Recommended Reading

This page has a list of recommended reading for Toastmasters.

Amazon.com

Amazon.com's most popular books on "public speaking" - ideal gifts for Toastmasters:

• The Toastmaster's Treasure Chest -- by Herbert Victor Prochnow; Hardcover
• Toastmaster's International Guide to Successful Speaking: Overcoming Your Fears, Winning over Your Audience, Building Your Business & Career -- by Jeff Slutsky, et al; Paperback
• New Talkpower: The Mind-Body Way to Speak Without Fear -- by Natalie H. Rogers; Paperback 
• The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking -- by Dale Carnegie; Mass Market Paperback
• In The SpotLight: Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking and Performing -- by Janet E. Esposito, Janet E. Esposito M.S.W.; Paperback
• Think on Your Feet by Kenneth Wydro (Paperback - October 1981)
• In The SpotLight: Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking and Performing
  by Janet E. Esposito, Janet E. Esposito M.S.W. (Paperback)
• Say It with Presentations: How to Design and Deliver Successful Business Presentations by Gene Zelazny (Hardcover)
• New Talkpower: The Mind-Body Way to Speak Without Fear
  by Natalie H. Rogers (Paperback)
• The Complete Book of Wedding Toasts
  by John William McCluskey, Lois E. Frevert (Editor) (Paperback)
• 7 Steps to Fearless Speaking by Lilyan Wilder (Paperback)
• Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: 21 Practical Secrets of History's Greatest Speakers by James C. Humes (Paperback - April 2002)
• The Presenter's Fieldbook: A Practical Guide of Tips, Treasures, & Treats
  by Robert Garmston, Michael Buckley (Illustrator) (Paperback - April 1997)
• Complete Speaker's and Toastmaster's Library: Speech Openers and Closers/Human Interest Stories/Remarks of Famous People/Definitions and Toasts/Boxe by Jacob M. Braude, Glen Van Ekeren (Hardcover - June 1992)
• "I Can See You Naked": A New Revised Edition of the National Bestseller on Making Fearless Presentations by Ron Hoff, Barrie Maguire (Illustrator) (Paperback - October 1992)
• Preventing Death By Lecture! by Sharon L. Bowman, Sharon Bowman (Paperback)
• How To Give It So They Get It by Sharon L. Bowman (Paperback - April 1998)
• Public Speaking by Michael Osborn, Suzanne Osborn (Paperback - April 2002)
• Great Session Openers, Closers, and Energizers: Quick Activities for Warming Up Your Audience and Ending on a High Note by Marlene Caroselli (Paperback)
• On Speaking Well by Peggy Noonan (Author) (Paperback - March 1999)
• Roasts and Toasts Made Easy: A Practical Guide for the Creation of  Roasts/Toasts for Business and Social Occasions by Larry Miller (Paperback - October 2002)
• Secrets Of Superstar Speakers: Wisdom from the Greatest Motivators of Our Time by Lillet Walters, et al (Paperback)
   

Recommended books on public speaking by other Toastmasters:

"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Public Speaking" (2nd Edition)
by Laurie E. Rozakis is an outstanding book for beginning and intermediate level public speakers.

"Technically Speaking: A Guide for Communicating Complex Information"
by Jan D'Arcy (Paperback - January 1998) (Available from Toastmasters International - Supply Cat. No. B 37). While the focus of the book is presentations on scientific and technical subjects, there is a lot of material there that is applicable to any kind of public speaking situation.

"Thinking on Your Feet: How to Communicate Under Pressure" by Marian K. Woodall (Paperback - June 1996). (Supply Cat. No. B 27) This book is geared towards impromptu speaking situations.

A Gentleman Raises His Glass: A Concise, Contemporary Guide to the Noble Tradition of the Toast by John Bridges (Author), Bryan Curtis (Author) (Hardcover - May 2003)

"The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking" by Dale Carnegie, 1990. A good general kind of book on the topic of public speaking.

"The Light Touch - How to Use Humor for Business Success"  by Malcolm Kushner (about humour in general, not just in speaking)

"Talk To Win - Six Steps to a Successful Vocal Image" - Lillian Glass (about using the voice) (Paperback - February 1988)

"Powerspeak: The Complete Guide to Persuasive Public Speaking and Presenting" by Dorothy Leeds

"Writing Great Speeches - Professional Techniques You Can Use" (Part of the Essence of Public Speaking Series) - Alan Perlman, 1st edition (September 9, 1997) Publisher: Allyn & Bacon - (a bit dry, but some good tips)

"Secrets Successful Speakers: How You Can Motivate, Captivate, and Persuade" by Lilly Walters, Publisher: M Evans & Co; (June 1991)

"Choosing Powerful Words: Eloquence That Works", edited by Ronald H. Carpenter & William D. Thompson, 1998.

"The Oxford Union Guide to Successful Public Speaking", by Dominic
Hughes & Benedict Phillips, 2002.  The "Intellectual Outlaw" exercise in the Oxford Union book makes for great table topics.

"Successful Presentations for Dummies" by Malcolm Kushner - "Dummy" books strike again! Good for speakers on several levels. Useful even if  experienced, and easy to get at the info. Stage fright, humour and  stories are all given a good treatment.

"Do Not Go Naked into Your Next Presentation" by Ron Hoff - short but well done. About 100 short discussions of issues which you should be thinking about when speaking. Again geared to presenters but useful to everybody, universal issues.

"The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Quotations" by Tony Augarde. Quotes arranged alphabetically by author. The index also has key words. Very quick to find quotes for my agenda when we have a theme.

New Talkpower: The Mind-Body Way to Speak Without Fear by Natalie H. Rogers (Paperback).

"The Quotable Book Lover" Edited by Ben Jacobs & Helena Hjalmarsson.  Quotes which are about books arranged in chapters by chapter heading.  Has quotes from unexpected people so is a fun source for "new" quotes.

I have found the books "The Sir Winston Method" and "Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln", both by James Humes, to be very helpful.

From the Toastmasters International line, Alan Perlman's book on speechwriting and Joanna Slen's book on the use of humor and stories are also very useful.

Marjorie Brody's "Speaking is an Audience Centered Sport" deals with stage fright and how to control it. It also has great pictures of "good and bad" examples of physical presentation.   The book is officially "out of print". Amazon.com may have copies for sale.

Another book that I really enjoyed and learned from was "Learn Public Speaking in Private" available at http://www.fearofpublicspeaking.net/.

There is always more to learn. On the "World Champions of Public Speaking" CD, I was amused to learn that after winning the World Championship, one of the champions bought a book on public speaking at the airport!

Another book I got as a gift was "How to Give a Damn Good Speech" http://www.careerpress.com/book78.html.

More suggestions:

• "Choosing Powerful Words" by Ronald H. Carpenter, William D. Thompson (Editor)
• "Using Stories and Humor" by Joanna Slan
• "The Penguin Book of Twentieth Century Speeches" by Brian MacArthur (Editor)
• "Speak Up with Confidence" by Jack Valenti
• "How to Say It Best" by Jack Griffin
• "The Elements of Speechwriting and Public Speaking" by Jeff Scott Cook
• "Speaking for Impact: Connecting with Every Audience" (Part of the Essence of Public Speaking Series) by Shirley E. Nice, William D. Thompson (Editor)
• "Delivering Dynamic Presentations: Using Your Voice and Body for Impact" (Part of the Essence of Public Speaking Series) by Ralph Hillman, et al
• "The Lost Art of the Great Speech: How to Write One - How to Deliver It" by Richard Dowis
• "Motivating Your Audience: Speaking to the Heart" (Part of the Essence of Public Speaking Series) by Hanoch McCarty, William D. Thompson (Editor)
• Speak and Grow Rich by Dottie Walters, et al (Paperback - July 2002)
Secrets Successful Speakers: How You Can Motivate, Captivate, and Persuade by Lilly Walters, et al (Paperback)

 

Note:  The current availability of these books is not known.  Try searching http://www.amazon.com, Toastmasters International, and your local bookstore.

Source: Toastmasters newsgroup discussion