by Alison Wood Brooks
Crown, 2025. 305 pages. Nonfiction
Though we do it all the time, Harvard business 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.
Alison Wood Brooks teaches classes on conversation at Harvard, and her points in Talk draw directly from the latest research on conversation. A few interesting takeaways included research showing that small talk is good for us physically and mentally, that having pre-planned topics heading into social settings helps you be more interesting and doesn’t sound rehearsed, and that people like those who laugh a lot and those who ask a lot of questions. Brooks frequently reiterates two facts that might be particularly helpful for the socially anxious: first, that being a good conversationalist is a skill that can be learned rather than an in-born trait, and, second, that people consistently underestimate how much strangers enjoy talking with them. While some of the details will sound familiar if you’ve read other books on charisma and conversation, this is a great introduction to those who are new to the topic or are ready for a refresher.
If you liked Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves, you might also like:
By David Brooks
Random House, 2023. 306 pages. Nonfiction
Drawing from the fields of psychology and neuroscience and from the worlds of theater, philosophy, history and education, one of the nation's leading writers and commentators helps us become more understanding and considerate toward others, and to find the joy that comes from being seen.
by Charles Duhigg
Random House, 2024. 299 pages. Nonfiction
Supercommunicators know the importance of recognizing, and then matching, each kind of conversation, and how to hear the complex emotions, subtle negotiations, and deeply held beliefs that color so much of what we say and how we listen. In this book, you will learn why some people are able to make themselves heard, and to hear others, so clearly. Charles Duhigg teaches the tips and skills we need to navigate conversations more successfully.
SGR
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