Reclaim the pleasures and possibilities of great conversation with this sparkling guide from the witty pen of an Englishwoman wise to its art

Every day we use cell phones and computers to communicate, but it's easy to forget that we possess a communication technology that has been in research and development for thousands of years. Catherine Blyth points out the sorry state of disrepair that conversation has fallen into-and then, taking examples from history, literature, philosophy, anthropology, and popular culture, she gives us the tools to rebuild.

The Art of Conversation isn't about etiquette, elocution, or knowing how to hold your teacup with your little finger crooked just so. It's about something simple and profound: connecting. Conversation costs nothing, but can bring you the world, because it transcends the ability to talk to anyone. What transforms encounters into adventures is how we listen, laugh, flirt, and flatter. Blyth celebrates techniques for reading and changing minds, whether you're in a bar or a boardroom.

As Alexander Pope nearly wrote, "True ease in talking comes from art, not chance, as those move easiest who have learned to dance." When you have read The Art of Conversation, you'll not only know the steps, but hear the music like never before....

Abridged CDs • 2 CDs, 2 hours

A wide-ranging, exhortatory look at the pleasures of great conversation, including strategies for how to bring it about, from the witty pen of an Englishwoman wise in its ways....

We need to talk.

Do these words fill you with dread? It's time to hear their promise, and revel in an art that anyone can master. Conversation costs nothing. Let it bring you the world.

In challenging times, great conversationalists have a huge advantage. Why not join them? Get on with others, and you will get on in life. And enjoy it far more.

A communication technology that has been in research and development for thousands of years, conversation not only saves time but also hugely enriches it. This everyday magic is unbeatable for improving your mood, boosting your brain, and enriching friendship. And the qualities of a good conversation are those we want of the people around us, which is why the best conversationalists get dates, win contracts.

Because conversation is not just about how to talk to anyone. It's about connecting, through the host of tools we have for reading and changing minds. About how and why we laugh, how we flirt, how we flatter, and most important of all: how we listen....