Complete Speaker's and Toastmaster's Library: Speech Openers and Closers/Human Interest Stories/Remarks of Famous People/Definitions and Toasts

by Jacob M. Braude, Glen Van Ekeren

Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

Genres: Reference, Business

1008 pages, Hardcover

First published November 28, 1965

Reviews

[Skjam! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Public speaking is a valuable skill. You may be called upon to say a few words at a friend’s or relative’s wedding. You might have to give a presentation at work. You might even aspire to doing Youtube videos. But it’s also a skill many of us use infrequently at best. It can be difficult to even determine how to start, let alone compose the rest of the speech.

One of the quick methods of starting a speech off right is using a joke, anecdote, quote or proverb to get the audience in the mood for the remainder of your speech. And it was to help out the speaker who doesn’t have an instant recall of vast pools of quotes and stories that Mr. Braude compiled this library back in 1965.

“The trouble with being punctual is that there’s nobody there to appreciate it.”

It’s a boxed set of eight slim volumes.

Proverbs, Epigrams, Aphorisms, Sayings and Bon Mots
Speech Openers and Closers
Remarks of Famous People
Origins and Firsts
Rhyme and Verse–To Help Make a Point
Definitions and Toasts
Business and Professional Pointmakers
Human Interest Stories
Within each volume, the items are sorted by category, such as “Ingenuity” or “Happiness.”

The good: It really is helpful to have at hand a quickly searchable database of bits to shore up your speeches. The quality is overall high, and quite a few can just be used on their own to wow your friends.

The less good: Judge Braude first put out a book of quotes and aphorisms in 1955, after a quarter-century on the Illinois State bench. As a result, his material is now badly dated. A good quarter of the material involves ethnic- or gender-based humor that is in dubious taste in modern times, or people who were famous in the mid-20th Century but will be unknown to younger audiences. The aspiring speaker will need to comb through carefully and avoid using the less palatable jests.

Different editions of Mr. Braude’s books were issued until the early 1990s, so the frugal shopper should be able to find one inexpensively, but the 1965 eight-volume edition with slipcase would look exceptionally nice on your bookshelf. Recommended to Toastmasters and aspiring public speakers.

[Ligia Bonetti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Braude’s Complete Speaker’s and Toastmaster’s Library endures as a toolbox for effective, engaging, and confident public speaking. Its message is that eloquence doesn’t always come from inventing something new; it often comes from knowing how to use the right story, phrase, or touch of humor at the right moment. The book positions the successful speaker not as the one who talks the longest, but as the one who connects best with the audience. I bought this book Dec 6, 1984.

[Dawn Boyer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just found this set on my bookshelves that has been around at least 30 years (purchased by my grandfather). Hate to say it, but most of the quotes are male-centric, and are really quite depressing, bending towards negative versus positive!