Customer Reviews

Secrets Of Superstar Speakers: Wisdom from the Greatest Motivators of Our Time

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I really wasn't as enthused about this book as the other reviewers. And I'm writing my review because I based my purchase of this book on the many glowing reviews preceding mine.

I bought Secrets of Superstar Speakers thinking I would learn the tips the superstar speakers used so I could use them myself. But Walters only superficially goes into those tips. And many of these tips were obvious and seemed to be "filler". For instance, one section tells you how to stay motivated in the lean years, and tips from "superstars" include: loving what you do, hanging in there, there's no quick fix, and having faith. This advice sounded trite and isn't much help to a reader who's looking for simple speaking tips.

When Walters finally touches on practical and useful superstar tips, she delves into them only superficially and often advises the reader to read her other previously published books to learn more. In fact, Walters plugs her other books quite a bit throughout.

I was also disappointed that the only superstar speakers Walters discusses are motivational speakers. I hadn't realized this was going to be the case, despite the subtitle "Wisdom from the greatest motivators of our time." I thought this book would include great businesspeople, salespeople, lecturers, who are also talented motivators (they motivate you to buy, sell, do, etc.). If you've got more than Tony Robbins-type motivation to talk about, then this book is not for you.

I also felt that Walter's advice was repetetive. She would suggest a tip only to repeat it again on the same page and the next page and the next. Funny enough, the tip to repeat your message was repeated ad nauseum.

The grammar and writing skills were sorely lacking, which was distracting and detracting. To wit, on page 226: "As you put all of these skills on the platform, remembering to appear natural and unrehearsed, takes a great deal of preparation and practice." Sentences like this had me shaking my head.

Only when you get to the last 40 or so pages, you get good meaty tips, which is why I gave this review 2 stars instead of just 1. But the rest of the book is really just superficial filler about motivational speakers.

Finally, I have to say that I also found it offensive that the author managed to squeeze in references to God, religion and Christianity on practically every page. It doesn't seem to occur to her that her readers might be of another religion or might not be religious at all. And since this is not a book about religion, I felt the vast number of religious references were entirely unwarranted.

Lilly Walters focuses on the success stories of 19 top speakers and their hints for speaking well. She highlights their backgrounds, turning points and key sayings, and then provides tips on becoming a top speaker using their methods for developing and giving effective presentations. Hearing what these speakers say about the principles of good speechmaking is interesting, but their "insider" tips are pretty obvious, even to an outsider. Most of their advice is widely known within the speaking industry and is presented here repetitively. Don't be put off by the "read this resume" nature of the initial introductions, because they put the speakers in context and show their success. We [...] recommend this book to virgin public speakers or those who want a refreshing booster, to those who book big-name talkers, or to those who like to read recreationally about celebrities and their ideas.

If you are a speaker, want to be a speaker or just love listening to speakers, you will love this book. The "Secrets" of the Superstar Speakers are packed with wisdom and insight. You'll love learning about your favorites plus gain valuable information for any area of your life in which you want to succeed.

This book imparts many pearls of wisdom, however it could have been better edited and organized. It is presented in a way which does not help the reader organize their thoughts and approach.

I've been a professional speaker, trainer and consultant for over 20 years now, and this has got to be one of the best (top-3) books on pro speaking I've ever read. I wish I'd picked it up years ago.

Inspirational and moving, the hundreds of paragraphs of tips from top speakers like Brian Tracy, Mark Victor Hansen, Tony Robbins and of course the Walters are absolutely vital, extremely helpful (even at this stage in my career - this one will really help me!), and a wonderfully valuable book.

I've bought virtually every book on public speaking available, and this one is one that touched me a lot, on both personal and professional levels. Think of it like an "inspiration for those who speak", sharing the deep, personal insights from some of the world's top speakers.

This one's a must-get if you are a seminar presenter or speaker. Bravo!

Thanks,

Ken Calhoun

What I like most about Lily's book is that she takes the words right from the speakers. She goes into their personal experiences and lessons, and records their own feelings about these experiences. She gives a story from Tony Robbins about how he got started, and it's actually fairly informative. I haven't seen this story anywhere else, and I've read a fair amount of his material. I personally would like to hear as much as possible from the actual speakers, since they are obviously the ones out there living the lessons. Lily's contacts and research make this a valuable and interesting book.

This book was fascinating. I especially liked the thoughts and reasons of those who heard a great speaker and how it resulted in changing their lives. It made me think about what is IMPORTANT to include when I need to create a speech. The best book I've read on speaking...very insightful. Well done.

this is great book and was very helpful. I highly recommend this book to others.

I like this book! It contains good basic information that a new speaker needs to know and an experienced speaker needs to re-think about from time to time. I found the way it was written appealing; the author presents information to be a great speaker and uses messages from superstars.

Hats off to Lilly Walters for her inspiring book on Superstar Speakers. If you were ever inspired to be a speaker, a leader, a motivator, a facilitator or live your life to the fullest, this book is a must. The secrets revealed by Superstars are valuable tools to achieving success. Their down to earth inside journey to fame encourages readers to realize that success isn't "just" for others. We now hold the key and have access to the necessary tools to actually follow and live our dreams.