What to Talk About
On a Plane, at a Cocktail Party, in a Tiny Elevator with Your Boss's Boss
Published on 15. April 2014
144 pages
978-1-4521-3031-6 (ISBN)
Description
Homo sapiens have been speaking for hundreds of years-and yet basic communication still stymies us. We freeze up in elevators, on dates, at parties, under Dumpsters. We stagger through our exchanges merely hoping not to crash, never considering that we might soar. We go home sweaty and eat a birthday cake in the shower.
But no more. With What to Talk About you'll learn to speak-fluently, intelligently, charmingly-to family, friends, coworkers, lovers, future lovers, horse trainers, children, even yourself. This hilarious manual, written by two award-winning authors and illustrated by legendary cartoonist Tony Millionaire, is tailor-made for anyone who might one day attend a dinner party, start a job, celebrate a birthday, graduate from school, date a human, or otherwise use words.
What to Talk About is not rocket science, but it is a lot like brain surgery, in the sense that is terrifying, risky-and could change you forever.
But no more. With What to Talk About you'll learn to speak-fluently, intelligently, charmingly-to family, friends, coworkers, lovers, future lovers, horse trainers, children, even yourself. This hilarious manual, written by two award-winning authors and illustrated by legendary cartoonist Tony Millionaire, is tailor-made for anyone who might one day attend a dinner party, start a job, celebrate a birthday, graduate from school, date a human, or otherwise use words.
What to Talk About is not rocket science, but it is a lot like brain surgery, in the sense that is terrifying, risky-and could change you forever.
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Chris Colin | Robert Baedeker
What to Talk About
Book
04/2014
Chronicle Books
€32.37
Article exhausted; check different version
Person
Chris Colin is an author and journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Wired, and McSweeney's Quarterly. He lives in San Francisco.
Content
- Cover
- Title
- Dedication
- Copyright
- Contents
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Preparation and Openings
- How to prefill an empty mind.
- TRIGGER WORDS
- COLD OPENINGS
- Chapter 2 Small Talk
- Don't pooh-pooh it. Tae-kwon-DO-IT.
- SMALL TALK
- SMALL TALK ABOUT TRAFFIC
- BIG TALK ABOUT TRAFFIC
- SMALL TALK ABOUT PRICES
- BIG TALK ABOUT PRICES
- SMALL TALK ABOUT WEATHER
- BIG TALK ABOUT WEATHER
- ASK FOR STORIES, NOT ANSWERS
- BREAKING THE MIRROR
- Chapter 3 Parties
- Make love to your nightmare.
- BONKING
- EXTREME BONKING
- SHY-2-SHY
- DINNER PARTY GAMES
- Chapter 4 Drive-By Conversations
- Perfecting the passing exchange.
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE MAIL CARRIER
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE UPS DELIVERY PERSON
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE GROCERY CHECKER
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE BUTCHER
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE TOLLBOOTH OPERATOR
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE CABLE GUY
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE PLUMBER
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH YOUR DOCTOR
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE METER MAID OR METER "MISTER"
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE BANK TELLER
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE TAXI DRIVER
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH YOUR DENTIST
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT IN CLOSE QUARTERS
- DILEMMAS, DILEMMAS, DILEMMAS
- CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
- PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
- Chapter 5 Friends
- Put a rocket on your tandem go-kart.
- BREAK THE TABOO: TALK ABOUT MONEY
- EMOTIONAL FRACKING
- CONVERSATION IN EXTREMIS: GETTING BACK IN TOUCH
- Chapter 6 Mapping Your Personal Style
- Are you a Pancake? Or are you a Steamroller?
- QUICK QUONVERSATION QUIZ[sup(TM)]
- THE NEXT-LEVEL LEVEL
- Chapter 7 Family
- Harness your nuclear power.
- FICTIONALIZE THEM
- THANKSGIVING
- FOR CHILDREN EIGHT AND UNDER
- FOR TEENAGERS
- FOR ADULTS EIGHTY AND OLDER
- SKYPING WITH YOUR PARENTS
- Chapter 8 Travel
- You are to speak happy other country hello.
- CHAMELEON CONVERSATION
- THE LOTHARIO/LOTHARIA
- THE HELPLESS WAIF
- THE DRIFTING SAGE
- URINE BIG TROUBLE
- Chapter 9 Romance
- Date and mate like a boss.
- WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH CRUSHES
- WHAT NOT TO SAY TO THE HOT BARISTA AT GROUNDZ FOR DISMISSAL
- WHAT TO SAY TO THE CUTE BIKE MECHANIC AT CYCLE KILLER
- THE FIRST DATE: A FOUR-PART MASTER CLASS
- THE BEGINNER CLASS
- INTERMEDIATE FAQ
- ADVANCED ALTERNATIVES
- THE MASTER CLASS
- CONVERSATION IN EXTREMIS: LOVE BOMB
- Chapter 10 Work
- Turn that water cooler upside down.
- THE JOB INTERVIEW
- THE FIRST DAY ON THE JOB
- HOW TO TALK TO YOUR BOSS
- THE WATER COOLER
- CONVERSATION IN EXTREMIS: THE DOOM OF THE UNKNOWN COWORKER
- BEING FIRED AND/OR QUITTING
- WORK-TALK GUIDE
- Chapter 11 Self-Talk
- Don't be ashamed.
- MASTER CLASS: GOING DEEPER
- CONVERSATION IN EXTREMIS: IF YOU'RE BURIED ALIVE
- A SAMPLE MEDITATION
- CONVERSATION IN EXTREMIS II: BURIED ALIVE WITH A CELL PHONE
- Chapter 12 Death
- Killer conversation tips for when the end is near!
- TALKING TO SOMEONE SERIOUSLY ILL
- CONVERSATION IN EXTREMIS: DYING WORDS
- Conclusion: No More Talk
- Like every marriage, all conversations must end.
- ENDING A COCKTAIL PARTY CONVERSATION
- DIRECT STRATEGIES
- INDIRECT STRATEGIES
- NONVERBAL STRATEGIES
- ENDING THIS BOOK
- The WTTA Reference Library
- Pronunciation Guide
- Encyclopedia of Conversation Topics
- Conversation Piñata
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
