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The Art of Conversation: A Guided Tour of a Neglected Pleasure by Catherine Blyth
By Diana O’Neill
Turn off your phone, close the chat window, step away from the e-mail and let’s have a talk. We are inundated with so many methods to communicate that we barely know how to do it when we are standing face to face.
Diana O'Neill
At least that is the case Catherine Blyth makes in her book, The Art of Conversation: A Guided Tour of a Neglected Pleasure. In today’s Twitter-speak age, her words should be considered and perhaps (gasp!) even discussed. This is not a Luddite manifesto on why technology is actually going against its initial purpose to bring us closer, when in reality it’s widening the gap. Instead this is a deft and refreshing look at how the need to appreciate the actual art of conversation in today’s modern world is relevant now more than ever.
Blyth’s observations are witty and provoke you to take a step back to reflect on what she considers a lost art. What’s extremely interesting about her argument, is that after reading only a few lines, you are bound to find yourself striking up a conversation, reflecting the fact that you are indeed reading a book about the gift of gab. That in itself should be an indication of how appropriate Blyth’s observations are. She conveys her sentiments smoothly, as they weave together, much like prose. This small but concise book packs a punch to where we all need it most ñ itís a proverbial slap in the mouth to encourage us to talk to each other already.
The book is littered with examples, both historical and present-day, which further support Blyth’s point that banter is just not what it used to be. All aspects of conversation are up for review and analyzed here: from the ice-breaking “hello,” to mindless chitchat and pillow talk–Blyth even praises the fine art of using communication to tell a lie. One would reckon that with all of modern technologyís linked-in social networking tools, that these innate skills are put to good use on a constant basis. However, the spoken word is often taken for granted, and as such, The Art of Conversation intends to light a fire within and encourages us to ramble on.
But all is not lost, despite the title, as she provides solutions which will hopefully motivate the Blackberry-owning, Facebook-chat junkies and MSN-addicts who tend to unknowingly avoid the opportunity for a vocal hello or even some simple eye contact. We know there is no shortage of communication; but itís all about recognizing our choices and making the conscious, but simple, effort to indulge in the finer aspects of discourse. Learn to appreciate the voice, and strike up a conversation with that sales clerk who rings this book through for you.
Diana O’Neill is just shy of her three-year anniversary of working in the independent book selling industry. Her full-time job (if you can call it that) allows her unlimited access to any title you can possibly dream of reading and currently she writes monthly reviews for other publications in the Okanagan. She will read anything with words, but really cares for the non-fiction variety, especially edgy or quirky topics that are bound to stir discussion. O’Neill is a graduate of the Conestoga College Journalism – Print and Broadcast program, in Kitchener, Ont.
One Response to “Read All Over: The Art of Conversation”
Tags: diana o'neill, the art of conversation: a guided tour of a neglected pleasure
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Bravo! Enjoyed this. The cool thing about all my social web is it has expanded my conversation range. When I can share words on topics with people like Seth godin and Naomi Kline, online rocks. That said Diana next time I’m in the store we will talk.
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