Let's Talk: How to Have Better Conversations

Product Information

Part how-to and part manifesto, Let's Talk is Nihal's accessible, anecdotal and invigorating toolkit to having better conversations with anyone, any time. Arthanayake stated at the outset that this would be a book written based on his own experience so I was a little wary about how much depth he'd go for. Nihal’s writing is engaging as his interviews, bringing us a book that covers a range of topics including The Evolution of Communication, The Mechanics of Communication.

Which means not only can we become more effective communicators if we choose but that we should not let those who do not employ them off the hook when there is a better alternative. He doesn't put his ego in the way but acts as a tour guide using his vast talent from honing his career on the radio. It reads like an essay, or perhaps a dissertation in 277 pages: introducing the subject, taking the reader through the history of conversation, and then interviews with some 'conversation experts' including a police negotiator, politician in the Northern Ireland peace process, film maker, clinical psychologist and TV chat show host. From tracing the evolution of dialogue to discovering what lights up in the brain when we're enjoying a good discussion, Nihal speaks to conversational authorities including Lorraine Kelly, former president of Ireland Mary McAleese, Professor Tanya Byron, internationally bestselling author Johann Hari, Matthew Syed, and many more, to find out why good conversation has eroded over time and how we can fix it. Host of Today in Focus the Guardian's flagship daily news podcast and one of the top ten most listened to podcasts in the UK.Whilst as a society we can benefit from instant messaging through text and WhatsApp, we are primed to hear rather than see. I hope that most of us won’t be in the positions that some of the interviewees were in, there are lessons to be learned about having better conversations with those we disagree with. Worryingly good'' Jeremy Vine'An insightful, important read' Stacey Dooley'A genuinely brilliant broadcaster' Matthew Syed'Fascinating and thought-provoking' Jane Fallon'Informed, open-minded, fair, astute, caring and funny' Ricky Gervais 'A grand theory of conversation' Dan Snow'The conversation king' Laura Whitmore . That being said, Arthanyake conducted some great interviews for the book and I enjoyed many of his/their insights into conversations and the psychology around the subject. For those who aren’t aware, Nihal Arthanayake is a Radio DJ for BBC Radio 5 Live and the host of the Headliners podcast.

A self-declared passion project which reminds a great radio presenter and his audience that we have two ears, should be curious and find common ground with enemies. Think about how this, and how you can make other people feel when you are interacting with them; however brief that connection may be. This book was on my to-read list the minute I heard it was due to be published in the summer of 2022.The Balance Collective is a social enterprise focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance.

The considered and respectful way he converses with all his guests made me 100% want to read this book. There are times, in a workplace, which means this needs preparation before you start the pre-planned conversation.Brilliant, insightful and a great opportunity to reframe how you talk to people and converse with them as well as most importantly, how you listen. Nihal is nothing less than the most intelligent interviewer in British broadcasting, so I had high expectations for his book on conversations, and it doesn't disappoint. That being said it was an easy read and some of the stories were fun to go through, but if you are looking for ways to have better conversations this isn’t the book. Nihal has a brilliant way of using his voice as a facilitator to help you learn from the experiences of others in a way that are understandable and compelling. Was it challenging, did you learn something – information or insight – and did it create a connection?

As an audiobook format listening to the ‘guests’ and hear their take on how to have good conversations was great but I would’ve like more specific mechanics to learn from. He wants to know what it really means to have a 'great conversation' and, most importantly, how he can teach us to have better interactions in our everyday lives. A book that involves some interesting information to glean about the art of talk, from some interesting people. For other, more casual conversations, it’s the desire to actively listen rather than wait to respond. If the tag line had been something like " stories from my life as a radio host," it wouldn't have felt like such a letdown.Part how-to and part manifesto, Let’s Talk is Nihal’s accessible, anecdotal and invigorating toolkit to having better conversations with anyone, any time. From tracing the evolution of dialogue to discovering what lights up in the brain when we're enjoying a good discussion, Nihal speaks to the experts - from the board room to the criminal courts - to find why good conversation has eroded over time and how we can fix it. I found it really interesting in a number of ways, not least because it made me review my own conversations.