5 stars (Great Communication Theory Book... to start off with) - This book is not really orientated at making you a better interpersonal and intercultural communicator (although it could be a start towards this), it is more of a book on interpersonal and intercultural theory. This book was the basis of my Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication Studies course at UQ in Australia. It is very simple to read, a high school student could easily understand this. I think this is a good thing, however, because as some of my lecutures demonstrated, interpersonal communication theory can be very dry and dull at some points! So I am giving this book five stars because althoug simplistic, I believe it tells you the basics of interpersonal comunication theory, and is a great starting book if you are interested in this! 3 stars (Too Much Theory and Not Enough Substance.) - I read through this book as part of an Interpersonal Communication class I took. I'll admit right off the bat that I have a biased view about the book because I read it in a class where I was the only person over 21 in a room full of freshman. With that said, I'm really glad I had the life experiences I've had to protect me from the leftists propaganda contained within. I'm also very thankful that I was never forced to read such dribble when I was a freshman in college because it can really mess you up. Most of the book is based in and upon interpersonal communication theory and there isn't a whole lot of practical information given. Not only that, but the book almost totally ignores the moral and ethical issues that are inherently apparent in interpersonal communication. Instead, the author has taken a humanistic (and fairly Machiavellian) approach and illustrates the power that good interpersonal communication skills can give a person. The book does have some good things to say, but overall it's more of a tool in brainwashing freshmen with useless knowledge than anything else. There's a lot of theory, ... Allyn - Bacon :: Performing Arts & Theater & General :: Sociology :: Psychology :: Language Arts & Linguistics & Literacy :: Interpersonal Relations :: Interpersonal Communicati :: The Interpersonal Communication Book- 10th Edition
4 stars (Good copy) - I know that this is a teacher's edition but I presumed that because it was, it would have come with the DVD which is included in the student's addition. Other wise the book is exactly the same as the student's edition and was sealed as stated. Overall, I am pleased with the transaction. 4 stars (Fast Service / Low price) - Paid low price for quality book and fast delivery! 4 stars (Easy to read- great to use) - This is a really good book. I used it for a college class on public speaking, and I would have been lost without it. It covers things that you always forget to include, and great hints on how to increase your confidence and persuade an audience. For someone like me who was terrified, but no longer is of public speaking, and for those who just need a refrsher course, this book is brilliant. ... Allyn - Bacon :: Performing Arts & Theater & General :: Theater - General :: Public Speaking :: Performing Arts :: Oral communication :: Language Arts & Disciplines :: Language :: S :: Public Speaking - An Audience-Centered Approach (6th Edition)
1 stars (Disappointing) - I'd considered buying this book from Amazon, and decided to first examine a copy at the Boston Public Library. I was unimpressed. The tone seems aimed at middle-school students, and the text is littered with patronizing "Dick & Jane" anecdotes. A quick glance through the table of contents suggests that Grice and Skinner address nearly every conceivable aspect of public speaking -- but a closer examination reveals a complete lack of depth. It seems as if they simply brainstormed ways to add pages without actually investigating their subject. The most derelict example I found was the second chapter, devoted entirely to a discussion of ethics. This chapter includes a section on plagiarism, where Grice and Skinner define plagiarism and warn students that getting caught may result in failing a class or being expelled from school -- hardly the sort of information you'd expect from a college-level textbook. Meanwhile, Grice and Skinner lazily sidestep the most challenging issue -- the employment of speechwriters -- by confining its mention to a brief, rhetorical question among the chapter-end exercises. In other words: "Here's a complex issue. We've exhausted our space with rudimentary ones, but we encourage you to do some real work on your own!" There are some informative, useful books on public speaking. Richard Dowis and James Humes have each written excellent books on crafting and delivering a speech. Virgil Anderson and Ann Utterback have written valuable books on training your voice, and Livingston Taylor and Keith Johnstone have written classics on stage performance. My suggestion is to skip this book. I was thoroughly disappointed with its lack of ambition, and I'd hate to be stuck with a professor who found it respectable. ... Allyn - Bacon :: Theater - General :: Public Speaking :: Performing Arts&Dance :: Performing Arts :: Language Arts & Disciplines :: John F Skinner :: George L Grice :: :: Mastering Public Speaking- Fifth Edition
5 stars (After learning how to speak clearly, learn how to persuade) - Verderebr's book is great. If you are an advocate, not an actor, after you've learned how to speak clearly and project learn how to more effectively persuade with "Common Sense Rules of Advocacy for Lawyers." The author, Keith Evans, tried hundreds of jury trial over the course of more than three decades of practice as a Barrister in England and as a trial lawyer in California. "Common Sense Rules of Advocacy for Lawyers" is an excellent book for anyone who must persuade others. Search Amazon for ISBN 1587330059 If you must persaude others, not just act, get BOTH "The Challenge of Effective Speaking" and "Common Sense Rules of Advocacy for Lawyers." You will be more effective. 4 stars (Wonderful Book!) - A must-have book.Informative and excellently written.Gives all the information you want on Public speaking. ... Wadsworth Publishing :: Language Arts & Disciplines & Speech :: Theater - General :: Speech :: Performing Arts :: Language Arts & Disciplines :: Language :: General :: Kathleen S Verderbe :: The Challenge of Effective Speaking (with CD-ROM and SpeechBuilderExpress -InfoTrac)
5 stars (Amazing Collection of Photographs) - Ms. Blumenthal says she has done a world history, and a story beginning 30,000 (or so) years ago and going through 2004's best musical on Broadway, 'Avenue Q.' She covers virtually every culture in almost every time with an amazing selection of photographs. She combines this with interviews, stories and descriptions of puppeteers. She describes all of the wide variety of puppet shows brought about by the advent of television, some of which are still on the air. Part of her discussion is on the way that puppets can be used to show/discuss things that wouldn't be allowed in other ways. Politics, for instance is different when a puppet is making the remarks about your leader. And of course sex has long been a staple of puppet shows. She has a picture of the romantically challenged Miss Piggy delivering an illustrated lecture on ideal frog physique. If puppets are your thing, you'll find nothing better than this book. 5 stars (Excellent book on the history of puppets!) - This is one of those luscious, lavishly illustrated coffee-table books that doll and puppet aficionados will drool over before shelling out $65 to obtain a coveted copy. Within the 272 pages, artistic as well as historic photography of puppets dating from antiquity to modern times chronicle the history of this captivating art form. The accompanying text is scholarly, but approachable and easy to read. The history of this art form is fascinating, really. The author structures her massive effort into chapters detailing the history of puppets, types of puppets, and uses for puppets, including sex acts, illustrations for violent stories, and political commentary, as well as public service (Sesame Street), and ventures into the spirit world. I love her opening statement: "They can be gods, idiots, or worms. They are able to nurture children or terrify adults. They survive indefinitely without normal biological aging but also can die and come back to life agai... Harry N Abrams :: Performing Arts & Puppets & Puppetry :: World History :: World - General :: Theater - History & Criticism :: Puppets & Puppetry :: Puppetry And Marionettes :: Pup :: Puppetry - A World History