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: T opics: Choose topics and manage them well
A sking: Ask more questions L evity: Use humor to keep conversations fizzy K indness:
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.
