Making People Talk: You Can Turn Every Conversation into a Magic Moment [Hardcover]

Barry M. Farber (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

As host of a radio talk show in New York, Farber has become an expert at making people talk, and his book tells us how he does it. Along with numerous anecdotes about his own experiences as a professional talker, he offers good advice to those of us who are not conversational whizzes. Learning how to get people to talk is not easy, but it can be rewarding in many ways. Farber advises advance research before a meeting or event, gives tips on how to ask for advice (everybody likes to give it), and points up the importance of listening. The book seems to be directed more at those aiming to get ahead in business or a profession rather than at those who just want to get a good conversation going, but there is something here for everyone. Good for self-help collections. Rebecca Wondriska, Trinity Coll. Lib., Hartford, Conn.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 263 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow & Co; 1st edition (June 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688015913
• ISBN-13: 978-0688015916
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,560,869 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars interesting and worthwhile, the title says it all, December 16, 2003

By 

Joe Sherry (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Making People Talk: You Can Turn Every Conversation into a Magic Moment (Hardcover)

As the title states, this is a book about making people talk. Barry Farber is a well known radio host who has interviewed some of the most important people in America and this book is his "self-help" book on how to make people talk. Like many other conversation books, this one is about (mostly) speaking to people you do not know very well. Farber takes a different approach to this and also talks about why you want to cultivate both friendships as well as casual relationships with many people. It is about what they can do for you. Farber explains that this is not a cold, callous way to look at it, because if you cultivate a relationship by talking, people will want to help you out if they are able (they may be able to help you get a job, give you advise, help with a promotion, get choice basketball tickets, etc). Farber also notes that some people who you initially are speaking with because of their potential value to you may become a better friend than those you have grown up with. Farber also writes that it is everyone who you should improving your communications with and making them feel that what they have to say is important.

This book is written with many anecdotes from Barry Farber's life to illustrate the point he is making, and it was much more interesting than I expected. This is not a dry explanation on how to better make people talk, but an engaging book. Farber does not suggest that this will be easy, but only that it is worthwhile to be able to make people talk.

3.0 out of 5 stars Making People Talk, September 22, 2011

By 

MikeNJ - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Making People Talk: You Can Turn Every Conversation into a Magic Moment (Hardcover)

This book is more for business men making conversation than shy people. Farber helps to make your statements more interesting.