On Speaking Well: How to Give a Speech With Style, Substance, and Clarity

by Peggy Noonan

Book Overview

For anyone who fears the thought of writing and giving a speech--be it to business associates, or at a wedding--help is at hand. Acclaimed presidential speechwriter Peggy Noonan shares her secrets to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060987405
• Release Date: February 1999
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.5" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

Insightful and Well Written

What I loved best about Peggy's book is the delightful conversational style in which she writes which makes for an entertaining "how-to" read. I learned as much about people and history as I did about speech writing. Who says learning has to be dry or boring? A great book to expand a liberal arts education and improve your writing skills.

Eloquence in Advice

Ms. Noonan is among the most eloquent people I have come across in modern times. Quick-witted and intelligent, she uses the common tongue to express uncommon ideas. She has written a book that provides a good background for public speaking. She able to draw on her long experience as a speechwriter to enable her pupils to understand the challenges of both writing and giving speeches. Moreover, Ms. Noonan is so good with words that I would read that book if had no concern with speechmaking.Read this book, you will enjoy it.

Positively Poetic Prose

It is by far the best book ever written by someone named Peggy. Some say it's "I Teach Kindergarten" by Peggy Campbell-Rush, but they're wrong. There's no doubt, Peggy Noonan is the Peggy I'm talking about. Her prose is positively poetic. Her stories about scribing speeches are spectacular. Her anecdotes are awesome, awe-inspiring, and amazing. After reading it, I just wanted to write. Write what you say? Not letters nor essays, no short stories, and definitely not novels; I just wanted to write speeches. With this book, I obtained important insights and intriguing information about how to draft a speech (As you can see, Peggy informed me of the importance of alliteration). Maybe one day I will write a line as memorable as "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country," and I promise you that it is now possible because of Peggy Noonan.

Best First Book For Public Speaking

This is one of the best books to read when you have decided to become good at public speaking. She says have something to say and say it the way you need to say it. Then work at making it interesting to see for the audience. If you don't have something interesting then you are giving the wrong speech. The great achievement is become the speaker you want to be. Help the audience to understand that you are speaking the truth. Author's real life stories are excellent. She was speech writer to Presidents Reagan and Bush. Despite all the good things that Toastmaster's International does, it does not advise its new members give the speech you what to give. Don't copy anybody develop you.

Well-written and full of great ideas

Whether you are standing up in front of a joint session of Congress or a sub-committee of your local PTF, this book is a great resource.Noonan knows of which she writes, having written speeches for the Great Communicator himself, Ronald Reagan. The stories of working side by side with Reagan were a high point of the book, at least for this Republican reader.Ultimately, the strength of this work, though is the practical advice she gives to every speaker. This is a nuts-and-bolts manuel to writing and delivering a speech. It's also an easy, quick read, the kind you can refer back to for years.An excellent resource for anyone who has to stand up in front of people and talk!