How to Apologise for Killing a Cat: Rhetoric and the Art of Persuasion

by Guy Doza

‘Most books on persuasion teach the few how to sway the many. With wit and vim, Guy has given us something an X-ray into the tactics of those trying to change our minds and behaviour.’ - Stephen Krupin, former speechwriter for Barack Obama When Winston Churchill spoke in Parliament, he convinced an empire to go to war. When Martin Luther King spoke in Washington, he convinced millions to open their hearts to change. When Oprah Winfrey ‘Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do,’ she also used rhetoric. As we have here, by deploying the rule of three to stress a point. Rhetoric - the art of persuasive speaking and writing – often gets a bad rap. In this dazzling, fast-paced guide, speechwriter Guy Doza rescues rhetoric from the shadows and showcases its immense power to change lives, for good and bad. Highlighting punchy sayings from Ancient Rome to modern marketing, he shows how leaders, businesses and even our own friends use rhetorical techniques every day to make convincing arguments. What’s more, this guide to rhetoric will show you how to learn to use this persuasive language in your own How to convince an investor to back your venture What to say to a potential lover in a bar And, the six rules of apology you should use if you ever accidentally run over the next-door neighbour’s cat... How to Apologise for Killing a Cat is a quick read, humorous and highly practicable. It decodes the tricks and techniques of rhetoric for everyday readers. It's the only book you need to make a convincing marketing pitch. It's the only book you need to give a rousing speech. It's the only book you need to write persuasively. It's the best book to explain the technique we've just used here. After reading this book, you will start to see the trick of rhetoric used everywhere. After reading this book, you will never see the world the same way again! About the author Guy Doza is a speechwriter and trainer. He has a Master’s degree in Rhetoric from the University of London and uses rhetoric in the speeches he writes for senior politicians and business leaders. He trains government speechwriters in logic and rhetoric. Introduction Have you ever had that unpleasant anxiety of taking your car to the mechanic and feeling like you’re being swindled? Most of you will probably know exactly what I am talking about. We don’t know how cars work, we don’t know what the parts are called and we don’t know how to fix them ourselves. This lack of knowledge makes us vulnerable and susceptible to exploitation, and we know it. So does the mechanic. Now, most mechanics are honest individuals, not rogues, but can we say the same of people who run countries and big companies? When it comes to ordinary life away from the car engine or central heating boiler, most of us don’t even realise just how vulnerable we are. People can use persuasive language to swindle us, cheat us, and exploit us to the hilt. And the worst part is that we are not even aware that it is happening. Welcome to rhetoric, the art of persuasion. Rhetoric is a superpower. It can alter the way we think, the way we behave and sometimes even the way we live our lives. And its most explosive charge lies in its subtlety. We need to be aware of how such persuasive language is used, not only so that we can be more persuasive ourselves, but  defend ourselves against the rhetorical advances of those who would seek to exploit us. A Dark Art? For too long, rhetoric has been a dark and ancient art confined to the secretive circles of politics and academia. This mystery and misunderstanding has often led to the public to consider it to be the tool of crooks, spin doctors and villains. But no more! The time has come to bring rhetoric out of the darkness and show it for what it  a mighty linguistic tool. Whether it is a conversation between friends in a café, a pathetic attempt to flirt at a bar, or a meaningful conversation with a world renowned philosopher, rhetoric is...

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing

253 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2022

Reviews

[Becky D'ugo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guy Doza explores all the aspects of rhetoric in this informative yet entertaining book. I’ve had many a shocked look directed at me whenever I read the book during my commute, due to its rather shocking title. I even had a visitor at home stop in her tracks when she saw the book on my coffee table. “Oh no! Why?” was all she could muster. while probably wondering if she had entered the home of a moggy-murderer. I immediately clarified. “It’s a book about speech-writing. If you can successfully apologise for having killed a cat, then you have mastered the art of oration.” Her relief was palpable.

I enjoyed the way Doza tackled what could have been a dry subject, with his constant injections of humour, whimsy and wit. I particularly liked his references to famous speeches and his clear analysis of the rhetorical tools used therein, which contributed to their success. Armed with a veritable arsenal of rhetorical weapons, I now find myself recognizing these techniques even when applied in everyday life.

I recommend this book to anyone, for Guy Doza’s eye-opening and entertaining content. You may not even be interested in writing a speech, but the art of persuasion is ubiquitous, and the power of recognition is very useful indeed.

I read, I saw, I concurred.

[Luke Co · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book it’s a lot of fun. His humor blends through the pages. I would recommend to: read it , read it, read it.

[Romy Denton Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 but wasn’t really feeling like rounding it up

[Pablo F. Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, I truly recommend it. Insightful, interesting and engaging. The book will help you understand the intricates of rethoric and it’s got plenty of examples to fully understand the concepts. A must read for those interested in public speaking, speech writing and curious about how to apologise if you happen to kill a cat. Thank you Guy for sharing your wisdom!

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Apologise for Killing a Cat (HTAFKAC) is presented as a manual in how to apply rhetoric - the art of persuasive speaking and writing. As such, it certainly fulfills this goal, but does it in a way that is immersive and, dare I say it, page-turning?

I approached the book having taken a keen interest in rational thinking, philosophy and ethics. I was also keen to see if the suspicions I had about the way great speakers put across their messaging actually had a ‘lore’ behind it. Turns out it does!

In Guy Doza’s absorbing book we are very quickly introduced to the ‘Three Musketeers’ of Logos, Ethos and Pathos’ — all important foundation blocks to any study of rhetoric. From there, we move on to devices that speakers have used to lift what could otherwise be a monotonous, drab, boring speech into something that is memorable (I used one of Doza’s devices there – tricolon, apparently). To know that there are actually words (Latin words, usually) that describe these arcane practices was extremely illuminating.
Further on, the cloak is pulled away to reveal further tricks of the t(i)rade and a brief visitation of logical fallacies that are often employed.

Throughout all of these, the examples chosen give us that ‘ah’ moment when we realise how famous speeches have been carefully planned to persuade, bamboozle or inspire their audiences. The examples are numerous and varied; Churchill, Tony Blair, George Bush, Oprah Winfrey, Martin Luther King, Donald Trump, Margaret Thatcher, Hitler and Gandalf! In each case, Doza contrasts situations where rhetoric has been used for fair means and foul — together with those that might fall into the ‘grey area’ of ethics. This is quite a difficult line to tread, especially when quoting the likes of Hitler and Nigel Farage (you see how I have put those names together and already suggested there is a connection without saying so? Written rhetoric in action?)
But the fields of usage aren’t limited to the political world. Doza looks at how rhetoric can be used in the workplace, on dating sites and down at the pub. Who would have known?

This is a great book. One of those self-help volumes that is both immensely readable and extremely informative. It says a lot that I started taking notes on it for future reference. I myself have dipped into campaigning for a local political party, and will certainly be employing some of these previously esoteric practices in the future. Those who also read the book will no doubt expose these tricks as I do so!

[Jackspear217 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do przeczytania tej książki zachęcił mnie tytuł, przypominający powieść Doroty Masłowskiej Kochanie, zabiłam nasze koty. Publikacja Guy’a Dozy nie jest tym samym, ale magia słów i obietnica treści skutecznie przykuły moją uwagę.

Jakie mam wrażenia z lektury? Pozytywne, choć bez zachwytu. To krótki poradnik, pokazujący, jak rozpoznawać i demaskować techniki manipulacji wpływające na nasze decyzje. Autor ujawnia mechanizmy stosowane m.in. przez polityków i specjalistów od komunikacji, a znajomość tych chwytów pozwala zachować dystans i odporność.

Książka jednak bywa wymagająca. Nagromadzenie greckich i łacińskich nazw technik może męczyć i utrudniać zapamiętanie, choć ułatwia to słowniczek zamieszczony na końcu. Ten mankament nie przekreśla wartości całości – można do niej wracać wielokrotnie.

Poradnik otwiera oczy, uczy świadomego reagowania i przestrzega, że tę wiedzę można wykorzystać także w nie najlepszych celach. To przyjemna, przydatna lektura, szczególnie w epoce fake newsów i manipulacji. Można przeczytać.

Za egzemplarz dziękuję @wielkalitera