Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being OurselvesA groundbreaking book that reveals the hidden architecture of our conversations and how even small improvements can have a profound impact on our relationships in work and life—from a celebrated Harvard Business School professor and leading expert on the psychology of conversation. “Alison Wood Brooks brings to life the science of conversation, in which she is a world expert, with the utmost warmth, empathy, and joy.”—Angela Duckworth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grit All of us can struggle with difficult conversations, but we’re often not very good at the easy ones either. Though we do it all the time, Harvard professor Alison Wood Brooks argues that conversation is one of the most complex, demanding, and delicate of all human tasks, rife with possibilities for misinterpretation and misunderstanding. And yet conversations can also be a source of great joy, each one offering an opportunity to express who we are and learn who others are—to feel connected, loved, and alive. In Talk, Brooks shows why conversing a little more effectively can make a big difference in the quality of our close personal relationships as well as our professional success. Drawing on the new science of conversation, Brooks distills lessons that show how we can better understand, learn from, and delight each other. The key is her TALK Maxims: Topics: Choose topics and manage them well Asking: Ask more questions Levity: Use humor to keep conversations fizzy Kindness: Prioritize their partners conversational needs Through experiments ranging across the conversational spectrum—from speed daters who ask too few questions (or too many), to future business leaders averse to topic forethought, to traffic stops that reveal the essence of kind language—Brooks takes us inside the world of conversation, giving us the confidence and the advice to approach any interaction with more creativity and compassion. Addressing our face-to-face conversations as well as those we have by phone, email, text, and social media, Talk is a thoughtful guide for anyone seeking to better establish and sustain their relationships. From managing our emotions and sparking creativity to navigating conflict and being more inclusive, the right conversation skills just might be the key to leading a more purposeful life. |
Contents
The Coordination Game | 1 |
T Is for Topics | 24 |
A Is for Asking | 56 |
K Is for Kindness | 118 |
A Quick Pause | 149 |
Difficult Moments | 179 |
Apologies | 219 |
Epilogue | 251 |
Acknowledgments | 271 |
Other editions - View all
Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves Alison Wood Brooks Limited preview - 2025 |
Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves Alison Wood Brooks Limited preview - 2026 |
Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves Alison Wood Brooks No preview available - 2025 |
Common terms and phrases
airtime Alison Wood Brooks Anderson Cooper Anil apologies Behavior and Human better Carrie Fisher chat Colbert context conversation partner conversational compass conversationalists Cooper coordination game cues daters disagreement disrespectful Emma emotions empathy gap Erving Goffman feedback feel Fisher follow-up questions funny give goals group conversation group members Hengchen Human Decision Processes humor Immanuel Kant interactions joke Journal of Personality Kant kind language laugh laughter levity Maurice E Michael Yeomans mind negotiations Organizational Behavior Paul Grice percent Personality and Social perspective prep promise to change Psychological Science quadrant receptiveness relationship responsive listening Samantha Schweitzer sensitive questions shared small talk Social Psychology someone speak speakers speed dates Stephen Colbert switch topics TALK maxims Tashira Terry Gross things tion Tom Brady topic pyramid trust trying turn understand versation Wigilia words