Speak Easy: Mary Lou's Rules for Engaging Conversation

✍ Scribed by Mary Lou Walker and Matthew Calkins

• Publisher: Cupola Press
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 116
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Award-winning teacher Mary Lou Walker presents 10 clear rules to making conversation rewarding and fulfilling in this casual compendium of wit and wisdom. Positing that conversation groups, or colloquies, make the perfect social antidote in today’s culture of tweeting and texting, she infuses each step with valuable life-lessons to help develop character and likability while mastering the art of engaging with others through dialogue. Ideal for starting colloquies in the living room, classroom, or public library, her instructions include: “don’t steal the subject,” “probe, don’t pry,” “don’t take the bait,” and “think before you speak.” Through real-life examples, Mary Lou demonstrates how to “speak easy” with civility on all matters from high brow to low brow, with no topic off-limits.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents......Page 6
Introduction......Page 8
PART ONE: Mary Lou’s Rules......Page 12
Why Rules?......Page 15
Rule One: Don’t Steal the Subject......Page 18
Rule Two: Rely on Raillery (Wit)......Page 26
Rule Three: Avoid “I” Statements......Page 32
Rule Four: Probe, Don’t Pry......Page 40
Rule Five: Participate, Don’t Pontificate......Page 48
Rule Six: Discuss, Don’t Debate......Page 56
Rule Seven: Listen......Page 63
Rule Nine: Think Before You Speak......Page 76
Rule Eight: Learn......Page 70
Rule Ten: Keep Your Cool......Page 84
PART TWO: Applications......Page 92
Starting a Colloquy......Page 94
Table Talk......Page 102
Teaching Conversation: A Sample Curriculum......Page 105
Speak Easy Business Conversation (by Skip Morse)......Page 107
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 112
ABOUT THE AUTHORS......Page 114