Talk

The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves

By: Alison Wood Brooks

Narrated by: Alison Wood Brooks

A groundbreaking book that reveals the hidden architecture of our conversations and how even small improvements can have a profound impact on our relationships in work and life—from a celebrated Harvard Business School professor and leading expert on the psychology of conversation.

“Alison Wood Brooks brings to life the science of conversation, in which she is a world expert, with the utmost warmth, empathy, and joy.”—Angela Duckworth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grit

All of us can struggle with difficult conversations, but we’re often not very good at the easy ones either. Though we do it all the time, Harvard professor Alison Wood Brooks argues that conversation is one of the most complex, demanding, and delicate of all human tasks, rife with possibilities for misinterpretation and misunderstanding. And yet conversations can also be a source of great joy, each one offering an opportunity to express who we are and learn who others are—to feel connected, loved, and alive.

In Talk, Brooks shows why conversing a little more effectively can make a big difference in the quality of our close personal relationships as well as our professional success. Drawing on the new science of conversation, Brooks distills lessons that show how we can better understand, learn from, and delight each other. The key is her TALK Maxims:

Topics: Choose topics and manage them well
Asking: Ask more questions
Levity: Use humor to keep conversations fizzy
Kindness: Prioritize their partners conversational needs

Through experiments ranging across the conversational spectrum—from speed daters who ask too few questions (or too many), to future business leaders averse to topic forethought, to traffic stops that reveal the essence of kind language—Brooks takes us inside the world of conversation, giving us the confidence and the advice to approach any interaction with more creativity and compassion.

Addressing our face-to-face conversations as well as those we have by phone, email, text, and social media, Talk is a thoughtful guide for anyone seeking to better establish and sustain their relationships. From managing our emotions and sparking creativity to navigating conflict and being more inclusive, the right conversation skills just might be the key to leading a more purposeful life.


* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF containing visual supplements and the Appendix, from the printed book.

Helpful for adults with family or business issues

Helpful hints for college/adult introverts. I would love to see a version of this for high school age people.

If you Talk - you’ll benefit from reading TALK.

This is an excellent and accessible book about conversations - and how to keep them alive and fruitful.

Good intro to the topic

This book was assigned to us in my Executive MBA program in Negotiations class. While it offers a great overview of the dynamic of face to face communication, it's not the executive level I was hoping for. It's obviously designed for people in their 20s with not much business experience.

Due to lack of time I picked the audiobook instead of the kindle version. The narration was brutal at times but I tried to focus on the content. Some chapters drag on a bit and there's a bit too many examples from personal conversations.

paying my teens to read this

this should be a high school course to help everyone. well written and performed. each chapter is usable by itself.

Something for all levels of communication!

Great insight backed by impressive research. Found to be a great reality check for current ways of conversation while offering a wide variety of every day conversation enhancements. Great Read/Listen!