{"product_id":"the-gift-of-the-gab-by-david-crystal-9780300226409","title":"The Gift of the Gab","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA many-faceted exploration of spoken eloquence: how it works, how it has evolved, and how to tap its remarkable power.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe all know eloquence when we hear it. But what exactly is it? And how might we gain more of it for ourselves? This entertaining and, yes, eloquent book illuminates the power of language from a linguistic point of view and provides fascinating insights into the way we use words. \u003cem\u003eDavid Crystal\u003c\/em\u003e, a world-renowned expert on the history and usage of the English language, probes the intricate workings of eloquence. His lively analysis encompasses everyday situations (wedding speeches, business presentations, storytelling) as well as the oratory of great public gatherings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCrystal focuses on the here and now of eloquent speaking—from pitch, pace, and prosody to jokes, appropriateness, and how to wield a microphone. He explains what is going on moment by moment and examines each facet of eloquence. He also investigates topics such as the way current technologies help or hinder our verbal powers, the psychological effects of verbal excellence, and why certain places or peoples are thought to be more eloquent than others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the core analysis of the book, \u003cem\u003eCrystal\u003c\/em\u003e offers an extended and close dissection of \u003cem\u003eBarack Obama’s\u003c\/em\u003e electrifying “Yes we can” speech of 2008, in which the president demonstrated full mastery of virtually every element of eloquence—from the simple use of parallelism and an awareness of what \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e to say, to his brilliant conclusion constructed around two powerful words: \u003cem\u003edreams\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eanswers\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47599446261996,"sku":"9780300226409","price":28.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/534fca8b5a58a636774e29af53b7de31.jpg?v=1778022932","url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/products\/the-gift-of-the-gab-by-david-crystal-9780300226409","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}