This afternoon, I watched Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech again. (You can find the full speech text and video, along with an extensive Six Minutes speech analysis here.)

I was reminded of the tremendous power speeches can wield. One cannot watch Dr. King or read his words without stirring emotions, even though the speech was given over 47 years ago.

Magical speech power can also be found in dozens of other speeches found in Speeches That Changed the World, a speech anthology from Simon Sebag Montefiore. I received this book as a Christmas present, and I’ve been absorbed by it the past few nights.

The book contains:

• 57 speeches, beginning with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and concluding with Barack Obama’s victory speech in the 2008 presidential election.
• 48 speakers are featured.
• 17 of the speakers are Americans (10 were president): George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Woodrow Wilson, Clarence Darrow, Franklin Roosevelt, George Patton, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Douglas MacArthur, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Obama.
• 11 of the speakers are drawn from a World War II context: Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler, Neville Chamberlain, Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle, Vyacheslav Molotov, Patton, Emperor Hirohito, and Oppenheimer.
• 10 of the speeches are pre-1900.
• 6 speakers are highlighted for more than one speech: Churchill (5 speeches); Roosevelt , Hitler, Kennedy, King, and Nelson Mandela (2 each).
• 4 of the speakers are women: Queen Elizabeth I, Anthony, Emmeline Pankhurst, and Indira Gandhi.

Obviously, most of the speeches are political in nature, but many themes are covered, including religious speeches, war declarations and rallying speeches, peace declarations, civil rights, women’s suffrage, terrorism, funeral orations, and apologies.

I strongly encourage you to study King’s I Have a Dream speech, and dozens of other speeches which changed the world. You can find the anthology here. Lessons abound in these great speeches, both for the masterful speechwriting and for the courage of those who delivered them.

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Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

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.

Author Dale Carnegie packs an incredible breadth of public speaking advice into a short, easy-to-read format.

Over 7 million people have completed Dale Carnegie training, following the basic wisdom contained in this book.

About Dale Carnegie

In 1912, Dale Carnegie was living at the YMCA in New York City when he approached the manager to allow him to teach a course in public speaking. He ran out of material in the very first session, and resorted to improvisational techniques that he had learned as an actor. To his surprise, he discovered that these techniques helped his students conquer their public speaking fears.

From humble beginnings, that YMCA course led to a 40-year career teaching public speaking. The Dale Carnegie course which has been completed by over seven million people in 75 countries. Known as the father of the self-help movement, Carnegie is a best selling author of many books, including How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Comparison to Speak Like Churchill

Sometimes, the best way to describe something is to compare it to another similar thing.

Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln is another popular public speaking book that I recently reviewed. I recommend reading both books, but they differ in several ways.

Breadth and Depth of Coverage

Not surprisingly, depth and breadth are inversely related. (Both books have approximately the same length.)

• Quick and Easy touches on the entire breadth of public speaking, including topics such as confidence, overcoming fear, impromptu speaking, and giving an introduction. Coverage for some topics is quite brief — perhaps only a few paragraphs.
• Speak Like Churchill aims more squarely at delivery and speech writing techniques. Each technique is explored in depth.

Audience

Both books have broad appeal, but…

• Quick and Easy aims at a novice speaker.
• Speak Like Churchill aims at an intermediate speaker looking to take their skills to the next level through powerful writing and delivery.

Subject of Anecdotes

• Quick and Easy illustrates principles by citing examples from average citizens.
• Speak Like Churchill primarily relies on anecdotes from famous politicians.

Type of Speaking Situations

• Quick and Easy discusses many distinct speaking situations — informative speeches, persuasive speeches, impromptu speaking, introducing speakers, presenting and accepting awards, and both short and long talks.
• Speak Like Churchill describes techniques which can be applied in all situations, but these situations are not directly addressed.

Recommendation

The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking is an excellent public speaking primer. The coverage on overcoming nervousness alone is worth the price of this book for novice speakers. All speakers can gain from the systematic treatment of speaking fundamentals.

Similar Articles You May Like... Speeches that Changed the World Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: Book Review Gifts for Every Speaker… from Zero to Eighty Dollars Christmas Resources for Public Speaking Public Speaking Tips: Weekend Review #84 Public Speaking Tips: Weekend Review #82

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

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.

Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln came to me as a great Christmas gift — a stocking stuffer which will improve my speaking skills considerably.

I was skeptical at first. I guessed that this was another stuffy book filled with speeches and anecdotes from famous speakers who lived so long ago that their speeches are part of history and their anecdotes are no longer relevant. That’s what I thought as I opened the book.

What I discovered is not really a “book full of speeches and anecdotes” (although there are many, many speech excerpts and anecdotes). Rather, I discovered a practical book of speaking techniques that will bolster the repertoire of any speaker who aims to lead.

About the Author – James Humes

Author James Humes knows what he is talking about. He has written speeches for five American Presidents. He is a respected authority on the speaking habits of Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Ronald Reagan, and others. He is the author of many public speaking books, including several on these great orators alone.

Contents — Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln

Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln makes for easy reading with 21 chapters averaging about 10 pages each. Each chapter follows a straightforward pattern:

• Introduce one simple speaking technique;
• Surround it with demonstrative quotations from history’s greatest speakers;
• Summarize the technique in simple and memorable language; and
• Show how it can be used today when writing or delivering a speech
  e.g. in the remarks of a CEO speaking to a corporate audience.

The 21 chapters span the spectrum of writing, preparation, delivery, and even spontaneous speaking. This format makes it an excellent reference book to have on hand when approaching any speaking occasion.

1. Power Pause
2. Power Opener
3. Power Presence
4. Power Point (not what you think…)
5. Power Brief
6. Power Quote
7. Power Stat
8. Power Outage
9. Power Wit
10. Power Parable
11. Power Gesture
12. Power Reading
13. Power Poetry
14. Power Line
15. Power Question
16. Power Word
17. Power Active
18. Power Dollar
19. Power Button
20. Power Closer
21. Power Audacity

Example: Chapter 19 – Power Button

As an example of Humes’ instructive method, consider Chapter 19 — Power Button.

Now that you have worked up a dandy Power Line [Chapter 14], you need to know how to turn it on. You have to light your line so it stands out like a neon sign.

Look, you put in some time to work for that zinger of a line. Don’t you want to make sure it really registers? If you don’t know the secret of turning on your Power Line, you won’t turn on the audience.

The Power Button says to the audience “Ready — Set — Listen” to set them up for the Power Line that follows.

When writing an article, you can italicize. You can underline. But how can you italicize or underline in a talk? Listeners cannot hear the underlining of a sentence.

A lot of you may use a highlighter pen to emphasize a significant line when you read a report or survey. Well, the Power Button phrase is your highlighter pen, illuminating the Power Line that follows.

Humes highlights several examples. In these famous speech lines, the Power Button is in CAPITALS, while the Power Line (the one we remember) follows.

Winston Churchill:

I WOULD SAY TO THE HOUSE AS I SAID TO THOSE WHO JOINED THIS GOVERNMENT [pause]
I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, and sweat.

Patrick Henry:

I KNOW NOT WHAT OTHERS SAY, BUT AS FOR ME, [pause]
Give me liberty or give me death.

John Kennedy:

AND SO MY FELLOW AMERICANS: [pause]
Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.

Five Reasons Why You Need to Read This Book

1. It delivers practical advice for speakers of all levels.
2. It shows how to apply the master tips and tricks apply to your speeches.
3. It emphasizes techniques to speak the language of leadership like a classical orator.
4. It is an entertaining historical view of history’s greatest speakers.
5. The author’s experience and expertise is unparalleled.

This is a book that I will read again and again. As one of my most used public speaking books, I will reference the advice within each time I prepare for a speech.

I wholeheartedly recommend reading this book to improve your public speaking skills.

Reviews from Public Speaking Experts

Tally Wilgis:

It’s an easy read from a literary perspective and it makes practical sense from a speaking perspective.

John Rallison:

The book is filled with practical tips for becoming an engaging speaker and driving your message home.

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Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

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.