Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves -- Alison Wood

<b>A groundbreaking book that reveals the hidden architecture of our conversations and how even small improvements can have a profound impact on our relationships in work and life--from a celebrated Harvard Business School professor and leading expert on the psychology of conversation.</b> <p/>All of us can struggle with difficult conversations, but we're often not very good at the easy ones either. Though we do it all the time, Harvard 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. <p/>In <i>Talk</i>, Brooks shows why conversing a <i>little </i>more effectively can make a <i>big </i>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. The key is her TALK Maxims: <p/><b>T</b>opics: Choose topics and manage them well<br><b>A</b>sking: Ask more questions<br><b>L</b>evity: Use humor to keep conversations fizzy<br><b>K</b>indness: Prioritize their partners conversational needs <p/>Through experiments ranging across the conversational spectrum--from speed daters who ask too few