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Секреты великих ораторов. Говори как Черчилль, держись как Линкольн
Автор этой книги помогал писать речи пяти президентам США. Он знает свое дело и считает, что научиться говорить красноречиво, по делу и убедительно — непросто, но возможно. Многие известные люди опробовали методики Джеймса Хьюмса и убедились, что навыки красноречия — такой же актив, как хорошее образование, деловая хватка или интуиция. Чем выше ваша позиция, тем важнее ваше умение выступать публично. Прочтите эту книгу, возьмите на вооружение новые идеи и приемы лучших ораторов в истории человечества.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published April 23, 2002
351 people are currently reading
4298 people want to read
About the author
James C. Humes
49 books28 followersJames C. Humes was Ronald Reagan's speechwriter. He also wrote speeches for George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon and Dwight Eisenhower. He has served as a communications advisor to major U.S. corporations, including IBM and DuPont. He is the author of twenty-three other books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
July 14, 2011
(c.2002)
1. Power Pause. “Stand, Stare and Command”
Stage silence before speak. Pause to absorb the question and put your thoughts into words. Frame your reply in your mind. Try to lock your eyes on each of your listeners. In your own mind each word of your opening sentence. Every second you wait strengthens the impact of your opening words. (=strategic silence)
2. Power Opener. "Being with a Bang!"
Opening with a startling fact or dramatic news. Crushing a Cliché, and Parenthetical(delayed) Praise.
Start strongly instead of phrases of pleasantry.
3. Power Presence. "Signature Symbol"
Let clothes proclaim your professionalism. Choose your garment intentionally. Princess Diana, Diane Sawyer, and Elizabeth Dole.
4. Power Point. "Stop, Think and Plan"
Figure out ‘bottom-line purpose” your 1st priority. Find the message 1st and the words will follow.
5. Power Brief. "Don't Eat It All" "Terse is better than Tedious"
Be short-by digesting and processing what others say, searching for a theme that wraps up what most are saying and then framing the gist of the discussion into one question. Shorter= shaper, memorable, powerful, unexpected, poise, decisive
6. Power Quote. "Produce, Present, Perform"
Rule 1: Don’t refer to any author with whom you are unfamiliar quoting
2: Name should be recognizable (unless it’s unknown) and the quotations brief
3:Use only 1 per speech and dramatize it.
4: Start your own arsenal quotations from famous, crisp, memorable, a ringing echo of agreement in your mind. Categorize them alphabetically under topics.
Action, brain, Change, decision, excellence, facts, history, idea, knowledge, question, solution, team, winner, etc.
7. Power Stat "Reduce, Round, Relate"
Up front & exact figure: Immediate credibility. Roundly framed: memorability
Reduce to one stat for key message.
Round off to figures to base of ten or fractions involving 1st 10 numerals.
Relate it to listeners by comparing to familiar, and use an odd number.
8. Power Outage. "Leader or Technician"
"Any talk should be the oral projection of your personality, not mechanical projection."
Prop, not a crutch. Reinforce, not replace. Speaker, not Introducer
Self-explanatory, Simple Slides.
S.L.I.D.E
Slogan: Caption under each slide a slogan, punch line or 1 sentence phrase. No epistle.
Large: Print of the slogan in LARGE CAPS
Illustration: Simple and uncluttered.
Directional: No stick or pointer
Erase: Erase 1 pic before you move to the next one. In a series of slides, place black ones in btw.
Speech: Don't read slide captions.
9. Power Wit. "Realistic, Relevant, don't Read"
Joke vs. Wit(intelligence + humor)
A part of anecdote, and parables.
10. Power Parable. "Parable power is persuasive power"
Abstract word is ineffective without any picture. Turn concepts into concrete.
11. Power Gesture. "The Strong Silent"
"George Washington's shyness and awkward speech belied his appearance. His solution was to become the prototype for the strong silent man." Silent signals can register even louder than speech.
12. Power Reading. "See-Pause-Say"
Rule 1: Never let words come out of your moth when your eyes are looking down.
13. Power Poetry. "Let Layout Leap Out at You"
Take your typed speech and space it out in Bite-size phrases.
Come to a comma, cute the line off.
If subj. followed by its predicate, don't separate.
A preposition succeeded by its obj., don't dissect the two.
Never end a line with 'a' or 'the'
Halt at a period.
14. Power Line. C.R.E.A.M (as it rises to the top in a bottle of unhomogenized milk, lines with these 5 elements will stay put).
Contrast: Use of antonyms.
Rhyme: "Rhyming 9" AME, AIR, ITE, AKE, OW, AY, ATE, EEM, AIN
Echo:Repeat a word in the 2nd phrase, Repeat noun, Repeat verb
Alliteration: Use the Oxford Essential Thesaurus ($6). Isn't Arduous.
Metaphor: Use of imagery and analogies(with everyday routines, familiar)
15. Power Question. "Simple Single line"
Never ask a question if you are not sure of the answer (In context of proving a point).
Rhetorical Qs-No expected answer-a speech device to motivate listeners to get involved
(Plain and Blunt).
16. Power Word. "Pregnant Pause Before P.W"
Introduce compelling words with a deliberate stuttering pause. Limit yourself to 1 'impact' word per talk/statement.
17. Power Active. "Cover-Your-Ass Passive"
W.H.A.B(Overuse of the passive)
Were
Have, had
Are,is
Be, been
18. Power Dollar. "4 Ds"
Defiance: You're doing a favor for listeners. Be cocky.
Design: Paint a picture that you really care about.
Donation: Double It, Specify
Duel:After you ask, keep your mouth shut."never try to ask by letter, to go yourself is far better."
19. Power Button. "1 Per Speech"
Only to spotlight a zinger line that you want to leave a burning hole in your listeners' ears.
20. Power Closer. "Crisp Closers-Electric Endings"
Strong ending appeal to emotions.
Look at closing style of Reagan and Churchill.
21. Power Audacity. "Dare to Be Different"
Surprise your audience by demonstrating unexpected. Make moves that live in the memories of their listeners. "Can't gain podium power by doing the predicable and prosaic."
1. Power Pause. “Stand, Stare and Command”
Stage silence before speak. Pause to absorb the question and put your thoughts into words. Frame your reply in your mind. Try to lock your eyes on each of your listeners. In your own mind each word of your opening sentence. Every second you wait strengthens the impact of your opening words. (=strategic silence)
2. Power Opener. "Being with a Bang!"
Opening with a startling fact or dramatic news. Crushing a Cliché, and Parenthetical(delayed) Praise.
Start strongly instead of phrases of pleasantry.
3. Power Presence. "Signature Symbol"
Let clothes proclaim your professionalism. Choose your garment intentionally. Princess Diana, Diane Sawyer, and Elizabeth Dole.
4. Power Point. "Stop, Think and Plan"
Figure out ‘bottom-line purpose” your 1st priority. Find the message 1st and the words will follow.
5. Power Brief. "Don't Eat It All" "Terse is better than Tedious"
Be short-by digesting and processing what others say, searching for a theme that wraps up what most are saying and then framing the gist of the discussion into one question. Shorter= shaper, memorable, powerful, unexpected, poise, decisive
6. Power Quote. "Produce, Present, Perform"
Rule 1: Don’t refer to any author with whom you are unfamiliar quoting
2: Name should be recognizable (unless it’s unknown) and the quotations brief
3:Use only 1 per speech and dramatize it.
4: Start your own arsenal quotations from famous, crisp, memorable, a ringing echo of agreement in your mind. Categorize them alphabetically under topics.
Action, brain, Change, decision, excellence, facts, history, idea, knowledge, question, solution, team, winner, etc.
7. Power Stat "Reduce, Round, Relate"
Up front & exact figure: Immediate credibility. Roundly framed: memorability
Reduce to one stat for key message.
Round off to figures to base of ten or fractions involving 1st 10 numerals.
Relate it to listeners by comparing to familiar, and use an odd number.
8. Power Outage. "Leader or Technician"
"Any talk should be the oral projection of your personality, not mechanical projection."
Prop, not a crutch. Reinforce, not replace. Speaker, not Introducer
Self-explanatory, Simple Slides.
S.L.I.D.E
Slogan: Caption under each slide a slogan, punch line or 1 sentence phrase. No epistle.
Large: Print of the slogan in LARGE CAPS
Illustration: Simple and uncluttered.
Directional: No stick or pointer
Erase: Erase 1 pic before you move to the next one. In a series of slides, place black ones in btw.
Speech: Don't read slide captions.
9. Power Wit. "Realistic, Relevant, don't Read"
Joke vs. Wit(intelligence + humor)
A part of anecdote, and parables.
10. Power Parable. "Parable power is persuasive power"
Abstract word is ineffective without any picture. Turn concepts into concrete.
11. Power Gesture. "The Strong Silent"
"George Washington's shyness and awkward speech belied his appearance. His solution was to become the prototype for the strong silent man." Silent signals can register even louder than speech.
12. Power Reading. "See-Pause-Say"
Rule 1: Never let words come out of your moth when your eyes are looking down.
13. Power Poetry. "Let Layout Leap Out at You"
Take your typed speech and space it out in Bite-size phrases.
Come to a comma, cute the line off.
If subj. followed by its predicate, don't separate.
A preposition succeeded by its obj., don't dissect the two.
Never end a line with 'a' or 'the'
Halt at a period.
14. Power Line. C.R.E.A.M (as it rises to the top in a bottle of unhomogenized milk, lines with these 5 elements will stay put).
Contrast: Use of antonyms.
Rhyme: "Rhyming 9" AME, AIR, ITE, AKE, OW, AY, ATE, EEM, AIN
Echo:Repeat a word in the 2nd phrase, Repeat noun, Repeat verb
Alliteration: Use the Oxford Essential Thesaurus ($6). Isn't Arduous.
Metaphor: Use of imagery and analogies(with everyday routines, familiar)
15. Power Question. "Simple Single line"
Never ask a question if you are not sure of the answer (In context of proving a point).
Rhetorical Qs-No expected answer-a speech device to motivate listeners to get involved
(Plain and Blunt).
16. Power Word. "Pregnant Pause Before P.W"
Introduce compelling words with a deliberate stuttering pause. Limit yourself to 1 'impact' word per talk/statement.
17. Power Active. "Cover-Your-Ass Passive"
W.H.A.B(Overuse of the passive)
Were
Have, had
Are,is
Be, been
18. Power Dollar. "4 Ds"
Defiance: You're doing a favor for listeners. Be cocky.
Design: Paint a picture that you really care about.
Donation: Double It, Specify
Duel:After you ask, keep your mouth shut."never try to ask by letter, to go yourself is far better."
19. Power Button. "1 Per Speech"
Only to spotlight a zinger line that you want to leave a burning hole in your listeners' ears.
20. Power Closer. "Crisp Closers-Electric Endings"
Strong ending appeal to emotions.
Look at closing style of Reagan and Churchill.
21. Power Audacity. "Dare to Be Different"
Surprise your audience by demonstrating unexpected. Make moves that live in the memories of their listeners. "Can't gain podium power by doing the predicable and prosaic."
October 20, 2014
The book had great suggestions and helps for public speakers, but I didn't feel like Mr. Humes took his own advice. I felt like he said in three pages what could have been said in a paragraph. Read it for the good ideas, but feel free to skim.
December 23, 2016
The book goes through details of speaking from opening to ending. What I enjoyed most was the ideas, supporting facts, and real stories from famous speakers to illustrate the point. The reader will not only learn about speaking but gain quotes that are entertaining as well as meaningful. The reader will also learn lots of great historical facts that would make great trivia questions.
The book is well written and researched. It is easy to read and delivers practical advice for speakers. Humes also shows how to apply the master tips and tricks to your own speeches. The author suggests buying a rhyming dictionary and keep it handy when writing a speech. The book is highly entertaining.
Norman Dietz does a good job narrating the book. Dietz is an actor and award winning narrator.
The book is well written and researched. It is easy to read and delivers practical advice for speakers. Humes also shows how to apply the master tips and tricks to your own speeches. The author suggests buying a rhyming dictionary and keep it handy when writing a speech. The book is highly entertaining.
Norman Dietz does a good job narrating the book. Dietz is an actor and award winning narrator.
August 23, 2014
A good public speaking book with lots of good general tips especially on the more artistic and stylistic elements of speaking. I especially liked the examples illustrating the use of poetic devices in speeches to make them more memorable.
However, I just couldn't get over how WASPy this book was. Seemed clearly written by and for privileged white christian men looking for promotions within their company or how to be less shy next week at the Rotary. Some disquieting comments about how great it was that FDR had to trick people into thinking he could walk and stand easily or how women should dress like Margaret Thatcher and not like hussies. Focused on these unique historical figures and the refreshing personality they brought to their speaking style, but spoke very little about the power of embracing a unique style.
A good basic style of speaking book.
However, I just couldn't get over how WASPy this book was. Seemed clearly written by and for privileged white christian men looking for promotions within their company or how to be less shy next week at the Rotary. Some disquieting comments about how great it was that FDR had to trick people into thinking he could walk and stand easily or how women should dress like Margaret Thatcher and not like hussies. Focused on these unique historical figures and the refreshing personality they brought to their speaking style, but spoke very little about the power of embracing a unique style.
A good basic style of speaking book.
June 24, 2021
Generally speaking, this book offers some good advice about speaking. Distilled to their most basic points, the 21 “powers” he outlines would do any speaker good. They are not lessons from history so much as they are lessons from experience with historical anecdotes filling in the extra 160 pages.
This book is truly about “history’s greatest speakers,” if history began in 1776 and was written by conservative pundits. Humes’ biases as a political speech-writer show through rather obviously in this inflated rulebook. Mostly his views are subtle, but the constant referencing of Churchill and Reagan shape the tone of the book. This book could validly be filed under a biography of Churchill, it mentions him so often. I guess I thought the title of the book would be synecdoche - but Churchill is more of the whole than a part.
I can’t tell if the greater orators of the past constantly demeaned women, or if Humes just liked those anecdotes the best. I don’t mean to be that guy, but there are an awful lot of unflattering portraits of females strewn throughout the book, not to mention his detailed advice on how women should not present themselves. He uses the word “décolletage” so many times I actually felt the need to look it up in case I was missing a deeper meaning. I was not.
This book is truly about “history’s greatest speakers,” if history began in 1776 and was written by conservative pundits. Humes’ biases as a political speech-writer show through rather obviously in this inflated rulebook. Mostly his views are subtle, but the constant referencing of Churchill and Reagan shape the tone of the book. This book could validly be filed under a biography of Churchill, it mentions him so often. I guess I thought the title of the book would be synecdoche - but Churchill is more of the whole than a part.
I can’t tell if the greater orators of the past constantly demeaned women, or if Humes just liked those anecdotes the best. I don’t mean to be that guy, but there are an awful lot of unflattering portraits of females strewn throughout the book, not to mention his detailed advice on how women should not present themselves. He uses the word “décolletage” so many times I actually felt the need to look it up in case I was missing a deeper meaning. I was not.
October 16, 2024
Not bad. Was recommended this one from a friend. Covers a good range of tips for good public speaking/general writing with examples from historical figures. Helped me give a better work presentation. Made a list of tips to hold onto from it to hang onto.
March 25, 2019
A practical guide to leadership and effective communication, compiled into 21 easy to read and accessible chapters. I am keeping my copy near my desk for future reference.
August 19, 2015
Good tips on how to be a better public speaker. Applying it for my next speech, kaka. Aim to be another Franklin, or maybe "Silent Cal", or Abraham Lincoln, or George Washington one day, kakaka.
December 9, 2024
Recommended by my manager, so I listened to the audio book.
This is helpful for anyone who needs to work on public speaking, or who is drafting speeches, talking points, etc.
First half was very helpful! Kind of tuned out the second half, but would recommend overall.
This is helpful for anyone who needs to work on public speaking, or who is drafting speeches, talking points, etc.
First half was very helpful! Kind of tuned out the second half, but would recommend overall.
February 17, 2014
Author, James C. Humes offers great tips on how to be a more effective public speaker. Supported by stories and anecdotes of some of history's greatest public speakers (Churchill, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Reagan and others), Humes offers twenty-one pointers, each preceded by the word "Power": the Pause, Opener, Presence, Point, Brief, Quote, Stats, Outrage, Wit, Parable, Gesture, Reading, Poetry, Line, Question, Word, Active, Dollar, Button, Closer, Audacity. Not all of the above will be meaningful to the reader of this review until he/she has perused the book, but taken together, the suggestions, if followed, will increase the effectiveness of any speaker's delivery and import. Some may dismiss these directives as mere gimmicks, but they are not that. When adopted, and taken together, they can transform a mediocre speaker into a powerful orator. I was ask to give a talk the other day and used only the first two suggestions in my remarks: the Power Pause and the Power Opener. Afterwards, I was surprised that several people approached me to comment that was one of the best and most powerful talks they had heard me give (and I am not great speaker). Many of the anecdotes are quite funny, and regardless as to its use as a speakers' guide, the book makes for interesting and humorous reading. I disagreed with the author as to the effectiveness of speaking techniques used by some of the luminaries he referred to (ie., Douglas MacArthur and Bill Clinton), but for the most part, I felt the author was on track. A great read. I highly recommend the book.
December 26, 2015
This book has given me an appreciation for the amount of work that goes into speech preparation, and the benefits of the kind of presentation that's talked about - as opposed to purely preparing content and winging delivery.
I didn't realise how much work Churchill must have put into the preparation of speeches, but he knew his stuff and he really worked hard at it.
The long term aim of this speech writer seems to be that a single line is remembered from a speech (p41). That shows clearly the importance of knowing your point.
After this, I'd like to learn more of Churchill and Benjamin Franklin.
I didn't realise how much work Churchill must have put into the preparation of speeches, but he knew his stuff and he really worked hard at it.
The long term aim of this speech writer seems to be that a single line is remembered from a speech (p41). That shows clearly the importance of knowing your point.
After this, I'd like to learn more of Churchill and Benjamin Franklin.
November 12, 2021
One of the best books that I've ever reading about speaking.
July 23, 2018
Definitely one of the best public speaking books I've ever read. Combine it with a book/course on non-verbal communication and with practice you will become a rockstar!
January 10, 2024
Excellent advice and anecdotes. I will put much of this into practice. The credentials of the author speaks for itself in that he is effective and trustworthy. I think you will enjoy this book if you like history and need help in public speaking.
June 18, 2021
Great read! I enjoyed the 21 principles, but even without those, the book is worth the myriad historical examples and references - fascinating!
Great piece to help improve your oral communication as a leader. This doesn’t have to apply to just speeches or formal things. This can help you improve your presentations at work, engaging your team, and so on.
Fun read! Learned a lot too. And loved the argument for active voice! Best I’ve encountered yet.
Great piece to help improve your oral communication as a leader. This doesn’t have to apply to just speeches or formal things. This can help you improve your presentations at work, engaging your team, and so on.
Fun read! Learned a lot too. And loved the argument for active voice! Best I’ve encountered yet.
January 27, 2023
This book is a must read and re-read.
May 1, 2023
This is a really pass by book. Nothing stuck well.
January 22, 2025
Думал будет немного практичнее.
September 3, 2025
Good anecdotes and stories that are worth sharing that Ill likely not remember. Skipped through the second half because I have so many library bookes checked out I need to get to everything at once.
December 4, 2021
I will be rereading this multiple times in the future. An excellent book!
May 24, 2022
The book had short chapters that I liked, but I felt like some of the points made in the book weren’t new to those who might have read similar books. I also felt like there wasn’t much talked about Lincoln even though he is part of the title. Honestly, this book could’ve been a HBR article with the information that was provided. I still liked it though
July 29, 2021
Interesting tips but certainly not the most enjoyable book.
January 30, 2017
*Listened in audiobook format during plane rides to Shanghai and from Tokyo*
Solid advice, slightly unconventional. Serves as practical guide. A bit dragged out due to litany of examples to support each point. Could be much more concise in presentation. Author is high authority on the subject.
1) Power Pause
- Before speaking draw attention with pause
2) Power Open
- Never begin with the usual pleasantries. Grab attention instead
- Give thanks in the middle of speech instead of at the beginning; perceived as more sincere
3) Power Presence
- Including outfit and accessory
4) Power Point
- One central theme
5) Power Brief
- Speech should be able to be boiled down to 1 statement
- You do not have to speak for the full time allotted
6) Power Quote
- Dramatize the quote (take out paper, put on glasses, etc)
- Feel comfortable with quote and how to pronounce source name
- Prominent & Pithy
- Keep to only 1 quote per speech, best used in the middle
7) Power Stat
- Reduce (number of stats you give)
- Round (instead of 59%, say 3 out of 5)
- Relate (to audience, paint a picture - [i] dollar bills to the moon and back [/i])
- Exact figures increase credibility, but must be related in simple terms for audience to remember
8) Power Outage
- Slides & visuals are no substitute for speaking
- "The tongue can paint what the eye can't see" - Chinese proverb
- If you need to explain a visual aid, don't use it
- You don't explain slides; the slide explains you
9) Power Wit
- Relate humorous anecdotes
- Tell stories as if you had experienced them. Don't worry about stretching the truth a little
- Relevant, Realistic, don't Read (tell!)
10) Power Parable
- The Spineless Wonder - Winston Churchill
11) Power Gesture
- Can sometimes replace words outright
- Only really need to focus on one per speech
- General demeanor & subtle movements (like pointing) signals a lot about you
12) Power Reading
- Read a line, look up, pause, state the line. Look down to read another line
13) Power Poetry
- Write a speech how it should be read with line breaks where you want to pause
14) Power Line
- Contrast
- Rhyme (internal as well as nursery)
- Echo
- Alliteration
- Metaphor
- Only need 1 or 2 per speech
15) Power Question
- Penetrating
- Only 1 per speech, or ask several consecutively to make your point
16) Power Word
- Pause before you deliver the word that carries weight or is uncommonly used
17) Power Active
- Use the active voice, not the passive
- "Were, have, had, are, is" are examples of passive voice
- Passive is for cover your ass types, not for take charge leaders
18) Power Dollar (how to persuade)
- Defiance - don't be supplicating when asking for favor
- Design - paint a picture
- Donation - have specific number in mind
- Duel - wait (don't speak) after you ask
19) Power Button (setting up the power line)
- Tells audience "Ready, Set, Listen"
- Ex. "And so let me reassert my firm belief..."
- Ex. "I would say to those..."
- Only use 1 per speech
20) Power Closer
- Appeal to emotion
- Can relate an old story and make it relevant
21) Power Audacity
- Dare to be different
- Surprise your audience
Solid advice, slightly unconventional. Serves as practical guide. A bit dragged out due to litany of examples to support each point. Could be much more concise in presentation. Author is high authority on the subject.
1) Power Pause
- Before speaking draw attention with pause
2) Power Open
- Never begin with the usual pleasantries. Grab attention instead
- Give thanks in the middle of speech instead of at the beginning; perceived as more sincere
3) Power Presence
- Including outfit and accessory
4) Power Point
- One central theme
5) Power Brief
- Speech should be able to be boiled down to 1 statement
- You do not have to speak for the full time allotted
6) Power Quote
- Dramatize the quote (take out paper, put on glasses, etc)
- Feel comfortable with quote and how to pronounce source name
- Prominent & Pithy
- Keep to only 1 quote per speech, best used in the middle
7) Power Stat
- Reduce (number of stats you give)
- Round (instead of 59%, say 3 out of 5)
- Relate (to audience, paint a picture - [i] dollar bills to the moon and back [/i])
- Exact figures increase credibility, but must be related in simple terms for audience to remember
8) Power Outage
- Slides & visuals are no substitute for speaking
- "The tongue can paint what the eye can't see" - Chinese proverb
- If you need to explain a visual aid, don't use it
- You don't explain slides; the slide explains you
9) Power Wit
- Relate humorous anecdotes
- Tell stories as if you had experienced them. Don't worry about stretching the truth a little
- Relevant, Realistic, don't Read (tell!)
10) Power Parable
- The Spineless Wonder - Winston Churchill
11) Power Gesture
- Can sometimes replace words outright
- Only really need to focus on one per speech
- General demeanor & subtle movements (like pointing) signals a lot about you
12) Power Reading
- Read a line, look up, pause, state the line. Look down to read another line
13) Power Poetry
- Write a speech how it should be read with line breaks where you want to pause
14) Power Line
- Contrast
- Rhyme (internal as well as nursery)
- Echo
- Alliteration
- Metaphor
- Only need 1 or 2 per speech
15) Power Question
- Penetrating
- Only 1 per speech, or ask several consecutively to make your point
16) Power Word
- Pause before you deliver the word that carries weight or is uncommonly used
17) Power Active
- Use the active voice, not the passive
- "Were, have, had, are, is" are examples of passive voice
- Passive is for cover your ass types, not for take charge leaders
18) Power Dollar (how to persuade)
- Defiance - don't be supplicating when asking for favor
- Design - paint a picture
- Donation - have specific number in mind
- Duel - wait (don't speak) after you ask
19) Power Button (setting up the power line)
- Tells audience "Ready, Set, Listen"
- Ex. "And so let me reassert my firm belief..."
- Ex. "I would say to those..."
- Only use 1 per speech
20) Power Closer
- Appeal to emotion
- Can relate an old story and make it relevant
21) Power Audacity
- Dare to be different
- Surprise your audience
June 26, 2021
[Speak like Lincoln, churchill]
A decent public speaking book first published in 2002, a largely flawed relic of the times. I believe I first read this in high school maybe a decade ago, in a time when I was prepping from speech and debate, but tossed it from my bookshelf recently.
.
This is a general audience public speaking book, with several good tips on the artistic and stylistic elements of speaking, e.g. pausing, giving anecdotes, etc. It’s chock full of good info for interviews and reading poetry as a byproduct.
.
However, the book is very WASP-y, seemingly written by and for White Anglo-Saxon Protestent men. Techniques are thus rudimentary and conformist. The book is largely written by using anecdotes from history, a history largely consisting of the English WASP figures from Lincoln to Churchill to Reagan. The book thereby encourages reader to follow the historical techniques of these historical speakers. While there is nothing inherently wrong with following their examples, it plays down on the diversity a speaker may possess; people of diverse backgrounds of, say, Asian descent, female speakers such as Margaret Thatcher, or queer speakers such as Judith Butler.
.
As the world becomes more globalized, it’s important to embrace a unique style and be empowered by one’s diverse backgrounds. One with an accent my be unable to speak with the techniques in this book but can be better driven by their unique strategies and styles.
.
The book is practical, but not necessarily accessible. See the goodreads comment that oversimplieifes it by Whiz Kid (July 14, 2011). One of the key issues this book leans very far to the right, taking jabs at liberal ideologies such as “disability support” and “green energy.” Near the middle of reading this piece, I began to notice a trend of praising conservative speakers like Reagan and Bush but bashing speakers like Al Gore and Clinton. It becomes a point where the writing feels like a crony old Republican writing and jeering his thumb at liberals that it feels rude.
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Besides that, I felt as though several lessons can easily be shorted by 2/3 as a significant part of the chapters involves anecdotes or the aforementioned jabs. Both the right-leaning jokes and overall attitude felt unnecessary.
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Overall, this is a decent public speaking book, but there are better public speaking books out there, or just bulletin points of the novel that can be found and used instead.
May 27, 2022
Most of the advice is great—particularly regarding the flow and structure of a speech—and I learned quite a bit from this book. However, there's also good advice delivered questionably, and even some outright bad advice.
In the former case, one chapter focuses on using the active voice in sentences as opposed to passive voice. Most English teachers would agree that active voice tends to work better, but this chapter, like too many style books, denigrates passive voice entirely without acknowledging the real and important circumstances in which passive voice is better than active voice (e.g. if the subject matters more than the action). Ironically, the chapter defeats its own purpose by using passive voice construction repeatedly.
Among the worst advice in the book, I find the repeated notion that doctoring an anecdote or funny story and passing it off as a real event to be the exact kind of deception and trickery I associate with the world's slipperiest politicians and slimiest executives. Furthermore, by including so many examples of things to insert in your speeches, the book promotes copying, following a script or formula, and appealing to the tried and true rather than the fresh and exciting. The final chapter, funnily enough, represents the antithesis of this copy-paste mentality, arguing that boldness and audacity often matter more than how well one sticks to a formula.
In some chapters, Humes includes too many examples. This is especially a problem in the first half of the book. I can't tell if he did it to hit the page limit (it's only 200 pages or so) or to shoehorn in as many fallback phrases and text blocks as he can. Once again, this contradicts some (in my opinion, important and good) advice he gives about prioritizing brevity and a few strong examples over long-windedness and seemingly endless reference points. And it doesn't help that most of the examples are from Churchill, Lincoln, FDR, and Ronald Reagan. He does cite MLK Jr., Benjamin Franklin, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and even Hitler at one point, but these are rare.
This book would have been better as a condensed blog post or article. If you want to read it, I'd recommend skimming it first to identify the filler, then going back to read the more substantial parts. Again, there's some great info in here, but it could have been far better. I'm disappointed.
In the former case, one chapter focuses on using the active voice in sentences as opposed to passive voice. Most English teachers would agree that active voice tends to work better, but this chapter, like too many style books, denigrates passive voice entirely without acknowledging the real and important circumstances in which passive voice is better than active voice (e.g. if the subject matters more than the action). Ironically, the chapter defeats its own purpose by using passive voice construction repeatedly.
Among the worst advice in the book, I find the repeated notion that doctoring an anecdote or funny story and passing it off as a real event to be the exact kind of deception and trickery I associate with the world's slipperiest politicians and slimiest executives. Furthermore, by including so many examples of things to insert in your speeches, the book promotes copying, following a script or formula, and appealing to the tried and true rather than the fresh and exciting. The final chapter, funnily enough, represents the antithesis of this copy-paste mentality, arguing that boldness and audacity often matter more than how well one sticks to a formula.
In some chapters, Humes includes too many examples. This is especially a problem in the first half of the book. I can't tell if he did it to hit the page limit (it's only 200 pages or so) or to shoehorn in as many fallback phrases and text blocks as he can. Once again, this contradicts some (in my opinion, important and good) advice he gives about prioritizing brevity and a few strong examples over long-windedness and seemingly endless reference points. And it doesn't help that most of the examples are from Churchill, Lincoln, FDR, and Ronald Reagan. He does cite MLK Jr., Benjamin Franklin, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and even Hitler at one point, but these are rare.
This book would have been better as a condensed blog post or article. If you want to read it, I'd recommend skimming it first to identify the filler, then going back to read the more substantial parts. Again, there's some great info in here, but it could have been far better. I'm disappointed.
November 3, 2019
This blowhard has archaic notions about how he thinks women should dress and behave and lines nothing more than hearing the sound of his own voice. He idolizes old white men to the extent is fetishism and seems to think there is no place for anything other than his own way of doing anything. He's an outdated, name dropping has been who only wants to remind anyone who will listen of all the things he's done and why he's right and everything else is wrong. The way he raises his voice to portray a female speaking is not only insulting, but blatantly sexist. This book was a struggle from start to finish and is pure garbage on it's best day.
May 27, 2009
Humorous anecdotes and great insights culled from close study of several of our greatest orators--Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan--put together by a man who served as speechwriter for five U.S. Presidents make for a tremendous read. This was lots of fun, and I learned a lot about excellent oratory and quite a few good tips that work for the written language as well. I will buy a copy and read and apply quite a few of his principles.
September 23, 2023
It was overwhelmingly conservative. The 21 points were contradictory to each other. The more he spoke admiration for Churchill, the more fault I found in him. A typical office doesn't want theatrics in their speeches. Communicate maximum information that can be absorbed. Right or wrong, we communicate in power point for everything. A person coming up with catch phrases and being overly dramatic would come off as a pompous blowhard in everyday meetings.
Read
October 1, 2013"As a student of speech, I very much enjoyed this intriguing historic approach to public speaking. Humes creates a valuable and practical guide."
—Roger Ailes, chairman and CEO, FOX News
"I love this book. I've followed Humes's lessons for years, and he combines them all into one compact, hard-hitting resource. Get this book on your desk now."
—Chris Matthews, Hardball
—Roger Ailes, chairman and CEO, FOX News
"I love this book. I've followed Humes's lessons for years, and he combines them all into one compact, hard-hitting resource. Get this book on your desk now."
—Chris Matthews, Hardball
March 18, 2019
Enjoyable read. Lots of Churchill quotes. Apparently Churchill is quoted more than anyone in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.
With credit to the reviewer WhizKid, here are the "secrets" discussed in the book:
1. Power Pause. “Stand, Stare and Command”
Stage silence before speak. Pause to absorb the question and put your thoughts into words. Frame your reply in your mind. Try to lock your eyes on each of your listeners. In your own mind each word of your opening sentence. Every second you wait strengthens the impact of your opening words. (=strategic silence)
2. Power Opener. "Being with a Bang!"
Opening with a startling fact or dramatic news. Crushing a Cliché, and Parenthetical(delayed) Praise.
Start strongly instead of phrases of pleasantry.
3. Power Presence. "Signature Symbol"
Let clothes proclaim your professionalism. Choose your garment intentionally. Princess Diana, Diane Sawyer, and Elizabeth Dole.
4. Power Point. "Stop, Think and Plan"
Figure out ‘bottom-line purpose” your 1st priority. Find the message 1st and the words will follow.
5. Power Brief. "Don't Eat It All" "Terse is better than Tedious"
Be short-by digesting and processing what others say, searching for a theme that wraps up what most are saying and then framing the gist of the discussion into one question. Shorter= shaper, memorable, powerful, unexpected, poise, decisive
6. Power Quote. "Produce, Present, Perform"
Rule 1: Don’t refer to any author with whom you are unfamiliar quoting
2: Name should be recognizable (unless it’s unknown) and the quotations brief
3:Use only 1 per speech and dramatize it.
4: Start your own arsenal quotations from famous, crisp, memorable, a ringing echo of agreement in your mind. Categorize them alphabetically under topics.
Action, brain, Change, decision, excellence, facts, history, idea, knowledge, question, solution, team, winner, etc.
7. Power Stat "Reduce, Round, Relate"
Up front & exact figure: Immediate credibility. Roundly framed: memorability
Reduce to one stat for key message.
Round off to figures to base of ten or fractions involving 1st 10 numerals.
Relate it to listeners by comparing to familiar, and use an odd number.
8. Power Outage. "Leader or Technician"
"Any talk should be the oral projection of your personality, not mechanical projection."
Prop, not a crutch. Reinforce, not replace. Speaker, not Introducer
Self-explanatory, Simple Slides.
S.L.I.D.E
Slogan: Caption under each slide a slogan, punch line or 1 sentence phrase. No epistle.
Large: Print of the slogan in LARGE CAPS
Illustration: Simple and uncluttered.
Directional: No stick or pointer
Erase: Erase 1 pic before you move to the next one. In a series of slides, place black ones in btw.
Speech: Don't read slide captions.
9. Power Wit. "Realistic, Relevant, don't Read"
Joke vs. Wit(intelligence + humor)
A part of anecdote, and parables.
10. Power Parable. "Parable power is persuasive power"
Abstract word is ineffective without any picture. Turn concepts into concrete.
11. Power Gesture. "The Strong Silent"
"George Washington's shyness and awkward speech belied his appearance. His solution was to become the prototype for the strong silent man." Silent signals can register even louder than speech.
12. Power Reading. "See-Pause-Say"
Rule 1: Never let words come out of your moth when your eyes are looking down.
13. Power Poetry. "Let Layout Leap Out at You"
Take your typed speech and space it out in Bite-size phrases.
Come to a comma, cute the line off.
If subj. followed by its predicate, don't separate.
A preposition succeeded by its obj., don't dissect the two.
Never end a line with 'a' or 'the'
Halt at a period.
14. Power Line. C.R.E.A.M (as it rises to the top in a bottle of unhomogenized milk, lines with these 5 elements will stay put).
Contrast: Use of antonyms.
Rhyme: "Rhyming 9" AME, AIR, ITE, AKE, OW, AY, ATE, EEM, AIN
Echo:Repeat a word in the 2nd phrase, Repeat noun, Repeat verb
Alliteration: Use thesaurus.
Metaphor: Use of imagery and analogies (with everyday routines, familiar)
15. Power Question. "Simple Single line"
Never ask a question if you are not sure of the answer (In context of proving a point).
Rhetorical Qs-No expected answer-a speech device to motivate listeners to get involved
(Plain and Blunt).
16. Power Word. "Pregnant Pause Before P.W"
Introduce compelling words with a deliberate stuttering pause. Limit yourself to 1 'impact' word per talk/statement.
17. Power Active. Avoid passive voice.
W.H.A.B(Overuse of the passive)
Were
Have, had
Are,is
Be, been
18. Power Dollar. "4 Ds"
Defiance: You're doing a favor for listeners. Be cocky.
Design: Paint a picture that you really care about.
Donation: Double It, Specify
Duel:After you ask, keep your mouth shut."never try to ask by letter, to go yourself is far better."
19. Power Button. "1 Per Speech"
Only to spotlight a zinger line that you want to leave a burning hole in your listeners' ears.
20. Power Closer. "Crisp Closers-Electric Endings"
Strong ending appeal to emotions.
Look at closing style of Reagan and Churchill.
21. Power Audacity. "Dare to Be Different"
Surprise your audience by demonstrating unexpected. Make moves that live in the memories of their listeners. "Can't gain podium power by doing the predicable and prosaic."
With credit to the reviewer WhizKid, here are the "secrets" discussed in the book:
1. Power Pause. “Stand, Stare and Command”
Stage silence before speak. Pause to absorb the question and put your thoughts into words. Frame your reply in your mind. Try to lock your eyes on each of your listeners. In your own mind each word of your opening sentence. Every second you wait strengthens the impact of your opening words. (=strategic silence)
2. Power Opener. "Being with a Bang!"
Opening with a startling fact or dramatic news. Crushing a Cliché, and Parenthetical(delayed) Praise.
Start strongly instead of phrases of pleasantry.
3. Power Presence. "Signature Symbol"
Let clothes proclaim your professionalism. Choose your garment intentionally. Princess Diana, Diane Sawyer, and Elizabeth Dole.
4. Power Point. "Stop, Think and Plan"
Figure out ‘bottom-line purpose” your 1st priority. Find the message 1st and the words will follow.
5. Power Brief. "Don't Eat It All" "Terse is better than Tedious"
Be short-by digesting and processing what others say, searching for a theme that wraps up what most are saying and then framing the gist of the discussion into one question. Shorter= shaper, memorable, powerful, unexpected, poise, decisive
6. Power Quote. "Produce, Present, Perform"
Rule 1: Don’t refer to any author with whom you are unfamiliar quoting
2: Name should be recognizable (unless it’s unknown) and the quotations brief
3:Use only 1 per speech and dramatize it.
4: Start your own arsenal quotations from famous, crisp, memorable, a ringing echo of agreement in your mind. Categorize them alphabetically under topics.
Action, brain, Change, decision, excellence, facts, history, idea, knowledge, question, solution, team, winner, etc.
7. Power Stat "Reduce, Round, Relate"
Up front & exact figure: Immediate credibility. Roundly framed: memorability
Reduce to one stat for key message.
Round off to figures to base of ten or fractions involving 1st 10 numerals.
Relate it to listeners by comparing to familiar, and use an odd number.
8. Power Outage. "Leader or Technician"
"Any talk should be the oral projection of your personality, not mechanical projection."
Prop, not a crutch. Reinforce, not replace. Speaker, not Introducer
Self-explanatory, Simple Slides.
S.L.I.D.E
Slogan: Caption under each slide a slogan, punch line or 1 sentence phrase. No epistle.
Large: Print of the slogan in LARGE CAPS
Illustration: Simple and uncluttered.
Directional: No stick or pointer
Erase: Erase 1 pic before you move to the next one. In a series of slides, place black ones in btw.
Speech: Don't read slide captions.
9. Power Wit. "Realistic, Relevant, don't Read"
Joke vs. Wit(intelligence + humor)
A part of anecdote, and parables.
10. Power Parable. "Parable power is persuasive power"
Abstract word is ineffective without any picture. Turn concepts into concrete.
11. Power Gesture. "The Strong Silent"
"George Washington's shyness and awkward speech belied his appearance. His solution was to become the prototype for the strong silent man." Silent signals can register even louder than speech.
12. Power Reading. "See-Pause-Say"
Rule 1: Never let words come out of your moth when your eyes are looking down.
13. Power Poetry. "Let Layout Leap Out at You"
Take your typed speech and space it out in Bite-size phrases.
Come to a comma, cute the line off.
If subj. followed by its predicate, don't separate.
A preposition succeeded by its obj., don't dissect the two.
Never end a line with 'a' or 'the'
Halt at a period.
14. Power Line. C.R.E.A.M (as it rises to the top in a bottle of unhomogenized milk, lines with these 5 elements will stay put).
Contrast: Use of antonyms.
Rhyme: "Rhyming 9" AME, AIR, ITE, AKE, OW, AY, ATE, EEM, AIN
Echo:Repeat a word in the 2nd phrase, Repeat noun, Repeat verb
Alliteration: Use thesaurus.
Metaphor: Use of imagery and analogies (with everyday routines, familiar)
15. Power Question. "Simple Single line"
Never ask a question if you are not sure of the answer (In context of proving a point).
Rhetorical Qs-No expected answer-a speech device to motivate listeners to get involved
(Plain and Blunt).
16. Power Word. "Pregnant Pause Before P.W"
Introduce compelling words with a deliberate stuttering pause. Limit yourself to 1 'impact' word per talk/statement.
17. Power Active. Avoid passive voice.
W.H.A.B(Overuse of the passive)
Were
Have, had
Are,is
Be, been
18. Power Dollar. "4 Ds"
Defiance: You're doing a favor for listeners. Be cocky.
Design: Paint a picture that you really care about.
Donation: Double It, Specify
Duel:After you ask, keep your mouth shut."never try to ask by letter, to go yourself is far better."
19. Power Button. "1 Per Speech"
Only to spotlight a zinger line that you want to leave a burning hole in your listeners' ears.
20. Power Closer. "Crisp Closers-Electric Endings"
Strong ending appeal to emotions.
Look at closing style of Reagan and Churchill.
21. Power Audacity. "Dare to Be Different"
Surprise your audience by demonstrating unexpected. Make moves that live in the memories of their listeners. "Can't gain podium power by doing the predicable and prosaic."
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