Thank You For Arguing: What Aristotle, Eminem And Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About The Art Of Persuasion

This is a book for when you really have to get your point across.... Rhetoric - the art and science of persuasion - is not just an important skill, but the essential skill. We live our lives surrounded by persuasion: by posters, Coca Cola labels, politicians' press releases, cartoons and pop songs. Using all kinds of contemporary examples (from how Eminem really won the rapping contest in Eight Mile to how a cat coerces its owner into feeding it sooner) to illustrate classical rhetorical strategies, Jay Heinrichs opens our eyes to this hidden world. He teaches us not only to recognise these implicit, subliminal attempts at argument, but how to use these skills to get our own way. From avoiding a speeding ticket to recognising the difference between an argument and a fight, from Stalin's timing secret (and if it worked for the mass-murdering dictator it can work for you) to the Belushi paradigm, via the tactics of Monty Python, Yoda and Queen Victoria, Thank You For Arguing is not just a highly enjoyable read, but an incredibly useful one too. From Cicero's secrets for moving an audience to Honest Abe's Shameless Trick, learn how to argue and most importantly how to win.