book back then. I usually ended up winging it and my attempts at public speaking were always too glib, too rushed, and generally botched. Never too late to learn, though, so I am finally going to read this book. For one thing, that will get it off my nightstand where it has lived for the last 15 years.

2 comments :

  1. I have to do a fair amount of public speaking. This sounds like a good book for me to read. You are right, it is never too late!

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  2. The book is a little outdated because it wisely suggests researching and preparing well -- but suggests things like library books and the local historical society. Now that we have google and wikipedia . . .

    It is also a British book, so some of the references are unfamiliar.

    But good basics.

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