We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Conversationally Speaking

Tested New Ways to Increase Your Personal and Social Effectiveness, Updated 2021 Edition

Alan Garner

This is the most popular book in the world for learning conversational skills. This book teaches simple skills for doing well socially in everyday language, which is why it has been popular in its various editions for 37 years and has sold almost 1 million copies. People all over the world have learned the secrets of effective conversation using Conversationally Speaking. Goodread’s experts chose it as the #1 book (out of 42) for people who want to learn conversational skills. The experts at Internet site SocialSelf just named it the best book you can find on the subject.

This revised edition provides more ways to improve your conversational skills by asking questions that promote conversation, learning how to listen so that others will be encouraged to talk, reducing anxiety in social situations and more.

Alan Garner, MA, is a nationally known communications consultant and a longtime teacher. He has taught hundreds of "Conversationally Speaking" workshops and over 5 million copies of his books have been sold worldwide. Dr. Mandy Caporelli is an Associate Professor of Speech at Penn State University. Each week, she teaches the skills in this book to hundreds of students.

Toastmaster Magazine writes: "'Conversationally Speaking' is the classic how-to book in social communication."

Carolyn Hax, a columnist for the "Washington Post,” whose work appears in 200 newpapers, writes, “Alan Garner is brilliant at teaching social skills to those who need or want to start at the beginning- who feel they somehow missed out on life classes that everyone else got to attend."

"Conversationally Speaking" is recommended by hundreds of therapists for people who want better relationships. These include Dr. Albert Ellis, the founder of the Rational Emotive School of Psychology, who called this book: "An exceptionally clear, highly effective book on conversational skills that uniquely includes a very sensible and useful section on rational thinking."

Aaron Beck, MD, University Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania wrote: "'Conversationally Speaking' is of great value for people who want to sharpen their skills in interpersonal relations. I routinely recommend it."

Read on Amazon
Read this for free with Kindle Unlimited

Save this book

Create your own learning path. Save this book to your list so you can find it easily later.
Save

Share

Help others find this book page by sharing it with your friends and followers:

Amazon Buyer Protections & Purchase Guarantee

Protected by Amazon A-to-z Guarantee & generous return policies

Amazon A-to-z Guarantee
Buyer Protection

Amazon A-to-z Guarantee

Every book purchase is protected by the Amazon A-to-z Guarantee. This guarantee covers both the condition of your book and its timely delivery, providing full buyer protection whether you purchase directly from Amazon or from third-party marketplace sellers.

Return Policy

Generous 30-Day Returns & Free Shipping

Generous 30-day return policy on physical books. Amazon makes returns effortless with self-service return labels, drop-off at thousands of local locations (Kohl's, Whole Foods, UPS Stores), and free return shipping on eligible book purchases.

Savings & Discounts

Great Savings & Member Discounts

Maximize your savings with competitive pricing, deep discounts on new and used marketplace copies, bundled textbook rentals, and exclusive member savings through Amazon Prime with free fast delivery.

Formats & Programs

Kindle, Audible & Physical Formats

Read your way across versatile digital and physical formats: instant delivery via Kindle eBooks, unlimited reading with a Kindle Unlimited subscription, audiobook listening with Audible (often featuring a 30-day free trial), or traditional paperback and hardcover editions.

Amazon Purchase Protections & Benefits
Amazon A-to-z Guarantee covering third-party & direct purchases
Generous 30-day return policy with hassle-free drop-off options
Kindle eBook editions with instant delivery on any device
Kindle Unlimited program with access to over 4 million titles
Audible audiobooks with free trial eligibility
Competitive discounts across new, used, and rental copies
Amazon Affiliate Partner Protections Policy details last reviewed: 2026-10-22
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2025 OpenCourser