Presentation Zen Book Review

Presentation Zen book reviews, to be more accurate. Lots of them.

In the spirit of Rotten Tomatoes – a site I always check before buying or renting a movie – this article gathers book reviews from public speaking experts and fellow bloggers.

A summary of their opinion is simple: buy this book and the slides in your next presentation will benefit.

The Book

• Title: Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery
• Author: Garr Reynolds, presentation design expert and author of very popular Presentation Zen blog
• Paperback; 240 pages; New Riders Press

Introspective Book Review from the Author

• 2007-07-13 | Announcing Presentation Zen: the book
• 2007-07-17 | Reflections on the editing process
• 2007-09-12 | “The text is about 90% ready”
• 2007-10-19 | Design and layout previews
• 2007-12-18 | “The books have left the warehouse”

iStockphoto Bonus: Garr also reported that buying the book earns you credits to download 10 free images at the highest resolution from iStockphoto.

The Price

At the time of writing this review, you can get this book for only $23.09 from amazon.com. This is 34% off the list price.

The companion book (the “sequel”) — Presentation Zen Design — is also available for $23.09.

The very affordable price is one reason that this book continues to be one of the best-selling books related to presentations. Readers on amazon.com love it, as can be seen from the graphic below.

Book Reviews

Guy Kawasaki interviews Garr Reynolds with thirteen questions on presentation style which offer a flavor of what can be found in the book.

At its heart Presentation Zen is about restraint, simplicity, and a natural approach to presentations […]

Paul Gibler – Powerful Presentation Techniques:

All in all, […] an A for your reading list and as an addition to your presentation skills library.

Bert Decker – Create Your Communications Experience:

Presentation Zen […] should be read by any business presenter, leader, politician, professional… well, by everybody.

Wayne Botha – Make Your Point with Pow’R:

Don’t leave home for your next presentation without Garr’s book.

Pamela Slim – Escape from Cubicle Nation:

As one who has suffered through years of excruciating PowerPoint presentations, all I can say is “Hallelujah!”

Michael Nolan – Peachpit:

This book will change the world […] As this book makes its way through the corporate culture, the simple principles of Presentation Zen will change thinking.

Merlin Mann – 43 Folders:

[…] this is about re-imagining how your entire presentation will work together as a persuasive and integrated show, from conception through delivery.

TJ Walker:

Reynolds cuts through a lot of the silly noise about PowerPoint and gets right to how it can be used effectively, memorably and beautifully.

Mike Sporer – Fresh Perspectives:

This book didn’t just change the way I think about presentations, it changed the way I look at our world.

Rhett Laubach – Authenticity Rules:

[…] an instant classic […]

Seth Godin:

Please don’t buy this book! Once people start making better presentations, mine won’t look so good.

Stephen Few:

Even if you’re good at this, I’m betting this book will make you better. If you struggle with this stuff and know you need help, let Garr Reynolds ease the load. Buy this book.

Preview the Book with an Excerpt

You can read a 12-page excerpt from Presentation Zen which addresses slide design concepts of contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity (c.r.a.p.).

Preview the Book via Sample Slides

You can view sample slides from Garr Reynolds. Many are taken from the book, and provide a sneak preview at what you’ll find inside.