The Art of Civilized Conversation by Shepherd, Margaret -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Acknowledgments Introduction I What Conversations Are Made Of

Tools of the Trade: Your Voice, Face, and Body Greetings and Introductions How to Say Hello How to Introduce Yourself How to Introduce Others Joining a Conversation Opening Lines and Small Talk The Old Standbys Small-Talk Saboteurs The Heart of the Conversation Follow the Four Steps in Order Stay on Track Listen Speak with Care Saying Good-bye

II Ten Rules of Conversation

Tell the Truth Don’t Ramble Don’t Interrupt Ask Questions and Listen to the Answers Don’t Take Advantage of People Don’t Dwell on Appearances Don’t Touch Taboo Topics Disagree in a Civilized Fashion Don’t Be a Bore Don’t Gossip

III Rescue Conversations from Blunders

Everybody Blunders Stop Before You Speak Simply Apologize How to Respond to Someone Else’s Blunder How to Respond When Someone Insults You on Purpose

IV Make Conversations Count

How to Say Please How to Say Thank You How to Say Congratulations How to Receive a Compliment How to Say “I Don’t Like What You Did” How to Say No How to Say “I Commiserate” How to Say “I Apologize” How to Accept an Apology

V Change Situations into Conversations

During a Chance Encounter In the Elevator On the Bus or in the Bleachers In a Waiting Room At a Coffee Hour or a Cocktail Hour At a Sit-down Dinner At a Committee Meeting In a Receiving Line At a Shower In the Hospital At a Wake or Funeral, and Afterward

VI Conversations with Younger and Older People

How to Talk with Children How to Talk with Teenagers and Young Adults How to Talk with Grown-ups How to Talk with Your In-Laws How to Talk with the Parents of Your Significant Other How to Talk with Much Older People

VII Conversations Between Men and Women

Topics of Conversation: His, Hers, Theirs Two Views of One Conversation Two Sets of Tools Romantic or Platonic? Keep Talking

VIII Conversations with All Kinds of People

IX Conversations on the Telephone, over the Internet, and on Paper

Conversations on the Telephone Conversations Online When a Conversation Is Better on Paper Only Connect

Bibliography