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The Elements of Rhetoric -- How to Write and Speak Clearly and Persuasively: A Guide for Students, Teachers, Politicians & Preachers
---The essential guide to persuasive writing and speaking, in the tradition of Strunk and White's The Elements of Style . The Elements of Rhetoric offers a concise, comprehensive course in the rules for making your point stick. With copious examples from such masters of language as Cicero, Augustine, Shakespeare, Erasmus, Lincoln, Dickens, Newman, Chesterton,and Lewis, you will discover the 26 rules of persuasion and learn to apply them. Among the Elements you'll --The three modes of persuasion --How to structure an academic essay --How to spot and avoid logical fallacies --How to compose with literary figures --Practical tips for improving speed in composition --A Study Guide with exercises
118 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 14, 2016
387 people are currently reading
455 people want to read
About the author
Ryan N.S. Topping
11 books10 followersDr. Topping earned an MA in Philosophy from the University of Manitoba as well as an M.Phil. and a Doctorate in Theology from the University of Oxford. He held the Pope John XXIII Chair of Studies in Catholic Theology at St. Thomas University in Canada, and is Fellow at Thomas More College of the Liberal Arts in New Hampshire.
Dr. Topping has published on a variety of Catholic themes and figures, from St. Augustine, to Dante, to G.K. Chesterton in academic and popular journals such as International Philosophical Quarterly, First Things, Crisis Magazine, and Catholic Exchange. A popular conference speaker, he has presented widely on Catholic radio and TV networks including EWTN.
Besides home-schooling their seven children, he and his wife have been teaching Natural Family Planning for a decade. They reside in Nashua, New Hampshire.
Dr. Topping has published on a variety of Catholic themes and figures, from St. Augustine, to Dante, to G.K. Chesterton in academic and popular journals such as International Philosophical Quarterly, First Things, Crisis Magazine, and Catholic Exchange. A popular conference speaker, he has presented widely on Catholic radio and TV networks including EWTN.
Besides home-schooling their seven children, he and his wife have been teaching Natural Family Planning for a decade. They reside in Nashua, New Hampshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 13, 2024
Basic. Short. Good. Not quite as scintillating as I hoped. I'd give this to a high schooler or underclassman in college with no hesitation.
January 25, 2024
I read this book to better my efforts in teaching the Bible publicly. It has fantastic helps from content to delivery to your own character--all with the purpose of being clear. "The goal of learning rhetoric is not better to serve yourself, but to train yourself better to serve others." (p84)
May 30, 2025
A fabulous, concise guide. The end of the book wasn't as valuable as the first 80%, but that did not decrease the value of this tidy volume one bit.
2025 update: Still concise. Still fabulous. The best stuff is still front-loaded.
2025 update: Still concise. Still fabulous. The best stuff is still front-loaded.
November 22, 2020
A very meh book. Nothing special, and if it wasn't required for a class it probably would've been a one star.
January 17, 2024
Well, well, well. Look who finished a book!
I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this book, as I believe I saw it listed on a tweet as, “10 books you must read.” So here I am.
I am in no position to be an orator, but this book does demonstrate how one should prepare for a speech, lecture, or sermon. The best part of this book was the examples pulled to demonstrate proper works of writing and different tools/techniques on not bore your audience.
I learned a lot of words and freshened up some of grammar. All in all, I found it insightful. Cheers !
I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this book, as I believe I saw it listed on a tweet as, “10 books you must read.” So here I am.
I am in no position to be an orator, but this book does demonstrate how one should prepare for a speech, lecture, or sermon. The best part of this book was the examples pulled to demonstrate proper works of writing and different tools/techniques on not bore your audience.
I learned a lot of words and freshened up some of grammar. All in all, I found it insightful. Cheers !
January 21, 2024
Three and a half stars. A delight to read. Simple and clear. Humorous to boot. Did not magically transform me into an engaging and persuasive writer, however.
Another book in this vein that I would recommend is "Sin Boldly," by David R. Williams. I read that book many years ago and hope it's as good as I remember.
Another book in this vein that I would recommend is "Sin Boldly," by David R. Williams. I read that book many years ago and hope it's as good as I remember.
January 10, 2020
Lots of practical advice for rhetoric. His discussion on how an audience thinks collectively was helpful.
October 30, 2016
my first book on Rhetoric. I should have bought physical edition, instead of Kindle edition
January 2, 2024
Book #1 of 2024! Overall, this book is a great reference for speech/essay writing; will need to keep this on my bookshelf. It’s a brief review of the keys to success in this area and would probably be a great companion text for a college English 101 course. Many great sections but the below are the best.
- The three acts refer to the three kinds of mental activity: understanding, judging, and reasoning. P9.
- Pathos refers to the emotional quality of your presentation. One definition of public speaking is simply: “energetic speech”. Your task is, therefore, twofold. You must grasp what emotions naturally correspond to your message. Then you must communicate these convincingly to your audience. P19. PJK: I really like the term energetic speech; epitomizes what a public speaker should do.
- During the 1960s city planners wrongly assumed that poor people would prefer to live in a large building surrounded by a common green rather than a small flat with their own garden… The projects were a disaster because the size of the buildings failed to match the normal feelings that one's home is meant to evoke: a sense of privacy, ownership, and intimacy. P20. PJK: Didn’t expect to get this nugget from an English book, but it’s great insight into why “the projects” failed.
- Ever wondered why it is possible for a young man to be a brilliant mathematician, as was Sir Isaac Newton, that only old men can be good historians and statesman, as was Winston Churchill? Once the terms are defined their essences can be completely grasped. History and statecraft, by contrast, depend upon particulars. Only experience delivers that... A commander, on the other hand, must follow, at least sometimes, his best guess. P34. PJK: Great vision into what makes a good statesman. Hard to have the depth of experience necessary to handle international politics when one is young.
- Whatever your close friends might know, everyone else will judge you first by how you appear. P35. PJK: Fact.
- There are three basic types of bodily motion: change of position; Change of motion; Change of velocity. P38.
- Open with a hook. The purpose of the introduction is to convince your reader or listener to keep going. If you fail at this, you succeed at nothing... The hook grabs attention. It identifies the value of your topic. P53.
- Lastly, the sinker. Having gained the ear of your reader or audience, say how long you wish to keep it. P57. PJK: I need to include this in future speeches.
- The body of your paper is whole divided by logical parts… It is the body of the essay that you offer your evidence, your examples, your illustrations…; Transitions mark each part. P59.
- There is one rule, however, which remains: you must never bore… Vary your speech. The plague of boredom, observed Erasmus, can be avoided by someone “who has it at his fingertips to turn one idea into more shapes than proteus himself is supposed to have turned into.” P72.
- The three acts refer to the three kinds of mental activity: understanding, judging, and reasoning. P9.
- Pathos refers to the emotional quality of your presentation. One definition of public speaking is simply: “energetic speech”. Your task is, therefore, twofold. You must grasp what emotions naturally correspond to your message. Then you must communicate these convincingly to your audience. P19. PJK: I really like the term energetic speech; epitomizes what a public speaker should do.
- During the 1960s city planners wrongly assumed that poor people would prefer to live in a large building surrounded by a common green rather than a small flat with their own garden… The projects were a disaster because the size of the buildings failed to match the normal feelings that one's home is meant to evoke: a sense of privacy, ownership, and intimacy. P20. PJK: Didn’t expect to get this nugget from an English book, but it’s great insight into why “the projects” failed.
- Ever wondered why it is possible for a young man to be a brilliant mathematician, as was Sir Isaac Newton, that only old men can be good historians and statesman, as was Winston Churchill? Once the terms are defined their essences can be completely grasped. History and statecraft, by contrast, depend upon particulars. Only experience delivers that... A commander, on the other hand, must follow, at least sometimes, his best guess. P34. PJK: Great vision into what makes a good statesman. Hard to have the depth of experience necessary to handle international politics when one is young.
- Whatever your close friends might know, everyone else will judge you first by how you appear. P35. PJK: Fact.
- There are three basic types of bodily motion: change of position; Change of motion; Change of velocity. P38.
- Open with a hook. The purpose of the introduction is to convince your reader or listener to keep going. If you fail at this, you succeed at nothing... The hook grabs attention. It identifies the value of your topic. P53.
- Lastly, the sinker. Having gained the ear of your reader or audience, say how long you wish to keep it. P57. PJK: I need to include this in future speeches.
- The body of your paper is whole divided by logical parts… It is the body of the essay that you offer your evidence, your examples, your illustrations…; Transitions mark each part. P59.
- There is one rule, however, which remains: you must never bore… Vary your speech. The plague of boredom, observed Erasmus, can be avoided by someone “who has it at his fingertips to turn one idea into more shapes than proteus himself is supposed to have turned into.” P72.
March 23, 2025
Crisp, concise and complete; what else to expect from a very manual on how to communicate to influence? As a guide on writing, speaking and thinking this is as good as it gets; it's right up there with the classics: The Elements of Style and On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction and for biomedical science writing; Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers.
"The three acts refer to the three kinds of mental activity: understanding, judging, and reasoning. Each act works upon a different kind of object: terms, propositions, and syllogisms, respectively. Thinking upon those objects yields, in each case, one of two outcomes. Thus: a term can be either known or unknown; a proposition may either be true or false; a syllogism, valid or invalid."
"Like the correct use of logos, pathos will help make your words convince. Order your emotions. Appeal to head and heart. Be vivid. Prefer the concrete."
"You begin from the ends, that is to say, from your purposes, and then work backwards. Three immediate ends are possible. You will wish either to teach, to please, or to move. In other words, your aim will be to inform, to give delight, or to incite action. Of these three aims teaching is the most important. If your hearer cannot understand what you intend to communicate, they cannot even disagree, let alone act upon what you suggest. To teach is to make clear what was obscure; it is the bottom rung of the ladder every speaker must scale. Rational argumentation (e.g., clear thesis, structure, definitions, etc.) comes first."
"Say it, illustrate it, argue it, say it again. It was an old habit already observed and recommended by Aristotle.11 Once you notice the pattern, you’ll come to see how consistently good communicators follow this template. Here’s an acronym: CERC —claim, example, reason, claim."
"The conclusion fulfills the promise you made at the introduction. Often, though not always, it should be your last paragraph. Here is your final opportunity to impress your reader (or listener). What to include? The classical handbook Rhetorica ad Herennium (ca. 90 BC), suggests this template: “Conclusions . . . are tripartite, consisting of the summing-up, amplification, and appeal to pity.”16 We can expand on each of these parts. Depending upon your purpose, you might include from among the following: (1) a summary: restate your thesis, enumerate your leading reasons; (2) an amplification: draw an implication, drop a hook for what’s ahead; (3) an appeal: say what you want your audience to do, warn them what will happen if they do not, set forth an example of a person who did follow your advice. Once you have delivered what you promised, stop writing."
"The three acts refer to the three kinds of mental activity: understanding, judging, and reasoning. Each act works upon a different kind of object: terms, propositions, and syllogisms, respectively. Thinking upon those objects yields, in each case, one of two outcomes. Thus: a term can be either known or unknown; a proposition may either be true or false; a syllogism, valid or invalid."
"Like the correct use of logos, pathos will help make your words convince. Order your emotions. Appeal to head and heart. Be vivid. Prefer the concrete."
"You begin from the ends, that is to say, from your purposes, and then work backwards. Three immediate ends are possible. You will wish either to teach, to please, or to move. In other words, your aim will be to inform, to give delight, or to incite action. Of these three aims teaching is the most important. If your hearer cannot understand what you intend to communicate, they cannot even disagree, let alone act upon what you suggest. To teach is to make clear what was obscure; it is the bottom rung of the ladder every speaker must scale. Rational argumentation (e.g., clear thesis, structure, definitions, etc.) comes first."
"Say it, illustrate it, argue it, say it again. It was an old habit already observed and recommended by Aristotle.11 Once you notice the pattern, you’ll come to see how consistently good communicators follow this template. Here’s an acronym: CERC —claim, example, reason, claim."
"The conclusion fulfills the promise you made at the introduction. Often, though not always, it should be your last paragraph. Here is your final opportunity to impress your reader (or listener). What to include? The classical handbook Rhetorica ad Herennium (ca. 90 BC), suggests this template: “Conclusions . . . are tripartite, consisting of the summing-up, amplification, and appeal to pity.”16 We can expand on each of these parts. Depending upon your purpose, you might include from among the following: (1) a summary: restate your thesis, enumerate your leading reasons; (2) an amplification: draw an implication, drop a hook for what’s ahead; (3) an appeal: say what you want your audience to do, warn them what will happen if they do not, set forth an example of a person who did follow your advice. Once you have delivered what you promised, stop writing."
August 17, 2022
I'm a preacher and I found this book helpful as I think about writing persuasive, clear, and simple sermons.
There is much to commend in this book.
- Pathos - prior to every talk - what are the emotions I ought to feel?
- Specificity - "every word should sparkle."
- Leading in public prayer, "Nowhere is dull language more damaging than in public prayer."
-Body language can work for/against us as we speak.
-Importance of introductions - don't aim most of all at creativity. "Open with a fact, ask a question, tell a story, or state the value of your topic directly; then move on"
- Importance of a clear/simple thesis: "If you cannot reduce your thesis to a single statement, your essay or your speech is probably not worth making: it likely won't be understood; it certainly won't be remembered."
I think most of us (myself included) are not naturally skilled in speaking/writing clearly and persuasively. This book is more of the science on how you can work on that.
I'm sure I'll be returning to this book again and again. I wish I would've read it years ago.
There is much to commend in this book.
- Pathos - prior to every talk - what are the emotions I ought to feel?
- Specificity - "every word should sparkle."
- Leading in public prayer, "Nowhere is dull language more damaging than in public prayer."
-Body language can work for/against us as we speak.
-Importance of introductions - don't aim most of all at creativity. "Open with a fact, ask a question, tell a story, or state the value of your topic directly; then move on"
- Importance of a clear/simple thesis: "If you cannot reduce your thesis to a single statement, your essay or your speech is probably not worth making: it likely won't be understood; it certainly won't be remembered."
I think most of us (myself included) are not naturally skilled in speaking/writing clearly and persuasively. This book is more of the science on how you can work on that.
I'm sure I'll be returning to this book again and again. I wish I would've read it years ago.
November 12, 2024
This was a great, quick read. While I’ve stumbled upon some of the points and principles through trial-and-error or intuitive luck, I must commend the author for his masterful work. He presents a structured guide to rhetoric that is easy to digest. Along the way, he gives plenty of textual examples of what he’s trying to communicate. Seeing this guide laid out in a format that is actionable really helps those of us who must incorporate rhetoric into their work.
I wanted to read this book to help prepare me to tackle my upcoming dissertation defense. It was very helpful and I will use it as a reference guide as I craft my defense presentation. I look forward to working through the brief study guide attached as an appendix to this book in hopes the practice will internalize the points the author was making. Eventually, I hope to read Mortimer Adler’s “How to Speak, How to Listen” as I think it will expand upon the concepts in this book in a new and comprehensive light. Still, this reference guide should remain in the desk of anyone who wishes to be intellectually active.
I wanted to read this book to help prepare me to tackle my upcoming dissertation defense. It was very helpful and I will use it as a reference guide as I craft my defense presentation. I look forward to working through the brief study guide attached as an appendix to this book in hopes the practice will internalize the points the author was making. Eventually, I hope to read Mortimer Adler’s “How to Speak, How to Listen” as I think it will expand upon the concepts in this book in a new and comprehensive light. Still, this reference guide should remain in the desk of anyone who wishes to be intellectually active.
October 18, 2025
Save time, read Corbett
Read this immediately following Corbett's 1965 edition of "Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student". That was probably unfair to Topping.
This is a book for modern students, raised on ignorance, tempered by grievance, impatiently waiting for their entitlement. It skims core rhetorical topics like logic (I think there was only one example of syllogism) and lingers on a handful of figures of speech. It's a quick read, sketches the highlights, will probably help pass an exam, and can quickly be forgotten. Perfect for modern students.
All in all, this doesn't feel like a serious effort from an established academic.
For anyone who really wants to make a serious study, but doesn't have the time or inclination to start with Aristotle and work their way up. Just read Corbett.
Read this immediately following Corbett's 1965 edition of "Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student". That was probably unfair to Topping.
This is a book for modern students, raised on ignorance, tempered by grievance, impatiently waiting for their entitlement. It skims core rhetorical topics like logic (I think there was only one example of syllogism) and lingers on a handful of figures of speech. It's a quick read, sketches the highlights, will probably help pass an exam, and can quickly be forgotten. Perfect for modern students.
All in all, this doesn't feel like a serious effort from an established academic.
For anyone who really wants to make a serious study, but doesn't have the time or inclination to start with Aristotle and work their way up. Just read Corbett.
September 26, 2017
Pequeño gran libro dedicado a explicar las maneras correctas de expresarse (sustentadas en razón, lógica y uso del lenguaje). Obras como esta y similares, ampliamente disponibles, son en extremo necesarias en estos tiempos de muchos canales de comunicación y demasiados contenidos de extrema baja calidad.
Contiene un útil resumen organizado de conceptos, consejos y sugerencias, que son de aplicación productiva en el buen escribir y el buen hablar, cuando se trata de llevar ideas claras de la cabeza de uno a las cabezas del resto.
En fin, una obra recomendable sobre un tema obligatorio, que debería ser parte de todo programa educativo.
Contiene un útil resumen organizado de conceptos, consejos y sugerencias, que son de aplicación productiva en el buen escribir y el buen hablar, cuando se trata de llevar ideas claras de la cabeza de uno a las cabezas del resto.
En fin, una obra recomendable sobre un tema obligatorio, que debería ser parte de todo programa educativo.
September 25, 2020
This is a decent introduction to a variety of facets of classical rhetoric. Given my reading and study in the genre, I found it rather basic and not as rigorous as I may have hoped for. But for people unfamiliar with classic rhetoric or those looking for a quick refresher, it could fill that need easily enough. I did really appreciate Topping's last chapter on different ways to adjust to the physical audience quite useful, and it was probably the highlight of the book for me.
Rating: 3.5 Stars (Good).
Rating: 3.5 Stars (Good).
March 24, 2025
A book in which the writer practices what he preaches. Topping walks through rational speech, proportionate emotion in speech, and the needed character for a persuasive speaker (logos, pathos, ethos) with clarity and brevity before he closes with practical application of form, application, and execution of rhetoric. There is much fruit to glean from this book, but I was most helped by his exhortation to carefully prepare and review what I plan to say. Mastery and “off the cuff” skill only look off the cuff. They come from deep and long practice of the elements he describes.
February 19, 2021
Learned a great deal!
Good lessons, reading this book felt like I took the online class! I was looking to improve my writing style and this book provides good examples and instruction on writing to articulate a clear position which is exactly my purpose. Author's writing voice was enjoyable as well, I felt like he was teaching me w/ a non-American accent & I loved that for some reason lol.
Good lessons, reading this book felt like I took the online class! I was looking to improve my writing style and this book provides good examples and instruction on writing to articulate a clear position which is exactly my purpose. Author's writing voice was enjoyable as well, I felt like he was teaching me w/ a non-American accent & I loved that for some reason lol.
August 20, 2021
I found this book to be accessible and educational, not only in rhetoric but also in classical and traditional wisdom. At times the author's digressions veer far off course, but most of the time he illustrates well (with examples and as an example) the power of effective communication. I thoroughly enjoyed this little book.
August 11, 2017
Great book and resource. I'm putting this on my bookshelf next to Strunk And White's Elements of Style. Additionally, I'll be using it for some courses I teach in professional and technical communication.
March 28, 2018
Great overall summary of the principles of rhetoric. The strengths of this work are its conciseness and accessibility. Exercises corresponding to each rule are provided at the end of the book to unite theory with practice.
August 1, 2019
Two and a half stars
I had a really hard time following his train of thought - felt like it skipped around and tried to cover too much. Definitely some great ideas, but they were buried under everything else.
I had a really hard time following his train of thought - felt like it skipped around and tried to cover too much. Definitely some great ideas, but they were buried under everything else.
October 7, 2019
Helpful. Short. Clear. Beneficial.
Not everything is going to be profound, but overall, things seemed to be quite useful to think through. Especially what you do with every part of your body while speaking. Excellent self-examination tool.
Not everything is going to be profound, but overall, things seemed to be quite useful to think through. Especially what you do with every part of your body while speaking. Excellent self-examination tool.
March 12, 2020
Published in 2016. Just over 100 pages of wisdom on thinking, speaking, and writing with clarity. A superb book covering fundamentals of logic, grammar, how to recognize and avoid logical fallacies, counsel re proportion, the wisdom of studying the classics, and so much more.
September 1, 2020
Useful
Good explanations of many parts of writing and speaking that are woefully not taught in school. I wish more emphasis had been placed on good communication skills, kills sadly lacking today.
Good explanations of many parts of writing and speaking that are woefully not taught in school. I wish more emphasis had been placed on good communication skills, kills sadly lacking today.
October 8, 2021
Decenter basic-level introduction to rhetoric that thrives on clearly-punctuated content mixed with a healthy dose of example material. It could have gone deeper in nearly every detail. However, there is enough here to get started.
March 31, 2025
Great book for me to learn English deeply as second lanuguage
I love all those techniques, and it makes learning a language so interesting . It will definitely help me be better writers and readers
I love all those techniques, and it makes learning a language so interesting . It will definitely help me be better writers and readers
December 21, 2017
Terse and Effective
Who would dare disdain this little rhetoric knowing that his critique would be subject to the canons described in it?
Who would dare disdain this little rhetoric knowing that his critique would be subject to the canons described in it?
April 3, 2019
Concise and actionable advise for public speaking and writing. Easy to digest and a quick read.
November 24, 2020
An engaging and amusing read. Eminently practical. The dynamics of Logos/Pathos/Ethos which the book covers are intriguing ajd will serve me well for years to come.
April 21, 2021
A straight forward and brief canter through dealing with writing and performing a speech
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews