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Words Fail Us
In Defence of Disfluency
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Format: Paperback / softback
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See moreA lifelong stutterer dismantles the cult of fluency and champions the creative powers of inarticulacy.
A lifelong stutterer dismantles the cult of fluency and champions the creative powers of inarticulacy
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
'TIMELY' - David Mitchell
'OPEN-MINDED, THOUGHTFUL AND WISE... A LIBERATING BOOK' - Colm Toibin
In an age of polished TED talks and overconfident political oratory, success seems to depend upon charismatic public speaking. But what if hyper-fluency is not only unachievable but undesirable?
Jonty Claypole spent fifteen years of his life in and out of extreme speech therapy. From sessions with child psychologists to lengthy stuttering boot camps and exposure therapies, he tried everything until finally being told the words he'd always feared: 'We can't cure your stutter.' Those words started him on a journey towards not only making peace with his stammer but learning to use it to his advantage.
Here, Jonty argues that our obsession with fluency could be hindering, rather than helping, our creativity, authenticity and persuasiveness. Exploring other speech conditions, such as aphasia and Tourette's, and telling the stories of the 'creatively disfluent' - from Lewis Carroll to Kendrick Lamar - Jonty explains why it's time for us to stop making sense, get tongue tied and embrace the life-changing power of inarticulacy.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Words Fail Us by Jonty Claypole receives praise as a profound exploration of disfluency, particularly stuttering. Critics highlight its thoughtfulness, factual depth, and engaging analysis of the history, science, and societal perceptions of speech disorders. The book is described as timely and liberating, advocating for greater acceptance of communication diversity and celebrating the creativity such diversity can inspire.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781788161725
Publisher: Profile Books Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 03 February 2022
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Wellcome Collection
Edition: Main
Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 26.0mm
Width: 128.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 280g
Pages: 352
About the Author
Jonty Claypole is an arts leader, producer and writer. He received an MBE for his role supporting British culture through the pandemic.
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