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Words Like Loaded Pistols: The Power of Rhetoric from the Iron Age to the Information Age
“An entertaining history of great oratory” (New Yorker) and a primer to rhetoric’s key techniques Rhetoric gives our words the power to inspire. But it’s not just for it’s all around us, whether you’re buttering up a key client or persuading your children to eat their vegetables. You have been using rhetoric yourself, all your life. After all, you know what a rhetorical question is, don’t you? In Words Like Loaded Pistols, Sam Leith traces the art of argument from ancient Greece through the present day. He introduces verbal villains from Hitler to Donald Trump—and the three ethos, pathos, and logos. He explains how rhetoric works in speeches from Cicero to Zelensky and pays tribute to the rhetorical brilliance of AC/DC’s “Back in Black.” Before you know it, you’ll be confident in chiasmus and proud of your panegyrics—because rhetoric is useful, relevant, and crucial to understanding the world around us.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
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July 24, 2013
The author begins with historical framework. Plato hated rhetoric; it paled compared to the pursuits of philosophy. It was for manipulating the masses, and, by the way, he hated democracy, too. He saw it as mob rule, as when it condemned his hero Socrates. The author paints a quick picture of direct democracy in which cases were tried before a crowd (of citizens, of course--landed male heads of household). Aristotle, on the other hand, saw in rhetoric the royal road to what made people tick. That fits in well with the cognitive psychology I've been reading; rhetoric says what works, while today's psychology says how.
Rhetoric was an important area of learning in antiquity. It was reclaimed as a central topic of study in medieval times during the Scholastic period, 1100-1500, says Wikipedia. It remained central during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods. Thinkers in those eras were rediscovering the classics and refocusing from otherworldly concerns to this world. For that they needed technical skills such as rhetoric.
Rhetoric is the art of persuasion. It doesn't so much exist any longer as an independent discipline, having been divvied up between various fields--politics, psychology, literature, homiletics.... Maybe that's why, at first, I could start reading one night without any recall of what I read the night before. (My husband and I read this book out loud at dinner, appropriately enough.) On the other hand, the author had a penchant for tossing around Greek phrases and suchlike, sometimes without ready definitions, which also impacted the memory.
Getting into the meat of the issue, we have the five parts of rhetoric, from invention to delivery.
Now, under "invention" are the three lines of argument: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos. As you might guess Logos is the essence of argument, and is to sound logical but may not really be, and Pathos is the appeal to the emotions. Ethos, "the appeal from character," is the most interesting. Ethos--"who am I and what's my authority to speak." If the speaker comes across as alien when he's supposed to be one with his audience, he's had it.
I think I can use the memory palace, an elaborate mental memo board (categorized under Memory, the fourth part of rhetoric) when I'm writing. Even though I have Word and Google, etc., in longish pieces I get confused over where I'm going. With a memory palace I could easily try out various alternatives regarding organization.
And we've got the three branches of oratory. More terms, albeit not Greek. Deliberative, or legislative, oratory has the goal of encouraging or forestalling future events; includes sermons and opinion pieces of all kinds. Judicial, or forensic, oratory focuses on the past, seeking to establish "who done it" and decide on guilt or innocence. Epideictic oratory is the rhetoric of praise or blame, for instance, eulogy and wedding speeches, but also, I think, ad hominem stuff. It's not fully distinct from the other two branches.
The organization and what topics go under what headings can seem arbitrary.
The author's ethos was a little off. He's talking about what rhetoric has to offer but fluctuated between cynicism and commending it to the reader in flowery terms. Where does he really stand?
His exemplary rhetoricians could be cynical, too. Hitler, of course; he said the crowd had no will of its own once he whipped them up; but even Aristotle, for whom rhetoric incorporated the understanding of human nature; he thought that, since people responded to rhetorical devices, they were "base." Likewise, Churchill, after a powerful speech, is supposed to have said, "That got the sods, didn't it?" At least today's cognitive scientists don't write that way. They seem matter-of-fact about human nature. (Clinicians? Well, that's another story.)
He had a little decorum problem, decorum being the ability to fit one's presentation to the particular audience, as in, "Use the bait the fish likes, not the bait the speaker likes." For example, teasing his readers for not knowing a particularly esoteric acronym. And as I said just smacked a little bit of the bad boy, or wise-ass, approach, at times. Such as showing he could rhetorically put together anything that would sell. Not that I'm accusing him, but it just feels that way at times. He is British, so may not have read his American audience well enough.
Of the rhetorician examples, Hitler, Churchill, and Lincoln were best. The Times of London called the Gettysburg Address ludicrous. The Chicago Times said Lincoln's utterances were "silly, flat, and dishwatery." The time and attention lavished on Obama's speeches was excessive. Written about him after his victorious first election, all the analysis doesn't play the same now, as his vaunted speaking ability has become tarnished in my ears by Republican slanders, plus the continuous context of government stalemate. In print as in speeches, Kairos--timing--is everything.
I'm being critical, saying the author was hard to follow and was a little off his mark in several ways, but this book was a worthwhile read. We all hear complaints about the sheer amount of information one is exposed to today, and the "noise;" well, knowledge of rhetoric becomes a tool with which to help understand what we hear or read. Also, what I put into a book lifts my rating.
I liked the way rhetoric fit in with what I'm learning in other areas.
This book led me to think of a better example of rhetoric than the ones given, and that was Chapters 3 - 5 in Emancipation: How Liberating Europe's Jews from the Ghetto Led to Revolution and Renaissance. That author seemed almost to have been a fly on the wall as citizenship for Jews became a bone of contention over which the liberalizing and conservative forces fought for two years, as the tide flowed first one way and then the other. There's a great example of rhetoric!
Rhetoric was an important area of learning in antiquity. It was reclaimed as a central topic of study in medieval times during the Scholastic period, 1100-1500, says Wikipedia. It remained central during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods. Thinkers in those eras were rediscovering the classics and refocusing from otherworldly concerns to this world. For that they needed technical skills such as rhetoric.
Rhetoric is the art of persuasion. It doesn't so much exist any longer as an independent discipline, having been divvied up between various fields--politics, psychology, literature, homiletics.... Maybe that's why, at first, I could start reading one night without any recall of what I read the night before. (My husband and I read this book out loud at dinner, appropriately enough.) On the other hand, the author had a penchant for tossing around Greek phrases and suchlike, sometimes without ready definitions, which also impacted the memory.
Getting into the meat of the issue, we have the five parts of rhetoric, from invention to delivery.
Now, under "invention" are the three lines of argument: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos. As you might guess Logos is the essence of argument, and is to sound logical but may not really be, and Pathos is the appeal to the emotions. Ethos, "the appeal from character," is the most interesting. Ethos--"who am I and what's my authority to speak." If the speaker comes across as alien when he's supposed to be one with his audience, he's had it.
I think I can use the memory palace, an elaborate mental memo board (categorized under Memory, the fourth part of rhetoric) when I'm writing. Even though I have Word and Google, etc., in longish pieces I get confused over where I'm going. With a memory palace I could easily try out various alternatives regarding organization.
And we've got the three branches of oratory. More terms, albeit not Greek. Deliberative, or legislative, oratory has the goal of encouraging or forestalling future events; includes sermons and opinion pieces of all kinds. Judicial, or forensic, oratory focuses on the past, seeking to establish "who done it" and decide on guilt or innocence. Epideictic oratory is the rhetoric of praise or blame, for instance, eulogy and wedding speeches, but also, I think, ad hominem stuff. It's not fully distinct from the other two branches.
The organization and what topics go under what headings can seem arbitrary.
The author's ethos was a little off. He's talking about what rhetoric has to offer but fluctuated between cynicism and commending it to the reader in flowery terms. Where does he really stand?
His exemplary rhetoricians could be cynical, too. Hitler, of course; he said the crowd had no will of its own once he whipped them up; but even Aristotle, for whom rhetoric incorporated the understanding of human nature; he thought that, since people responded to rhetorical devices, they were "base." Likewise, Churchill, after a powerful speech, is supposed to have said, "That got the sods, didn't it?" At least today's cognitive scientists don't write that way. They seem matter-of-fact about human nature. (Clinicians? Well, that's another story.)
He had a little decorum problem, decorum being the ability to fit one's presentation to the particular audience, as in, "Use the bait the fish likes, not the bait the speaker likes." For example, teasing his readers for not knowing a particularly esoteric acronym. And as I said just smacked a little bit of the bad boy, or wise-ass, approach, at times. Such as showing he could rhetorically put together anything that would sell. Not that I'm accusing him, but it just feels that way at times. He is British, so may not have read his American audience well enough.
Of the rhetorician examples, Hitler, Churchill, and Lincoln were best. The Times of London called the Gettysburg Address ludicrous. The Chicago Times said Lincoln's utterances were "silly, flat, and dishwatery." The time and attention lavished on Obama's speeches was excessive. Written about him after his victorious first election, all the analysis doesn't play the same now, as his vaunted speaking ability has become tarnished in my ears by Republican slanders, plus the continuous context of government stalemate. In print as in speeches, Kairos--timing--is everything.
I'm being critical, saying the author was hard to follow and was a little off his mark in several ways, but this book was a worthwhile read. We all hear complaints about the sheer amount of information one is exposed to today, and the "noise;" well, knowledge of rhetoric becomes a tool with which to help understand what we hear or read. Also, what I put into a book lifts my rating.
I liked the way rhetoric fit in with what I'm learning in other areas.
This book led me to think of a better example of rhetoric than the ones given, and that was Chapters 3 - 5 in Emancipation: How Liberating Europe's Jews from the Ghetto Led to Revolution and Renaissance. That author seemed almost to have been a fly on the wall as citizenship for Jews became a bone of contention over which the liberalizing and conservative forces fought for two years, as the tide flowed first one way and then the other. There's a great example of rhetoric!
November 23, 2017
Mr. Leith makes rhetoric, basically the art of persuasion, practical and easy to understand for someone who didn’t give this topic that much thought. This book was not only the balance between discussion about rhetoric and mild humor, but the many examples referenced from film, literature, politics, history, and everyday life.
The layout of the book begins with the basics and overview of argument and rhetoric, which helped me understand the academic definition of this topic. Then Mr. Leith launches into specific devices or strategies and examples of rhetoric by giving scenarios and even “Champions of Rhetoric” to help the reader develop an understanding of how rhetoric has been used. The author references classic orators like Cicero, Plato and Aristotle, but takes many of the ideas about being persuasive and relates them for more modern orators like Martin Luther King Jr.. The diverse cast of examples used by the author is quite extensive, and there are examples from media, cartoons, advertisements, pop culture, film, editorials, etc..
Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama isn’t the first book on rhetoric I’ve read but it’s definitely one of the better ones. All the examples and Mr. Leith's writing style are what made this book so much more helpful to me. Would definitely recommend to those looking to understand rhetoric.
The layout of the book begins with the basics and overview of argument and rhetoric, which helped me understand the academic definition of this topic. Then Mr. Leith launches into specific devices or strategies and examples of rhetoric by giving scenarios and even “Champions of Rhetoric” to help the reader develop an understanding of how rhetoric has been used. The author references classic orators like Cicero, Plato and Aristotle, but takes many of the ideas about being persuasive and relates them for more modern orators like Martin Luther King Jr.. The diverse cast of examples used by the author is quite extensive, and there are examples from media, cartoons, advertisements, pop culture, film, editorials, etc..
Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama isn’t the first book on rhetoric I’ve read but it’s definitely one of the better ones. All the examples and Mr. Leith's writing style are what made this book so much more helpful to me. Would definitely recommend to those looking to understand rhetoric.
July 19, 2013
This book was a little too advanced for me. I can get only so much from studying the great speakers that the author used as examples. I did appreciate his explanation of the historical development of rhetoric, however. The stories of Plato and Aristotle were particularly helpful.
September 3, 2024
i'm sorry sam but i was forced to read this for a class and assigned readings automatically make me hate the book at least a little bit. i actually did like the book but then i realized how long it was and how little time i had left to read it and just skimmed the rest. i genuinely did enjoy the 25 ish percent of the book that i did actually read!! maybe one day i'll come back and give this book a reread but probably not! i don't typically read nonfiction but this book did a good job of not boring me by cracking the occasional joke while still being informative (sometimes it was overdone and i cringed but its better than me being uninterested)! i'll stick to my fiction books for now<3
update bc i dropped some incredible points while ranting about this book that truly came from the heart and i figured i could add which is that i feel like this book was very fun and informative but not necessarily informative regarding rhetoric just... yapping about stuff that was loosely traced back to somehow relate to rhetoric but honestly i found it unnecessary and a waste of my time i'd rather read bullet points than the same points repeated over and over again so the chapter reached a sizable word count. anyways some of it was really informative about RHETORIC which i appreciated, thanks sam!
update bc i dropped some incredible points while ranting about this book that truly came from the heart and i figured i could add which is that i feel like this book was very fun and informative but not necessarily informative regarding rhetoric just... yapping about stuff that was loosely traced back to somehow relate to rhetoric but honestly i found it unnecessary and a waste of my time i'd rather read bullet points than the same points repeated over and over again so the chapter reached a sizable word count. anyways some of it was really informative about RHETORIC which i appreciated, thanks sam!
July 19, 2018
Interesting read, but I do think it's more appropriate as a book just to read when you like rhetoric, not necessarily as a study book (which it was for me).
Read
March 9, 2020I doubt i would have picked this book up if it wasn't part of my syllabus, but i definitely enjoyed the new insight into rhetoric. However, it is more of an introduction to the basics of rhetoric and its tropes, rather than a guide on how to actually use rhetoric in practice. Although the humour got a little tedious near the end, Leith's tone and writing style was a refreshing change from the usual textbooks.
March 6, 2017
I know it is often said that “actions speak louder than words” but words, you know, do also carry some weight as well, as evidenced in “Words Like Loaded Pistols.” What I really liked about this book was not only the balance between discussion about rhetoric and mild humor, but the many examples referenced from film, literature, politics, history, and everyday life. The author references classic orators like Cicero, Plato and Aristotle, but takes many of the ideas about being persuasive and relates them to the modern world. The diverse cast of examples used by the author is quite extensive, and there are examples from media, cartoons, advertisements, pop culture, film, editorials, etc.
What Leith does is make rhetoric, basically the art of persuasion, practical and easy to understand. The layout of the book is such that it begins with the basics and overview of argument and rhetoric, and then launches into specific devices or strategies and examples.
This is a great book for anyone taking a composition or argument course, or anyone interested in the art of being persuasive. A very practical and useful resource and the author handles it with an energetic tone with clear models to help the reader understand.
Very useful!
What Leith does is make rhetoric, basically the art of persuasion, practical and easy to understand. The layout of the book is such that it begins with the basics and overview of argument and rhetoric, and then launches into specific devices or strategies and examples.
This is a great book for anyone taking a composition or argument course, or anyone interested in the art of being persuasive. A very practical and useful resource and the author handles it with an energetic tone with clear models to help the reader understand.
Very useful!
March 30, 2017
Quite a nice read, but I think I would have enjoyed it better if I didn't had to learn from it for uni (I do recommend it though).
Xx
Xx
September 13, 2014
I bought this for my high school student to read as an “after summer” refresher on persuasive essay writing. It really is perfect for this – it reviews rhetorical techniques and types of speeches/essays in a very entertaining way (though my student probably won't recognize the Yogi Bear/Jellystone Park references, and those to current British politics mostly went over my head as well). Leith provides numerous examples to illustrate the techniques he describes, and his style is conversational and humorous. He amply shows how rhetoric can be used to influence listeners/readers, both for good and for evil (chapters on aspects of rhetoric alternate with chapters on “Champions of Rhetoric,” in which the methods of famously and infamously effective orators are analyzed). He reviews the five canons of rhetoric, from invention through delivery (including a particularly interesting chapter on “Memory,” where he describes using a memory palace so well that I was actually able to remember the list of animals – a first for me!) His footnotes are sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, too. As Leith reminds his readers, Cicero said that the purpose of rhetoric “was to move, educate, and delight (movere, docere, delectare).” This book about rhetoric succeeded for me in all three of those goals!
October 14, 2012
When you load that pistol, what's the difference between a live round that hits the target and a dud that misses its mark?
Ultimately, I didn't leave with a clear answer to that question. By going over great speeches from history, the author illustrates rhetorical tricks. But there must be plenty of speeches using the various listed techniques that have nevertheless been instantly forgotten. Still, it was interesting to look at great examples, and more practical than some recent psychobabble books about persuasion.
The basics of persuasive argument (ethos, pathos, logos) remain constant across the centuries. This is important information from someone who is passionate about the topic. The book is useful and entertaining, but disappointing: not simple enough to give to beginners, nor profound enough for enthusiasts. It feels like a great idea that was rushed.
Ultimately, I didn't leave with a clear answer to that question. By going over great speeches from history, the author illustrates rhetorical tricks. But there must be plenty of speeches using the various listed techniques that have nevertheless been instantly forgotten. Still, it was interesting to look at great examples, and more practical than some recent psychobabble books about persuasion.
The basics of persuasive argument (ethos, pathos, logos) remain constant across the centuries. This is important information from someone who is passionate about the topic. The book is useful and entertaining, but disappointing: not simple enough to give to beginners, nor profound enough for enthusiasts. It feels like a great idea that was rushed.
March 9, 2016
Impressively unfunny. Rife with already outdated and overwrought pop-culture references, a borderline condescending tone of voice and annoying footnotes created just to make HILARIOUS* comments. The admittedly well-structured and interesting theoretical material collapses under the weight of misguided hipness.
*not actually hilarious, see?
*not actually hilarious, see?
October 7, 2020
Really insightful and full of great examples. Definitely a book I will be referencing in the future for essays/speeches.
March 11, 2018
"The best available analysis of what rhetoric is, and how it works."
Above can be found a large-print back-cover endorsement of this book by none other than Mr Boris Johnson. So there. Now we really know we're in for a corker, don't we?
"You Talkin' To Me?" is an engrossing look at a topic which really doesn't get looked at enough. Sam Leith details what rhetoric is and how to wield it in a manner that is informative, accessible, hilarious and, despite trotting back to Aristotle from time to time, current. We examine rhetoric through a linguistic lens via the handy glossary of Greek and Roman terminology; a historic lens, as Leith exalts its foremost proponents throughout time; a practical lens, as we are shown how it is highly relevant in today's world; and perhaps most importantly, a personal lens, and I would challenge any reader not to be happily swept along by Leith's contagious joy in what must be his favourite subject.
There was a time when rhetoric was a flourishing field of academic study, when every schoolboy would have to learn tracts of Cicero off by heart or probably get fed to the lions. Tragically, those days are gone (most tragically for the lions, I suppose), and most of us agree that rhetoric has almost sputtered out of the public consciousness - at least in its most obvious sense. That's not to say it isn't there. It's a shame that this book was written before the Trump Age, but in any case we are shown that the right words in the right order can make a hell of a difference even today. Leith's style is ideal for his content; in turns knowledgeable, witty and stirring, just as the best speeches should be. Almost all confusion about what could have been an extremely dense concept is neatly unpacked, aided by friendly footnotes and eccentric examples whenever anything gets a bit messy. Between the theory we are greeted with rhetorical biographies of those who have done it best - everyone from Lincoln to the anonymous speechwriters of modern leaders.
To say upon finishing this that rhetoric is stuffy and useless is impossible - the mere fact that you have read to the end proves the contrary. But beyond exhibiting the relevance of a fading art, Leith convinces us that there is an interesting aspect to rhetoric for everyone. We experience it daily without knowing it, and indeed, this book could change your outlook on a good deal of your life - you have heard of the rhetorical question, I presume? If you're still not convinced, consider this review.
I had a neat exordium at the beginning by cracking a joke and using "we" instead of "I", followed by my narration in the second paragraph; paragraph three was a division of sorts and paragraph four contained most of the proof ; you might notice a touch of refutation in the first sentence of the last paragraph; and right now we're in the middle of a peroration , aren't we? The terminology might be meaningless to you now, of course, but do something about that and read this book. In short, if you like English and history - if you like books in general - and if you want to know how the establishment has been lying to you so persuasively for centuries, and if you want to learn how to lie better than them - this book is a must-read.
Above can be found a large-print back-cover endorsement of this book by none other than Mr Boris Johnson. So there. Now we really know we're in for a corker, don't we?
"You Talkin' To Me?" is an engrossing look at a topic which really doesn't get looked at enough. Sam Leith details what rhetoric is and how to wield it in a manner that is informative, accessible, hilarious and, despite trotting back to Aristotle from time to time, current. We examine rhetoric through a linguistic lens via the handy glossary of Greek and Roman terminology; a historic lens, as Leith exalts its foremost proponents throughout time; a practical lens, as we are shown how it is highly relevant in today's world; and perhaps most importantly, a personal lens, and I would challenge any reader not to be happily swept along by Leith's contagious joy in what must be his favourite subject.
There was a time when rhetoric was a flourishing field of academic study, when every schoolboy would have to learn tracts of Cicero off by heart or probably get fed to the lions. Tragically, those days are gone (most tragically for the lions, I suppose), and most of us agree that rhetoric has almost sputtered out of the public consciousness - at least in its most obvious sense. That's not to say it isn't there. It's a shame that this book was written before the Trump Age, but in any case we are shown that the right words in the right order can make a hell of a difference even today. Leith's style is ideal for his content; in turns knowledgeable, witty and stirring, just as the best speeches should be. Almost all confusion about what could have been an extremely dense concept is neatly unpacked, aided by friendly footnotes and eccentric examples whenever anything gets a bit messy. Between the theory we are greeted with rhetorical biographies of those who have done it best - everyone from Lincoln to the anonymous speechwriters of modern leaders.
To say upon finishing this that rhetoric is stuffy and useless is impossible - the mere fact that you have read to the end proves the contrary. But beyond exhibiting the relevance of a fading art, Leith convinces us that there is an interesting aspect to rhetoric for everyone. We experience it daily without knowing it, and indeed, this book could change your outlook on a good deal of your life - you have heard of the rhetorical question, I presume? If you're still not convinced, consider this review.
I had a neat exordium at the beginning by cracking a joke and using "we" instead of "I", followed by my narration in the second paragraph; paragraph three was a division of sorts and paragraph four contained most of the proof ; you might notice a touch of refutation in the first sentence of the last paragraph; and right now we're in the middle of a peroration , aren't we? The terminology might be meaningless to you now, of course, but do something about that and read this book. In short, if you like English and history - if you like books in general - and if you want to know how the establishment has been lying to you so persuasively for centuries, and if you want to learn how to lie better than them - this book is a must-read.
November 25, 2012
Rhescuing Rhetoric
Rhetoric has become a dirty word these days. Especially during an election year, “empty rhetoric” gets tossed around a lot by both sides which, as the author points out, is a rhetorical tactic. But Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama by Sam Leith does an admirable job of extracting rhetoric from the trashcan, dusting it off and showing how it is the cornerstone of all good communication, from poetry to fiction and from conversation to, of course, public presentations.
He traces the evolution of classic rhetoric — its study and practice — from the early days of ancient Greece and Rome through the present day and along the way, uses fascinating examples to bring it to life, dissecting famous and not so famous speeches to illustrate all the various tricks and techniques that make an argument persuasive. And there is an unpronounceable term for practically every kind of rhetorical tactic imaginable and the glossary is packed with definitions of interesting techniques -- from anacoluthon to zeugma -- and will stay on my bookshelf as a consequence (occasionally I get to write speeches in my day job).
Along the way, he profiles some of the most well-known (Lincoln, Churchill) and lesser well-known (Cartman, from Southpark) rhetoricians. There’s a dark side, of course, when rhetoric is used to motivate the baser instincts of humans (e.g., Hitler), but his style and approach speak to the hopefulness of good intentions and expertise linked to skill in delivery.
All in all, it’s a fast, fun and free-flowing (though heavily laden with Brit humor and references) look at rhetoric, hopefully helping salvage a once proud name long-sullied by those who don’t even realize how easily they are moved by the art of persuasion.
Words matter, and we all should be reminded of that on a regular basis.
Rhetoric has become a dirty word these days. Especially during an election year, “empty rhetoric” gets tossed around a lot by both sides which, as the author points out, is a rhetorical tactic. But Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama by Sam Leith does an admirable job of extracting rhetoric from the trashcan, dusting it off and showing how it is the cornerstone of all good communication, from poetry to fiction and from conversation to, of course, public presentations.
He traces the evolution of classic rhetoric — its study and practice — from the early days of ancient Greece and Rome through the present day and along the way, uses fascinating examples to bring it to life, dissecting famous and not so famous speeches to illustrate all the various tricks and techniques that make an argument persuasive. And there is an unpronounceable term for practically every kind of rhetorical tactic imaginable and the glossary is packed with definitions of interesting techniques -- from anacoluthon to zeugma -- and will stay on my bookshelf as a consequence (occasionally I get to write speeches in my day job).
Along the way, he profiles some of the most well-known (Lincoln, Churchill) and lesser well-known (Cartman, from Southpark) rhetoricians. There’s a dark side, of course, when rhetoric is used to motivate the baser instincts of humans (e.g., Hitler), but his style and approach speak to the hopefulness of good intentions and expertise linked to skill in delivery.
All in all, it’s a fast, fun and free-flowing (though heavily laden with Brit humor and references) look at rhetoric, hopefully helping salvage a once proud name long-sullied by those who don’t even realize how easily they are moved by the art of persuasion.
Words matter, and we all should be reminded of that on a regular basis.
August 30, 2017
I bought this book because it was reviewed on Channel 4 News. It is effectively a handbook of rhetoric: how to be a successful public speaker. On the face of it a very dry subject, but the author manages to breathe life into it, with the result that this is a very engaging book. He explores the history of rhetoric, from the Ancient Greeks to Barack Obama, and by so doing reveals how comprehensive the rules of rhetoric established in the ancient world were. They are as relevant today as they were in the mists of time, regardless of TV and the internet. Human nature has not changed, and subsequently the basic rules of communication have and will remain the same. The book thus goes beyond public speaking into communication in general, and is therefore relevant for every human being. As the most intelligent ape, communication is the most powerful tool in our toolbox, and an understanding of how it works can only be of use for all of us.
May 3, 2020
*** This is a spoiler-free review ***
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 (3/5 stars).
I had to read this book for one if my university courses, academic discourse 2 to be specific. In all honesty, I truly don't have much tovsay about this book but I'm going to try anyway since I have this weird obsession with reviewing every book I read. Anyways, here we go:
Some thoughts/opinions:
- this book was written fine (it was pretty easy to understand which is always super chill if you have to use a book as a study book which this was for me).
- was pretty easy to understand.
- I didn't fail this course so that's a bonus this book gets too. Hurray for me & this book, I guess.
- it was somewhat actually interesting and sparked my interest in rhetorics.
- even a year later I still remember some things this book thought me which is honestly remarkable.
- I met the author when he spoke/gave a lecture at my university and I have to say he was a pretty nice and chill person. It's also the reason why my copy is signed.
I don't know, if this book a shot/go if you're really interested in rhetorics.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 (3/5 stars).
I had to read this book for one if my university courses, academic discourse 2 to be specific. In all honesty, I truly don't have much tovsay about this book but I'm going to try anyway since I have this weird obsession with reviewing every book I read. Anyways, here we go:
Some thoughts/opinions:
- this book was written fine (it was pretty easy to understand which is always super chill if you have to use a book as a study book which this was for me).
- was pretty easy to understand.
- I didn't fail this course so that's a bonus this book gets too. Hurray for me & this book, I guess.
- it was somewhat actually interesting and sparked my interest in rhetorics.
- even a year later I still remember some things this book thought me which is honestly remarkable.
- I met the author when he spoke/gave a lecture at my university and I have to say he was a pretty nice and chill person. It's also the reason why my copy is signed.
I don't know, if this book a shot/go if you're really interested in rhetorics.
January 18, 2023
Rhetoric is the ancient art of argument. It is how a person can persuade another. It has a negative connotation for several reasons, some of which are in this book.
Sam Leith writes about the different methods used by rhetorical masters. He chronicles the history of rhetoric as a field of study and its fall in the twentieth century. The book is slightly older but still modern enough to mention Barack Obama.
I liked the mentions of the famous Champions of Rhetoric. Some may not be real, but it's entertaining all the same. The first one is Satan, Prince of Lies. The second is Marcus Tullius Cicero. Abraham Lincoln occupies the third spot. Adolf Hitler and Winston Churchill cover the fourth. Martin Luther King Jr. is in the fifth spot. Barack Obama is number six. Finally, the seventh space is the unknown speechwriter.
It is fascinating that the book includes Hitler, but I can understand. For all of his crazy ideas and genocidal tendencies, he did have a way with words. Perhaps that is one of the reasons for rhetoric falling out of favor.
The final section of the book is a glossary of rhetorical terms. I enjoyed the book. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
Sam Leith writes about the different methods used by rhetorical masters. He chronicles the history of rhetoric as a field of study and its fall in the twentieth century. The book is slightly older but still modern enough to mention Barack Obama.
I liked the mentions of the famous Champions of Rhetoric. Some may not be real, but it's entertaining all the same. The first one is Satan, Prince of Lies. The second is Marcus Tullius Cicero. Abraham Lincoln occupies the third spot. Adolf Hitler and Winston Churchill cover the fourth. Martin Luther King Jr. is in the fifth spot. Barack Obama is number six. Finally, the seventh space is the unknown speechwriter.
It is fascinating that the book includes Hitler, but I can understand. For all of his crazy ideas and genocidal tendencies, he did have a way with words. Perhaps that is one of the reasons for rhetoric falling out of favor.
The final section of the book is a glossary of rhetorical terms. I enjoyed the book. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
July 16, 2012
Brief introduction to the most important science of western civilization, it marks the elegance of language in a clear and appealing way, from the stanzas of poets to the sermons of revolutionary leaders, "words with loaded"is a book that opens the books of Cicero, aristotle, and the many champions of this now illusive and prolific craft.
June 21, 2023
For what's essentially a reference text I found this really engaging, probably in huge part because the author avoids being unbearably dry in the delivery like you see in most secondary texts. It's an area I already found interesting, and I guess that meant I was more likely to find the book interesting too. Really useful, not just for using rhetoric but for recognising the sometimes subtle way it can be employed and how it can fail. Read this as a library book but considering getting my own copy. Ultimately I think it's a really good example of a relatively accessible text that educates to a significant degree.
There were times when my attention wandered, and I always take issue with huge sections of text being written in italics because it is murder on the eyes, and the book often dates (and locates) itself by referring to recent events that are not so recent anymore as though they are still common knowledge. I also think as with any book, if you try to be funny, regardless of if you do it well, there will be people who don't take to it. But I did. I really liked how the points were laid out and exemplified, and I definitely annoyed people with the unsolicited sharing of passages on multiple occasions.
There were times when my attention wandered, and I always take issue with huge sections of text being written in italics because it is murder on the eyes, and the book often dates (and locates) itself by referring to recent events that are not so recent anymore as though they are still common knowledge. I also think as with any book, if you try to be funny, regardless of if you do it well, there will be people who don't take to it. But I did. I really liked how the points were laid out and exemplified, and I definitely annoyed people with the unsolicited sharing of passages on multiple occasions.
February 24, 2024
Un excelente ensayo práctico sobre la retórica, la teoría que explica esa potente arma masiva que es el lenguaje y su uso oral o escrito.
Una obra imprescindible para explicar cómo nos engañan, persuaden, animan o conmueven las palabras y su puesta en escena.
Este manual está especialmente indicado para todos los que ponen el grito en el cielo porque buenas personas sean capaces de aplaudir ante discursos de malvados como Stalin, Hitler, Fidel, el norcoreano, el iraní o el venezolano de turno, e incluso algún lerdo presidente de federación de fútbol. Porque en un discurso, no sólo está el logos, está el ethos y el pathos, que junto con aquél, pero a veces más trascendentes, forman los tres mosqueteros del ars dicendi que nos mueve a aplaudir o hacer cosas.
Muy interesante, sí señor.
Una obra imprescindible para explicar cómo nos engañan, persuaden, animan o conmueven las palabras y su puesta en escena.
Este manual está especialmente indicado para todos los que ponen el grito en el cielo porque buenas personas sean capaces de aplaudir ante discursos de malvados como Stalin, Hitler, Fidel, el norcoreano, el iraní o el venezolano de turno, e incluso algún lerdo presidente de federación de fútbol. Porque en un discurso, no sólo está el logos, está el ethos y el pathos, que junto con aquél, pero a veces más trascendentes, forman los tres mosqueteros del ars dicendi que nos mueve a aplaudir o hacer cosas.
Muy interesante, sí señor.
December 18, 2023
If you want to learn more about the art of rhetoric and debate, this is the book for you. Leith does an excellent job, but I’m just coming to the self-realization that I find these books extremely boring. I always figure reading these types of books will improve my ability to debate, but it seems like they go over a lot of the same things and then point to different stories as examples. I can see how it’s helpful, but if a book as good as this takes me months to read, it’s probably just not a genre I enjoy that much.
March 28, 2025
It might be more enjoyable if you‘re just reading it for funsies, but it sucks as a textbook. Sam Leith really wants to be funny (in a British way that sometimes eludes me), meanwhile I just want him to be clear and concise cause I have an exam on this. Him explaining important concepts with funny haha comparisons unfortunately means that I have to waste time coming up with an actual decent definition myself.
Technically that is not his fault cause this wasn’t meant to be a textbook, unfortunately it is for me though.
Technically that is not his fault cause this wasn’t meant to be a textbook, unfortunately it is for me though.
August 17, 2025
Amo la retórica desde antes de saber qué era la retórica. Menudo regalo encontrar este libro. Me lo he subrayado prácticamente entero, pero escribo algunas frases por aquí: “La obligación y la función de la retórica consisten en aplicar la razón a la imaginación para mover la voluntad”; “La política es el arte de lo posible”;”Hay retórica donde hay lenguaje y hay lenguaje donde hay personas. Dejarse fascinar por la retórica es dejarse fascinar por la gente, y comprender la retórica significa comprender a tus congéneres.”
May 4, 2018
Funny and useful, but I wish some of the examples were less cliche!
March 20, 2024
great book about rhetoric if you don’t want to read Aristotle! + the author was very friendly in person
August 26, 2022
More like a history lesson but very informational.
March 25, 2024
Had to read it for school.
April 25, 2021
"Rhetoric is everywhere language is, and language is everywhere people are. To be fascinated by rhetoric is to be fascinated by people, and to understand rhetoric is in large part to understand your fellow man. I want to pass on not knowledge, in this book, but love."
This book was genius. Entertaining, enlightening, enticing. 10/10.
This book was genius. Entertaining, enlightening, enticing. 10/10.
February 26, 2024
Highlight: Jenny from the Block siendo utilizada como ejemplo de discurso retórico con ethos
February 19, 2020
A strange book. Well written, entertaining, but largely pointless - and doesn’t deliver on its core promise of explaining *how to use* rhetoric more effectively.
Instead, its basic argument consists of the astonishing revelation that:
1) language can be used to make a case that's designed to persuade
2) people have been doing this for a long time
3) people used to study the techniques involved and gave them all fancy Greek names
4) people no longer use the fancy Greek names but still use the techniques.
All of which is illustrated with examples, including deconstructions, showing what techniques were used.
So far, so good - but that's a *what*, not a *how*. As such, so what?
This book starts out as a plea for the restitution of rhetoric as a field of study - but then fails to follow through with a convincing case to do so because it never manages to demonstrate the practical application of an understanding of rhetorical theory. About halfway through there's even a line that tells us to ignore the detailed analysis and use of rhetorical terminology via the double dismissal "in the end, these distinctions... can safely be left to the theorists." (p.131-2)
If those distinctions can be ignored, what is the benefit of learning *any* of the terminology of rhetoric that is scattered throughout the book? It seems to be just to make you look clever by spouting archaic Greekisms.
(That question was, of course, a rhetorical device.do I know the *name* of the rhetorical device? No. But I knew how to deploy it. I rest my case.)
Because the problem is that while Leith shows how an understanding of rhetoric can be used to analyse words and see how arguments were constructed, at no point does he coherently illustrate how to use this knowledge in a practical way to construct arguments of your own. Nor does he provide a single example of how anyone has done so - beyond references to great speakers of the past reading lots of past great speeches, which is not the same thing at all.
All of which means that, while this is a perfectly entertaining enough book, I've come out of it *less* convinced that there's any point in trying to memorise what hendiadys or hypallage, pleonasmus or polysyndeton are. All I need to know is that I know how to use them. And this book, despite giving plentiful examples of how these techniques have been used by other people, is no practical use on that front at all.
In short, if you want to learn more about how to write or speak in a more convincing rhetorical style, this may be good to point you to some of the greats of the past so you can go and read their stuff (as long as you're happy focusing primarily on British and American greats, that us), but that's about it.
And, most importantly, that's not what the dust jacket promises.
Instead, its basic argument consists of the astonishing revelation that:
1) language can be used to make a case that's designed to persuade
2) people have been doing this for a long time
3) people used to study the techniques involved and gave them all fancy Greek names
4) people no longer use the fancy Greek names but still use the techniques.
All of which is illustrated with examples, including deconstructions, showing what techniques were used.
So far, so good - but that's a *what*, not a *how*. As such, so what?
This book starts out as a plea for the restitution of rhetoric as a field of study - but then fails to follow through with a convincing case to do so because it never manages to demonstrate the practical application of an understanding of rhetorical theory. About halfway through there's even a line that tells us to ignore the detailed analysis and use of rhetorical terminology via the double dismissal "in the end, these distinctions... can safely be left to the theorists." (p.131-2)
If those distinctions can be ignored, what is the benefit of learning *any* of the terminology of rhetoric that is scattered throughout the book? It seems to be just to make you look clever by spouting archaic Greekisms.
(That question was, of course, a rhetorical device.do I know the *name* of the rhetorical device? No. But I knew how to deploy it. I rest my case.)
Because the problem is that while Leith shows how an understanding of rhetoric can be used to analyse words and see how arguments were constructed, at no point does he coherently illustrate how to use this knowledge in a practical way to construct arguments of your own. Nor does he provide a single example of how anyone has done so - beyond references to great speakers of the past reading lots of past great speeches, which is not the same thing at all.
All of which means that, while this is a perfectly entertaining enough book, I've come out of it *less* convinced that there's any point in trying to memorise what hendiadys or hypallage, pleonasmus or polysyndeton are. All I need to know is that I know how to use them. And this book, despite giving plentiful examples of how these techniques have been used by other people, is no practical use on that front at all.
In short, if you want to learn more about how to write or speak in a more convincing rhetorical style, this may be good to point you to some of the greats of the past so you can go and read their stuff (as long as you're happy focusing primarily on British and American greats, that us), but that's about it.
And, most importantly, that's not what the dust jacket promises.
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