Public Speaking Books

Public speaking is a valuable skill that can make or break the success of a person in different areas of life. Some people have an innate talent for public speaking, while others may have to develop their skills through rigorous learning and practice. 

A very effective way to hone your public speaking ability is to read public speaking books. Reading such books can familiarize you with new ways of conversation or communication. With this, you can replace your old communication methods with new sentences or phrases you learn while reading. 

Must-Read Public Speaking Books for Aspiring Speakers

Now that you know how public speaking books can have a positive impact on your way of speaking, you should know which books to go through first. Here are a few of the best public speaking books for beginners or aspiring speakers that can help you through the process. 

1. The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen Lucas
2. Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun
3. TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking by Chris Anderson
4. Do You Talk Funny?: 7 Comedy Habits to Become a Better Public Speaker by David Nihill
5. Out with It by Katherine Preston

With these books, you are all set on the right path of your voyage to ace in public speaking. 

The Classics: Timeless Public Speaking Books for Skill Development

Here’s a collection of the classics - timeless public speaking books that can aid in developing your skills. Get access to a range of techniques and methods that can help you through the journey of learning to speak in public. 

1. The Art of Public Speaking by Dale Carnegie
2. Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds by Carmine Gallo
3. Speak like Churchill, Stand like Lincoln by James C. Humes
4. How to Deliver a TED Talk: Secrets of the World’s Most Inspiring Presentations by Jeremey Donovan
5. Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery by Gary Reynolds

All these classic books are great references if you want to learn the art of public speaking. Irrespective of whether you want to deliver a speech at a meeting, networking event or anywhere else, you can refer to these.

From Fear to Fluency: Books to Overcome Public Speaking Anxiety

Public speaking books can improve your style of speaking in public and make you an effective communicator through tips that are published. They help you handle your speech anxiety by elaborating various factors like stage fear, nervousness, and other aspects that can obstruct your performance. The below books can help you overcome your public speaking anxiety. 

1. Speak with No Fear by Mike Acker
2. Talking with Confidence for the Painfully Shy by Don Gabor
3. iConquer Speech Anxiety and Interview Anxiety by Karen Kangas Dwyer
4. Confidence-Charisma, Public Speaking and Social Anxiety by Cameron Laws
5. Taking the Terror Out of Public Speaking by Quinton Teamer

These books can finally help you overcome your fear and achieve fluency - you can soon become an engaging and confident orator. 

Books by Successful Public Speakers

The best way to become a successful public speaker is to follow the tips given by public speakers who are already successful. So, here are the best books by such speakers that you can refer to:

1. The Power of Story: Change Your Story, Change your Destiny in Business and in Life by Jim Loehr
2. The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking: Dale Carnegie
3. The Naked Presenter: Delivering Powerful Presentations with or without Slides by Garr Reynolds
4. The Presentation Coach: Bare Knuckle Brilliance for Every Presenter by Graham G. Davies
5. The Elements of Great Public Speaking: How to Be Calm, Confident, and Compelling by J. Lyman Macinnis

This series of the best-selling books by successful public speakers can help you develop self-confidence and connect with your audience successfully. 

The Business of Speaking: Books on Professional Public Speaking Career

If you are serious about building your career in professional public speaking, then you ought to read these books. 

1. Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences by Nancy Duarte
2. 50 Public Speaking Tips by Charles Jensen
3. Talk Less, Say More by Connie Dieken
4. Public Speaking Mastery by Maple Ridenour
5. The Art of Public Speaking by John R. Hale

Get into the business of speaking in public and master the art with these books for your reference. You can even get a public speaking audio book version. 

FAQs

How can I learn public speaking by myself? 

There are many ways in which you can learn public speaking by yourself from the comfort of your home. 

• Watch a TED talk every day.
• Practice in front of the mirror or family member.
• Film yourself and watch the footage.
• Read public speaking books and follow the tips given.

Do public speakers make money? 

Yes, public speakers do make money. They get paid a fee to share their tips in front of the audience. Sometimes, they also get a certain percentage of money from the sale of tickets to the event. 

Public speakers also make money by offering private consultations, hosting workshops or seminars, and advertising for products in their speech. 

Is it hard to be a public speaker? 

Becoming a public speaker is quite difficult as it is not something that you can achieve overnight. It needs a lot of patience, perseverance, and hard work. You have to put in efforts to master a topic so that you can be confident of speaking about it in public. 

There is a lot of internal and external pressure in the process of becoming a public speaker, including self-efficacy, lack of confidence, judgments of others, and battling emotions like anxiety, apprehensions, and fear. You have to overcome all these to be successful in public speaking. 

Does reading improve public speaking?

Yes, reading significantly improves public speaking as it has a positive impact. Reading can enhance several aspects of the way in which you speak - from grammar, vocabulary, and use of special expressions to fluency, confidence during communication, and a lot more.