Reader Response

Public Speaking, Powerpoint, and Presentation Book Reviews

More Gift Ideas for Speakers

There are thousands of public speaking books available.

Some are good. Some are great. Some are horrible.

Our goal is to provide a detailed synopsis to help you decide which books meet your needs to boost your speaking and presentation skills so that you can add them to your personal reading list.

Reviewed Books

Book reviews are a regular feature on Six Minutes. Subscribe to Six Minutes to receive future reviews.

Title: slide:ology
Author: Nancy Duarte
What is it About: The book on effective visual presentations from the expert whose design firm created the graphics for Al Gore's Oscar-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth.
Who Should Read It: Everyone who wants a classic reference text for presentation design. You'll read this again and again.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: Universal Principles of Design
Author: William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler
What is it About: Elegantly written and thought-provoking. Packed with creative ideas for improving your presentations. A classic reference!
Who Should Read It: Speakers who want to learn from related disciplines of design, psychology, and usability, and anyone fascinated to understand the world around them.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: 21 Powerful Secrets of History's Greatest Speakers
Author: James Humes
What is it About: 21 chapters averaging about 10 pages each. Each chapter introduces one simple speaking technique. Historical and contemporary examples are used throughout.
Who Should Read It: Speakers looking to elevate their speechwriting and delivery from good to great.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
Author: Chip Heath and Dan Heath
What is it About: Best-selling business book delivers on its promise to show how to communicate your ideas so that they will be remembered.
Who Should Read It: All speakers with a message that they want the audience to remember. In short, everyone.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: Presentation Zen
Author: Garr Reynolds
What is it About: Bestseller which teaches presentation design. Emphasizes designing around the message rather than designing around the slides. Includes numerous full-color examples of slides, both good and bad.
Who Should Read It: Every speaker, particularly those who want to break free from the "Death by Powerpoint" mold.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: Clear and to The Point: 8 Psychological Principles for Compelling PowerPoint Presentations
Author: Stephen Kosslyn
What is it About: Well-written book full of practical tips and techniques that can be applied immediately to design your slides more effectively.
Who Should Read It: All speakers who want their visuals to complement and reinforce their message.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: The Wealthy Speaker: The Proven Formula for Building Your Successful Speaking Business
Author: Jane Atkinson
What is it About: An insider's view of professional speaking with loads of tips and insights for positioning yourself in the industry.
Who Should Read It: Established speakers ready to take the next step professionally and new speakers who are curious about the possibilities.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: Confessions of a Public Speaker
Author: Scott Berkun
What is it About: An irreverent insider's view of public speaking. You'll be both entertained and educated.
Who Should Read It: Any aspiring speaker who seeks honest insights about public speaking.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: Multimedia Learning
Author: Richard E. Mayer
What is it About: An academic review of cognitive research which provides guidelines for the design of visual presentation aids.
Who Should Read It: Teachers, trainers, instructors, and speaking coaches who want to understand the cognitive theory behind modern slide design.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: Better Beginnings: How to Capture Your Audience in 30 Seconds
Author: Carmen Taran
What is it About: One-of-a-kind! An engaging and thorough treatment for one of the most essential public speaking skills -- how to open your speech.
Who Should Read It: Every speaker will benefit from this book, whether you speak with visuals or off the cuff, to investors or children.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: Advanced Presentations by Design: Creating Communication that Drives Action
Author: Andrew Abela
What is it About: A comprehensive approach to planning and designing presentations focused on selling ideas and persuading your audience.
Who Should Read It: All presenters, particularly those who present in a business or scientific context. You will love this book if you like an interactive, workshop-style format.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: You've Got to Be Believed to Be Heard
Author: Bert Decker
What is it About: A comprehensive, general-purpose, introductory public speaking guide.
Who Should Read It: Any novice or intermediate speaker will benefit greatly by reading this book.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: The Story Factor
Author: Annette Simmons
What is it About: Makes a strong case of the power of storytelling to influence and inspire, in both public speaking and business communications.
Discusses the different types of stories that every speaker must be able to tell. Weaves numerous stories through the book.
Who Should Read It: (1) Anyone who is not yet convinced how powerful storytelling can be.
(2) Speakers looking to enhance their story repertoire.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking
Author: Dale Carnegie
What is it About: Practical and plain public speaking advice. Covers a wide breadth of topics. This book contains the foundation for the Dale Carnegie speaking courses which have been completed by millions of people.
Who Should Read It: Novice speakers or anyone whose fear of speaking leads them to believe that they cannot excel as a speaker.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: Rain Making: Attract New Clients No Matter What Your Field
Author: Ford Harding
What is it About: Practical advice teaching you the things you need to do to build your network, add clients, and increase your revenue.
Who Should Read It: [1] You are (or want to be) a professional speaker seeking to make more money or [2] You are a professional who would like to leverage your speaking skills to grow your business?; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: Fire Them Up!
Author: Carmine Gallo
What is it About: Focuses not on short term steps (things to do), but on seven qualities of inspiring business communicators (things to embrace). Draws examples from many high-profile corporations, including Apple, Starbucks, Cranium, and many more.
Who Should Read It: Business leaders who want to inspire everyone around them to be successful.; Read the Complete Book Review

Title: Visualizing Information for Advocacy: An Introduction to Information Design
Author: John Emerson
What is it About: Free e-book which shows how advocacy groups use visual design to successfully convey their message. The principles apply to all visual media, include standard slideware (e.g. PowerPoint).
Who Should Read It: Anyone who wants to learn how to apply strong visualization design to make their message more compelling.; Read the Complete Book Review

This is one of many public speaking articles featured on Six Minutes.
Subscribe to Six Minutes for free to receive future articles.

Andrew Dlugan is the editor and founder of Six Minutes. He teaches courses, leads seminars, coaches speakers, and strives to avoid Suicide by PowerPoint. He is an award-winning public speaker and speech evaluator. Andrew is a father and husband who resides in British Columbia, Canada.

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3 Tweets

Bert Decker @bertdecker — Jan 8th, 2009

RT @6minutes: Favorite presentation books: http://bit.ly/F6cW Reader favorites: http://bit.ly/12Rmp

Brian Johnson @_brian_johnson — Jan 13th, 2009

@6minutes *awesome*!! thx for the public speaking book reviews! brilliant. http://tinyurl.com/7jgr4v

tomvenuto @tomvenuto — Jan 14th, 2009

@6minutes Awesome list of public speaking books! Thanks! RT: http://bit.ly/F6cW http://bit.ly/12Rmp

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Recommended Books

Title: The Wealthy Speaker: The Proven Formula for Building Your Successful Speaking Business
Author: Jane Atkinson
What is it About: An insider's view of professional speaking with loads of tips and insights for positioning yourself in the industry.
Who Should Read It: Established speakers ready to take the next step professionally and new speakers who are curious about the possibilities.
Book Review: Read the Six Minutes Review of this book

Book Review: The Wealthy Speaker by Jane Atkinson

Title: The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking
Author: Dale Carnegie
What is it About: Practical and plain public speaking advice. Covers a wide breadth of topics. This book contains the foundation for the Dale Carnegie speaking courses which have been completed by millions of people.
Who Should Read It: Novice speakers or anyone whose fear of speaking leads them to believe that they cannot excel as a speaker.
Book Review: Read the Six Minutes Review of this book

The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking (Dale Carnegie): Book Review

Title: Advanced Presentations by Design: Creating Communication that Drives Action
Author: Andrew Abela
What is it About: A comprehensive approach to planning and designing presentations focused on selling ideas and persuading your audience.
Who Should Read It: All presenters, particularly those who present in a business or scientific context. You will love this book if you like an interactive, workshop-style format.
Book Review: Read the Six Minutes Review of this book

Book Review: Advanced Presentations by Design by Andrew Abela

Title: Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: 21 Powerful Secrets of History's Greatest Speakers
Author: James Humes
What is it About: 21 chapters averaging about 10 pages each. Each chapter introduces one simple speaking technique. Historical and contemporary examples are used throughout.
Who Should Read It: Speakers looking to elevate their speechwriting and delivery from good to great.
Book Review: Read the Six Minutes Review of this book

Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: Book Review

Title: slide:ology
Author: Nancy Duarte
What is it About: The book on effective visual presentations from the expert whose design firm created the graphics for Al Gore's Oscar-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth.
Who Should Read It: Everyone who wants a classic reference text for presentation design. You'll read this again and again.
Book Review: Read the Six Minutes Review of this book

Presentation Skills Book Review – slide:ology by Nancy Duarte

Title: Better Beginnings: How to Capture Your Audience in 30 Seconds
Author: Carmen Taran
What is it About: One-of-a-kind! An engaging and thorough treatment for one of the most essential public speaking skills -- how to open your speech.
Who Should Read It: Every speaker will benefit from this book, whether you speak with visuals or off the cuff, to investors or children.
Book Review: Read the Six Minutes Review of this book

Book Review: Better Beginnings by Carmen Taran

Title: Universal Principles of Design
Author: William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler
What is it About: Elegantly written and thought-provoking. Packed with creative ideas for improving your presentations. A classic reference!
Who Should Read It: Speakers who want to learn from related disciplines of design, psychology, and usability, and anyone fascinated to understand the world around them.
Book Review: Read the Six Minutes Review of this book

Book Review: Universal Principles of Design

Title: The Story Factor
Author: Annette Simmons
What is it About: Makes a strong case of the power of storytelling to influence and inspire, in both public speaking and business communications.
Discusses the different types of stories that every speaker must be able to tell. Weaves numerous stories through the book.
Who Should Read It: (1) Anyone who is not yet convinced how powerful storytelling can be.
(2) Speakers looking to enhance their story repertoire.
Book Review: Read the Six Minutes Review of this book

Book Review: The Story Factor (Annette Simmons)

Title: Clear and to The Point: 8 Psychological Principles for Compelling PowerPoint Presentations
Author: Stephen Kosslyn
What is it About: Well-written book full of practical tips and techniques that can be applied immediately to design your slides more effectively.
Who Should Read It: All speakers who want their visuals to complement and reinforce their message.
Book Review: Read the Six Minutes Review of this book

PowerPoint Book Review – Clear and to The Point: 8 Psychological Principles for Compelling PowerPoint Presentations

Title: Presentation Zen
Author: Garr Reynolds
What is it About: Bestseller which teaches presentation design. Emphasizes designing around the message rather than designing around the slides. Includes numerous full-color examples of slides, both good and bad.
Who Should Read It: Every speaker, particularly those who want to break free from the "Death by Powerpoint" mold.
Book Review: Read the Six Minutes Review of this book

Title: Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
Author: Chip Heath and Dan Heath
What is it About: Best-selling business book delivers on its promise to show how to communicate your ideas so that they will be remembered.
Who Should Read It: All speakers with a message that they want the audience to remember. In short, everyone.
Book Review: Read the Six Minutes Review of this book

Title: Multimedia Learning
Author: Richard E. Mayer
What is it About: An academic review of cognitive research which provides guidelines for the design of visual presentation aids.
Who Should Read It: Teachers, trainers, instructors, and speaking coaches who want to understand the cognitive theory behind modern slide design.
Book Review: Read the Six Minutes Review of this book

Book Review: Multimedia Learning by Richard E. Mayer

Title: Confessions of a Public Speaker
Author: Scott Berkun
What is it About: An irreverent insider's view of public speaking. You'll be both entertained and educated.
Who Should Read It: Any aspiring speaker who seeks honest insights about public speaking.
Book Review: Read the Six Minutes Review of this book

Book Review: Confessions of a Public Speaker (Scott Berkun)

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