Conversation Piece [Hardcover]

Paul Lowrie (Author), Bret Nicholaus (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 11, 1996

The Conversation Piece will make you think twice about the everyday opinions you take for granted. What instrument is not music to your ears? If, for one day, you could have anything to yourself--any object or place--what would you choose? What food and beverage combination is your personal favorite? What movie character is most like you?
The Conversation Piece provides more than three hundred opportunities to explore creatively your thoughts about the world you live in. It's a book about you, about your friends--about everyone you know! If you were an entry in the dictionary, under which word would people find you? Ask yourself today. . . . You may change your mind tomorrow!

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A fun book that can break the silence among people. Definitely should be on your coffee table just in case conversation ain't happening. Small enough to take anywhere. Just beware, The Conversation Piece can make you the life of the party.

Gareth Rees, Manager of Special Projects--Publicity Department, Ballantine Publishing Group

From the Inside Flap

The Conversation Piece will make you think twice about the everyday opinions you take for granted. What instrument is not music to your ears? If, for one day, you could have anything to yourself--any object or place--what would you choose? What food and beverage combination is your personal favorite? What movie character is most like you?
The Conversation Piece provides more than three hundred opportunities to explore creatively your thoughts about the world you live in. It's a book about you, about your friends--about everyone you know! If you were an entry in the dictionary, under which word would people find you? Ask yourself today. . . . You may change your mind tomorrow!

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1st Ballantine Books ed edition (June 11, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345407113
• ISBN-13: 978-0345407115
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 6.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #214,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #60 in Books > Education & Reference > Etiquette > Conversation

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tired of Making Standard Small Talk? Try These Questions!, July 22, 2000

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Conversation Piece (Hardcover)

You will find some of the most interesting personal questions you have ever read in this book. You can use the questions in several ways: to amuse yourself; to stimulate even more intriguing questions; to grow closer to those you care about; and to ask others you know less well the same questions as a way to become acquainted. As a result, you should find your dinner table conversation much enlivened! As the authors say, " . . . This book was designed to make your conversations more creative, interesting and exciting."

The questions are in no particular order, and you can browse or go through from 1-320 in numerical order.

Here are a few of my favorites (with their numerical order noted in parentheses):

(320) "If you could add any question to this book, what would it be?"

(70) "If you could change the custom of shaking hands, what would you replace it with?"

(131) "If you had to choose your own epitaph of seven words or less (besides name and dates), what would it be?"

(181) "What bit of knowledge/advice do you have that you wish you could pass on to everyone else?"

(184) "What fear do you most want to be rid of forever?"

(213) "What is something that you enjoy that is a chore for most other people?"

(215) "What world record would you most want to establish?"

(273) "What is one of the simple pleasures of life you truly enjoy?"

In a group setting (perhaps like in a parlor game), you are encouraged to give everyone 60 seconds to answer before going on to the next person, unless the people involved want more or less time. The authors suggest that if you don't know what the answer is, you should imagine what the answer might be if you knew and be as creative as possible. If you get onto a subject you love, you can just stay on it. You don't have to go on to another question.

I think these are great stallbusting questions because they can make you aware of your complacency. If there are things you love, and you are not doing them, what's wrong? The epitaph question is a good start on considering your life's purpose. Are you living it? If you have a terrible fear you want to get rid of, what are you doing about it? As I went through the questions, I saw direct or indirect attacks on over 35 stalls that drain joy and accomplishment from life.

I suspect that you will get more good out of this book if you do the more stimulating questions with someone you love. That can be a great way to draw you closer together. In a way, this can be like some of the exercises in Relationship Rescue. In that book, you are encouraged to answer the questions first for yourself, then as you think the other person will answer them. Then you compare actual results, and discuss what it all means.

Enjoy getting to know yourself and others much better! BE SURE TO ACT ON WHAT YOU LEARN!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most thought-provoking books ever!!, July 30, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Alexandria ,Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conversation Piece (Hardcover)

I recommend this book to anyone who wants ideas for conversation with friends, family, lovers, co-workers. The questions in this book help you to discover things about people which you may never have an occasion to talk about in the course of everyday interaction. I learned amazing things about people I am VERY close to which helped to enhance and enrich our communication and understanding of one another. It is worth every penny!!! A FANTASTIC gift for ANYONE!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good questions for meeting people, January 5, 2002

By 

Matthew Maldre (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Conversation Piece (Hardcover)

Excellent questions for meeting people. Some other questions books have questions that are much too intimate. This book is excellent for breaking the ice. And the questions are good for people you know already.