Best book on persuasion: Jay Heinricks's Thank you for Arguing

We’re doing a book review today.

Jay Heinrich’s 2013 (2007 earlier ed.) book is top notch, a must read for anyone who needs to deliver a message and be taken seriously.

The book is peppered with useful tips in boxes alongside the main text, such as Persuasion alerts, Tips from the Ancients, Argument tools and others.

“The elite of every society large and small, from the playground to the boardroom, are the product of the survival of the decorous. Decorous tells the audience,: Do as I say and as I do.” -Jay Heinricks

“Answer someone who expresses doubt about your idea: “Ok, let’s tweak it.” -JH

The Appendix of the book is a nice “Argument Lab” with a self knowledge test and exercises.

Heinricks makes a nice point of controlling the tense in a conversation…because, according to Aristatle, “all issues boil down to just three”:

• Blame =Past
• Values =Present
• Choice =Future

“If you find yourself a victim, refocus the issue on future choices: ‘How is blaming me going to help us get the next contract'” ?

Fantastic tip: When you’re competing against a superior competitor or suitor, use the future tense against him…

“Act as though you felt compelled to reach your conclusion, despite your own desires.” In other words, cloak your interest. And the best trick of all…

“Make it seem you have no tricks.” -JH

“One of the best ways to define the terms is to redefine it.

And now this: How Wayne in the movie Wayne’s World “redefines” marriage:

“WAYNE: Garth, marriage is punishment for shoplifting in some countries.”

JH

Heinrichs covers the spot fallacies (red herring, the straw man, etc.) very nicely. He tells you whom to trust, how to spot a virtuous persuader. He’s teaching verbal jiu-jitsu. How to speak your audience language. He tells you things I have also said on this blog before such as to never apologize. He tells you how to capture your audience like Cicero did. He gives you the Brad Pitt factor.

Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion stands out in my library, and you should make it yours, too.