The Speaker: The Tradition and Practice of Public Speaking

Speech is both a skill and a field of study. Today, however, the rich tradition of speech communication studies is either reduced to a few quick mentions of Aristotle and Cicero, or at worst, lost altogether. Why have we forgotten where we come from, and more importantly, why are we not sharing those origins with our students? In The Speaker, the authors bring extensive tradition to the forefront of public speaking instruction while also maintaining the skills aspect. The text fuses the ageless speech principles developed during the Classical Period with more contemporary advances. This provides students with a strong foundation for developing speeches and presentations in the classroom, the boardroom, or the stage. In short, they help students understand the "why" behind the "how" in effective public speaking.