Talk Back

shaw · Java Man Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Posts: 1025

I wound up on some website, and this book was available for download. I just wanted to glance at it because of the subtitle: And how to ensure they won't happen to yours. Unfortunately, of all the documents on the site, this was the one that had a screwed up link. I emailed the site owner, just because I thought he'd want to know. A week later, a nicely printed and bound copy appeared in my mailbox, with color graphics on thick pages. In other words, I got a book for free, and thus felt obligated to read it cover-to-cover.

I think this is THE book for a presentor who has never read a book on presenting before. It only takes an hour to read, and does a very nice job about hitting the important points. And "the important points" isn't just Goodman (or Shaw's) idea of what is important - the book came after a study about people's reactions to presentations, and the details of the study are in the back of the book. He recommends using powerpoint, which I hate, but he makes a good case that the things I hate about powerpoint presentations are examples of misuse of the tool, but not the fault of the tool itself. He quotes Peter Norvig: "Using Powerpoint is like having a loaded AK-47 on the table: You can do very bad things with it."

There is one "cute" graphic of the kind that I loathe, but "visual learners" are reputed to lick up like ants at a treacle factory. I do have to say, though, I remember the content of the chapter (a sample way to organize a one hour presentation) extremely well, primarily because that picture is in my brain.

The book starts by discussing why presentations fail, then there is a chapter on building better presentations, on improving delivery, on powerpoint, and then one on logistics. There is a very nice, short, "what do I read next" section as well.

Can I say I learned anything beyond what I picked up in seven years of Toastmasters? Probably not, although my attitudes on powerpoint probably shifted. But this book did get me to thinking about the last presentation I gave that I wasn't happy with. It reminded me of some fundamentals that I've been ignoring, and so it was good for me.

(You can download a free copy at www.agoodmanonline.com, according to the back cover)

Eisworth · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 6:33 pm Post subject:

I just ordered my free copy.
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Todd Eisworth
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Ohio University

Eisworth · Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 8:24 pm Post subject:

....and it just arrived today.

In the nick of time! I'm giving a Colloquium next Tuesday, then speaking to the freshmen honors seminar the week after, and then finally heading to Toronto for a conference in honor of my advisor's 60th bday...
_________________
Todd Eisworth
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Ohio University

shaw · Java Man Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Posts: 1025

I would be very interested to know if you find it useful.

Eisworth · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:07 am Post subject:

It seems quite helpful at first read --- I've never "trained" as a public speaker in any fashion, so it was comforting to know that a lot of what I do is reasonable. We'll see how much of this can be implemented in a Math Department Colloquium!
_________________
Todd Eisworth
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Ohio University