MAX ATKINSON'S
LEND ME YOUR EARS: All You Need to Know about
making Speeches and Presentations
was
first published in 2004 by Vermilion
(Random
House)
and you can read some of it by
clicking HERE.
The UK edition of the book was reprinted within six months of publication. A second reprint became necessary when stocks ran out after a surge in sales during the first week of October 2006, when it reached its highest ever position (2nd) in the Amazon UK bestsellers list.
An American edition was published in the USA by Oxford University Press, New York in 2005 and can be ordered from amazon.com via the box above left.
A Spanish
language edition is available under the
title
Claves para hablar en público: Todo lo que
necesita saber sobre cómo pronunciar discursos y
hacer presentaciones,
further details
of which are available by clicking on the book
(right) or
Gestion
2000. The book is
also being translated into Estonian.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE AMAZON CUSTOMER REVIEWS OF LEND ME YOUR EARS.
MAX ATKINSON'S SPEECH-MAKING AND PRESENTATION MADE EASY was published by Vermilion in September, 2008, and can be ordered from Amazon by clicking the box on the left.
OUR MASTERS' VOICES: The Language and Body Language of Politics (1984), which reports on Max Atkinson's original study of the rhetorical techniques that trigger applause in political speeches, is still in print and can be ordered from Amazon by clicking the box on the left.
AMAZON CUSTOMER REVIEWS OF LEND ME YOUR EARS
Avg. Customer Review:
This
book got me a job,
7 Jun 2007 Reviewer:
Ruth,
London
I could never figure why speeches and presentations frightened me. A confident personality, I would nevertheless only address an event under duress. Then one morning I heard Prof Atkinson on Radio 4. Here, it seemed, was a fellow who made sense. By marvellous happenchance that was two days before the final interview round - which included a 10 minute presentation - for a job I wanted dearly. I bought his book and spent the weekend working through the chapters, assembling my arguments and speech. It was the best £9.99 I've ever spent. It explained to me why I could confidently chair a meeting, or do a TV interview but hated speeches. And more importantly it showed me what to do about it. There was no waffle, no nonsense and no management gobbledegook. I got the job. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone. In fact I do - every time somebody praises a speech I've given with the words 'I wish I could give speeches like that'. Because you can - and even come to love giving them.
Best Ever How To Speak in Public, March 14, 2006
Reviewer:
Peter M Semper from Lyndhurst,
Hampshire UK
"Without doubt this is the best ever "how to" book on speeches and presentations, no matter what the topic - business, social, political, or technical.
As a CEO I have sat through so many turn-off presentations by people I know to be literate and interesting. This book demonstrates how unnecessary this is, and that one does not have to be a "born speaker" to make lively, interesting, really effective presentations.
It is completely practical in identifying the tried and tested techniques which have served the great communicators down the ages, all of which are easily learned and applied. It is also first class on how to use (but not overuse) modern computer aids to great effect.
No wonder speechwriters to Presidents Reagan and Clinton say the author Professor Max Atkinson is the speechwriters Guru."
Lend Me Your Ears, March 10, 2006
Reviewer:
George from Dinas Powis,
Vale of Glamorgan United Kingdom
Like a number of other people I came upon this book by accident, whilst researching the subject, as part of my preparation for delivering a talk on presentation skills to a meeting of a professional body in Cardiff.
I am a mainly self taught trainer and speaker who, at the age of 66, gained a PGCE in the Post Compulsory Education and Training Sector as part of a retirement plan to set up as training consultant. Reading this book was an absolute breath of fresh air to me as I mentally ticked off all the things I've got wrong over the years and which are so eloquently dealt with in the book. If only I'd had a copy of it all those years ago!!!
With the tag of "Professor" Max could be forgiven for taking an academic stance in his writing and it came as a pleasant suprise to discover how clearly he explains himself in such a down to earth manner.
I shall be happy to recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in making presentations and congratulate Max on a super piece of work.
A Guide for the Perplexed, November 15,
2005 Reviewer:
Robert Shakspeare from
Finland
Having taught presentation skills for many years I had often wondered why the resulting presentations were often so dull and forgettable. Now I know. Throughout the book I found myself saying "Yes, that's exactly the problem I've been having!". I am now convinced that any presentation or speech can be made memorable and interesting with a little effort.
In the book common myths about what is necessary to a good presentation are convincingly exposed and all that is truly necessary is clearly explained. The section on rhetoric, which seems to be either a forgotten or maligned art these days, was exceptionally interesting and useful. Examples to back up the points are used throughout.
If you have to make a presentation or speech and you don't know where to start then this is the book you need.
Getting the 'inside track' about
presentations, April 15, 2005
Reviewer:
Dil Sidhu from London,
UK
I do a lot of public speaking and thought I knew about the tips, techniques and strategies that can make for a successful event. This book is the one-stop shop in terms of covering all the important elements of giving a presentation along with some of the things we all think about but nobody has ever written about, i.e. the annoying way that some presenters pull the paper backing off of acetates!!
If you are a seasoned presenter or tasked with doing your first stand up presentation, you will not be disappointed in this publication. It is one of the few books I have purchased which fits into the category of an 'investment' in improving my performance versus something that was nice to have read and then goes onto the shelf never to be referred to again. Great stuff.
Quite
simply, it is a Masterclass!, January
14, 2005 Reviewer:
londonsoulpatrol from London
I
have recently had the great privilege to attend a
lecture from the author whilst I have been
attending Henley Management College on an Executive
MBA course. Although I have given numerous
presentations in business situations previously, I
have never approached the subject with more than a
fraction of the irrefutable clarity and wisdom
espoused by Mr Atkinson.
I was
inspired to rush and buy the book immediately, and
quite simply, it is a Masterclass in presentational
skills and speech-making, written in an
easy-to-read commonsensical style which is
impossible to ignore and will never be
forgotten.
If you want to
communicate better and achieve higher impact to
your chosen audience, then this outstanding book is
worth its weight in gold.
Read
this - and you will never make another bad
presentation!Buy it, and tell your friends and
colleagues about it. It is
outstanding.
An amazing discovery, November 27,
2004 Reviewer:
Trainer & Consultant from Oxford,
England
I had never heard of Max Atkinson until I
discovered his book accidentally. And I'm so glad I
did.
I am an independent trainer
& consultant based in Oxford. I help European
and Asian business people to be better
communicators. This book has been extremely helpful
already. I have been able to improve a number of
points in my own training courses including the
roots of (classical) rhetoric, using lists of three
and asking rhetorical questions to link sections.
In addition, the book has helped me to confirm a
lot of my own beliefs as a trainer such as pausing
with purpose, stress & intonation and not doing
'death by powerpoint' - something which is still
popular in Europe and Asia.
My
clients will be even better communicators because
of Max Atkinson.
Excellent, October 30,
2004 Reviewer:
A reader from Kent, United
Kingdom
This
book is brilliant (and a great source of comfort
when planning your first presentation!). I found
the analysis of different methods of presenting
your material i.e. PowerPoint, flipcharts etc. and
their relative merits in different situations
particularly helpful. I couldn't help but trust
every single word this author says - not only
because of his calm authoritative style, but also
because his ideas correspond so well to my own
experiences of being part of an
audience.
Simply the best, September 22,
2004 Reviewer:
A reader from Kent, United
Kingdom
Reviewer:
Peter Hancock from Dublin
Ireland
Over the last 30 years I have spoken in 28
countries, launching cars, opening buildings and
guest speaking at
conferences.
Throughout I have
read any book on oratory that I can lay my hands on
and Max Atkinson's Lend Me Your
Ears is by far the
best.
All
the others I have read whilst helpful, are spoilt
by containing some advice that is conterproductive
and conflicts with my own experience on how
audiences behave. I have not been able to recommend
them.
I had
planned, in my retirement to write the perfect book
on public speaking. I will now have to find
something else to do!
It excites me, September 10,
2004
Reviewer:
Jeanie Civil
I am passionate
about management training. It is so easy to
rearrange existing knowledge and experience to meet
the needs of new delegates. However the difficulty
is in remaining motivated and stimulated. This book
has done just that for me. I have already improved
my presentations and audience involvement by using
Max Atkinson's tips.
I
rate this book so highly not only because I agree
with so many of his observations, but also because
I disagree with a few comments as I come from a
psychological background rather than a sociological
one. It has made me revisit some of my assumptions
and inspired me to check out previous and new
research.
It is easy to
read, as it is joyful and jargon free. I loved
'death by a thousand slides,' and the anecdotes.
Every teacher, trainer and tomorrow's leaders need
to read this.
This will be
a best seller like 'Men are from Mars.' For me it
is a better book as it does not repeat the first
chapter in various disguises but offered me new
ideas as I read through every word until the end.
This is very rare for a professional book. As I am
an author of seven management books, I wish I had
thought of it!
The UK edition of the book was reprinted within six months of publication. A second reprint became necessary when stocks ran out after a surge in sales during the first week of October 2006, when it reached its highest ever position (2nd) in the Amazon UK bestsellers list.
An American edition was published in the USA by Oxford University Press, New York in 2005 and can be ordered from amazon.com via the box above left.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE AMAZON CUSTOMER REVIEWS OF LEND ME YOUR EARS.
MAX ATKINSON'S SPEECH-MAKING AND PRESENTATION MADE EASY was published by Vermilion in September, 2008, and can be ordered from Amazon by clicking the box on the left.
OUR MASTERS' VOICES: The Language and Body Language of Politics (1984), which reports on Max Atkinson's original study of the rhetorical techniques that trigger applause in political speeches, is still in print and can be ordered from Amazon by clicking the box on the left.
AMAZON CUSTOMER REVIEWS OF LEND ME YOUR EARS
Avg. Customer Review:
This
book got me a job,
7 Jun 2007 Reviewer:
Ruth,
London
I could never figure why speeches and presentations frightened me. A confident personality, I would nevertheless only address an event under duress. Then one morning I heard Prof Atkinson on Radio 4. Here, it seemed, was a fellow who made sense. By marvellous happenchance that was two days before the final interview round - which included a 10 minute presentation - for a job I wanted dearly. I bought his book and spent the weekend working through the chapters, assembling my arguments and speech. It was the best £9.99 I've ever spent. It explained to me why I could confidently chair a meeting, or do a TV interview but hated speeches. And more importantly it showed me what to do about it. There was no waffle, no nonsense and no management gobbledegook. I got the job. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone. In fact I do - every time somebody praises a speech I've given with the words 'I wish I could give speeches like that'. Because you can - and even come to love giving them.
Best Ever How To Speak in Public, March 14, 2006
Reviewer:
Peter M Semper from Lyndhurst,
Hampshire UK"Without doubt this is the best ever "how to" book on speeches and presentations, no matter what the topic - business, social, political, or technical.
As a CEO I have sat through so many turn-off presentations by people I know to be literate and interesting. This book demonstrates how unnecessary this is, and that one does not have to be a "born speaker" to make lively, interesting, really effective presentations.
It is completely practical in identifying the tried and tested techniques which have served the great communicators down the ages, all of which are easily learned and applied. It is also first class on how to use (but not overuse) modern computer aids to great effect.
No wonder speechwriters to Presidents Reagan and Clinton say the author Professor Max Atkinson is the speechwriters Guru."
Lend Me Your Ears, March 10, 2006
Reviewer:
George from Dinas Powis,
Vale of Glamorgan United KingdomLike a number of other people I came upon this book by accident, whilst researching the subject, as part of my preparation for delivering a talk on presentation skills to a meeting of a professional body in Cardiff.
I am a mainly self taught trainer and speaker who, at the age of 66, gained a PGCE in the Post Compulsory Education and Training Sector as part of a retirement plan to set up as training consultant. Reading this book was an absolute breath of fresh air to me as I mentally ticked off all the things I've got wrong over the years and which are so eloquently dealt with in the book. If only I'd had a copy of it all those years ago!!!
With the tag of "Professor" Max could be forgiven for taking an academic stance in his writing and it came as a pleasant suprise to discover how clearly he explains himself in such a down to earth manner.
I shall be happy to recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in making presentations and congratulate Max on a super piece of work.
A Guide for the Perplexed, November 15,
2005 Reviewer:
Robert Shakspeare from
FinlandHaving taught presentation skills for many years I had often wondered why the resulting presentations were often so dull and forgettable. Now I know. Throughout the book I found myself saying "Yes, that's exactly the problem I've been having!". I am now convinced that any presentation or speech can be made memorable and interesting with a little effort.
In the book common myths about what is necessary to a good presentation are convincingly exposed and all that is truly necessary is clearly explained. The section on rhetoric, which seems to be either a forgotten or maligned art these days, was exceptionally interesting and useful. Examples to back up the points are used throughout.
If you have to make a presentation or speech and you don't know where to start then this is the book you need.
Getting the 'inside track' about
presentations, April 15, 2005
Reviewer:
Dil Sidhu from London,
UKI do a lot of public speaking and thought I knew about the tips, techniques and strategies that can make for a successful event. This book is the one-stop shop in terms of covering all the important elements of giving a presentation along with some of the things we all think about but nobody has ever written about, i.e. the annoying way that some presenters pull the paper backing off of acetates!!
If you are a seasoned presenter or tasked with doing your first stand up presentation, you will not be disappointed in this publication. It is one of the few books I have purchased which fits into the category of an 'investment' in improving my performance versus something that was nice to have read and then goes onto the shelf never to be referred to again. Great stuff.
Quite
simply, it is a Masterclass!, January
14, 2005 Reviewer:
londonsoulpatrol from London
I
have recently had the great privilege to attend a
lecture from the author whilst I have been
attending Henley Management College on an Executive
MBA course. Although I have given numerous
presentations in business situations previously, I
have never approached the subject with more than a
fraction of the irrefutable clarity and wisdom
espoused by Mr Atkinson.
I was
inspired to rush and buy the book immediately, and
quite simply, it is a Masterclass in presentational
skills and speech-making, written in an
easy-to-read commonsensical style which is
impossible to ignore and will never be
forgotten.
If you want to
communicate better and achieve higher impact to
your chosen audience, then this outstanding book is
worth its weight in gold.
Read
this - and you will never make another bad
presentation!Buy it, and tell your friends and
colleagues about it. It is
outstanding.
An amazing discovery, November 27,
2004 Reviewer:
Trainer & Consultant from Oxford,
England
I had never heard of Max Atkinson until I
discovered his book accidentally. And I'm so glad I
did.
I am an independent trainer
& consultant based in Oxford. I help European
and Asian business people to be better
communicators. This book has been extremely helpful
already. I have been able to improve a number of
points in my own training courses including the
roots of (classical) rhetoric, using lists of three
and asking rhetorical questions to link sections.
In addition, the book has helped me to confirm a
lot of my own beliefs as a trainer such as pausing
with purpose, stress & intonation and not doing
'death by powerpoint' - something which is still
popular in Europe and Asia.
My
clients will be even better communicators because
of Max Atkinson.
Excellent, October 30,
2004 Reviewer:
A reader from Kent, United
Kingdom
This
book is brilliant (and a great source of comfort
when planning your first presentation!). I found
the analysis of different methods of presenting
your material i.e. PowerPoint, flipcharts etc. and
their relative merits in different situations
particularly helpful. I couldn't help but trust
every single word this author says - not only
because of his calm authoritative style, but also
because his ideas correspond so well to my own
experiences of being part of an
audience.
Simply the best, September 22,
2004 Reviewer:
A reader from Kent, United
Kingdom
Reviewer:
Peter Hancock from Dublin
Ireland
Over the last 30 years I have spoken in 28
countries, launching cars, opening buildings and
guest speaking at
conferences.
Throughout I have
read any book on oratory that I can lay my hands on
and Max Atkinson's Lend Me Your
Ears is by far the
best.
All
the others I have read whilst helpful, are spoilt
by containing some advice that is conterproductive
and conflicts with my own experience on how
audiences behave. I have not been able to recommend
them.
I had
planned, in my retirement to write the perfect book
on public speaking. I will now have to find
something else to do!
It excites me, September 10,
2004
Reviewer:
Jeanie Civil
I am passionate
about management training. It is so easy to
rearrange existing knowledge and experience to meet
the needs of new delegates. However the difficulty
is in remaining motivated and stimulated. This book
has done just that for me. I have already improved
my presentations and audience involvement by using
Max Atkinson's tips.
I
rate this book so highly not only because I agree
with so many of his observations, but also because
I disagree with a few comments as I come from a
psychological background rather than a sociological
one. It has made me revisit some of my assumptions
and inspired me to check out previous and new
research.
It is easy to
read, as it is joyful and jargon free. I loved
'death by a thousand slides,' and the anecdotes.
Every teacher, trainer and tomorrow's leaders need
to read this.
This will be
a best seller like 'Men are from Mars.' For me it
is a better book as it does not repeat the first
chapter in various disguises but offered me new
ideas as I read through every word until the end.
This is very rare for a professional book. As I am
an author of seven management books, I wish I had
thought of it!
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SEE MAX ATKINSON'S BLOG & VIDEOS -
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