Best Public Speaking Reference Books of 2025

Wilson Cook Avatar
Wilson Cook
Last Updated: Apr 24, 2023

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Public speaking reference books are essential tools for anyone looking to improve their communication skills. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced speaker, these books can help you develop your ability to engage and persuade your audience. Some popular titles include "The Art of Public Speaking" by Dale Carnegie and Joseph Berg Esenwein, "Speak With No Fear" by Mike Acker, and "TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking" by Chris Anderson. These books cover a range of topics, from overcoming stage fright to crafting a compelling speech, and are written by experts in the field. With the help of these reference books, anyone can become a confident and effective public speaker.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating Cover#TOP 1
Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating
ftb score rating icon9.8
Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds Cover#TOP 2
Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds
ftb score rating icon9.7
How to Tell a Story Cover#TOP 3
How to Tell a Story
ftb score rating icon9.5

Top 10 Public Speaking Reference Books

#TOP 1

Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating

Hasan, Mehdi
Feb 28, 2023
Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating Cover
Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking
ftb score rating icon9.8
FTB Score

Win Every Argument is a timely guide to the art of argument and rhetoric, offering readers the tools to communicate confidently and win debates in the real world. Written by journalist and MSNBC anchor, Mehdi Hasan, the book reveals his tricks of the trade for the first time, drawing on his experience of clashing with politicians, generals, spy chiefs, and celebrities. Hasan lays bare the essential elements of how to delight, instruct, and move an audience, from Demosthenes to Churchill, Cicero to Martin Luther King. This book is an entertaining primer on rhetorical techniques and a masterpiece of rhetorical argument and effective persuasion.

#TOP 2

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds

Gallo, Carmine
St. Martin's Griffin
Mar 10, 2015
Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds Cover
Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds
ftb score rating icon9.7
FTB Score

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds by Carmine Gallo is a must-read for anyone who wants to improve their public speaking skills. Gallo breaks down the most successful TED talks and interviews the top presenters to reveal the nine secrets of all successful TED presentations. He presents a step-by-step method that can help anyone deliver a presentation that is engaging, persuasive, and memorable. The book draws on current brain science to explain what wins over an audience and what doesn't. Overall, this dynamic work focused on storytelling, is filled with examples from TED Talks, and is sure to be a hit with anyone who wants to be a more successful communicator.

#TOP 3

How to Tell a Story

The Moth
Bowles, Meg
Burns, Catherine
Hixson, Jenifer
Jenness, Sarah Austin
Tellers, Kate
Kumanyika, Chenjerai
Lakshmi, Padma
Apr 26, 2022
How to Tell a Story Cover
How to Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from The Moth
ftb score rating icon9.5
FTB Score

The Moth, a leader in modern storytelling, shares their secrets in "How to Tell a Story." Drawing on 25 years of experience, the directors provide tips on crafting memorable stories that connect with any audience. From mining your memories to exploring structures that boost impact, this book covers it all. It also includes examples from beloved storytellers like Neil Gaiman and Tig Notaro. Whether you're giving a wedding toast or acing a job interview, this book will help you connect authentically with the world around you. Overall, "How to Tell a Story" is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their storytelling skills.

#TOP 4

How to Talk to Anyone

Bailey, Lucas
Jan 3, 2023
How to Talk to Anyone Cover
How to Talk to Anyone: Communicate with Confidence and Charisma, Using Charm, Banter and Better Small Talk (How to Master Your Communication Skills, ... of Influence, and Read People Like a Book.)
ftb score rating icon9.5
FTB Score

How to Talk to Anyone by Lucas Bailey is a communication skills book that aims to help readers become an irresistible communication powerhouse. The author shares practical exercises to help readers build rapport, develop their personal charm, and use emotional intelligence to build trust and lasting friendships. The book also delves into deeper psychological principles that drive human connection and influence. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their communication skills in both social and career settings.

#TOP 5

The World Is Waiting for You

Grove, Tara
Ostrer, Isabel
The New Press
Apr 1, 2015
The World Is Waiting for You Cover
The World Is Waiting for You: Graduation Speeches to Live By from Activists, Writers, and Visionaries
ftb score rating icon9.4
FTB Score

The World Is Waiting for You is a collection of inspiring commencement speeches from notable figures such as Wynton Marsalis, Toni Morrison, and Gloria Steinem. The book is a perfect gift for graduates who are looking for motivation and guidance as they embark on their journey. The speeches cover a range of topics, from feminism to empathy, and urge readers to be true to themselves and to make a positive impact on the world. Overall, this book is a great source of inspiration and encouragement for anyone looking to make a difference in their lives and in the world.

#TOP 6

Ted Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking

Anderson, Chris
Harper Business
Apr 4, 2017
Ted Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking Cover
Ted Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking
ftb score rating icon9.2
FTB Score

The book "Ted Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking" by Chris Anderson is an invaluable guide that explains how to create powerful speeches that can electrify a room and change people's minds. Anderson, who has worked with all the TED speakers who have inspired us the most, shares insights from such favorites as Sir Ken Robinson, Salman Khan, Monica Lewinsky, and more. This book may restore rhetoric to its time-honored place as one of the essential skills of an educated citizen. Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to give a compelling speech and transform the audience's worldview.

#TOP 7

The Art of Public Speaking

Lucas, Stephen
Feb 22, 2019
The Art of Public Speaking Cover
The Art of Public Speaking (International Edition)
ftb score rating icon9.0
FTB Score

The Art of Public Speaking (International Edition) by Stephen Lucas is a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to improve their public speaking skills. The book has been fully updated for its thirteenth edition and comes with a proven set of teaching and learning tools that make it the most widely used college textbook on its subject in the world. The book is suitable for both experienced and novice instructors, offering a fully customizable foundation and an abundance of teaching aids. Overall, The Art of Public Speaking is an excellent reference book for anyone looking to improve their public speaking skills.

#TOP 8

The Wedding Officiant's Guide: How to Write and Conduct a Perfect Ceremony

Francesca, Lisa
Chronicle Books
Dec 2, 2014
The Wedding Officiant's Guide: How to Write and Conduct a Perfect Ceremony Cover
The Wedding Officiant's Guide: How to Write and Conduct a Perfect Ceremony (-)
ftb score rating icon8.8
FTB Score

The Wedding Officiant's Guide by Lisa Francesca is an essential resource for novice officiants who want to conduct a perfect ceremony. With the rise of friends and family members officiating weddings, this book breaks down the entire process, from becoming an ordained officiant to drafting and performing a moving ceremony. The author shares empowering advice, suggested readings, stories and lessons learned from new officiants, and practical tips from wedding planners. Written in an engaging and friendly tone, this inviting handbook will help new officiants write and deliver a wedding ceremony that fulfills marriage laws, delights guests, and honors the marrying couple. A must-read for anyone officiating a wedding!

#TOP 9

Eloquence: The Hidden Secret of Words that Change the World

Andrei, Peter
Independently published
Aug 26, 2020
Eloquence: The Hidden Secret of Words that Change the World Cover
Eloquence: The Hidden Secret of Words that Change the World (Speak for Success)
ftb score rating icon8.8
FTB Score

Eloquence: The Hidden Secret of Words that Change the World (Speak for Success) is a communication skills book that reveals the forgotten frameworks and formulas of powerful language. The author explains how ancient Greeks found hidden patterns in language that have been proven to impact and influence people. The book includes checklists, diagrams, and infographics to help readers structure clear arguments, tell engaging stories, and make their ideas memorable. Overall, Eloquence is a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their public speaking skills and unlock instant and easy eloquence.

#TOP 10

TED Talks Storytelling: 23 Storytelling Techniques

Karia, Akash
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Jan 11, 2015
TED Talks Storytelling: 23 Storytelling Techniques Cover
TED Talks Storytelling: 23 Storytelling Techniques from the Best TED Talks
ftb score rating icon8.8
FTB Score

This book, TED Talks Storytelling: 23 Storytelling Techniques from the Best TED Talks, is an insightful read for anyone looking to improve their communication skills. The author breaks down over 200 TED talks to identify the commonality among all the great speeches: storytelling. The book teaches advanced storytelling techniques and provides case studies from popular TED talks to show how to craft and present stories in a way that keeps the audience engaged. The author's approach is practical and easy to implement, making it a valuable resource for anyone giving presentations or speeches. Overall, this book is an excellent guide for those looking to improve their communication skills through storytelling.

Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What books should I read to be well spoken?

5 Best Books to Improve Articulation. It's the Way You Say It: Becoming Articulate, Well-Spoken, and Clear by Carol A. ... On Speaking Well: How to Give a Speech With Style, Substance, and Clarity by Peggy Noonan.How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie.

2. Does reading books help with public speaking?

Expand your Vocabulary In fact, reading is one of the best ways to increase your vocabulary because it only introduces you to new words, but also demonstrates the usage of these words. This makes it easier for you to incorporate these new words in your daily life, speeches and presentations.

3. What are 7 public speaking elements?

The speech delivery process begins with the speaker. The effectiveness of the delivery will depend on their level of preparation, credibility, and knowledge of the topic. As a speaker, you should ensure you do enough research, prepare at length, and practice so that you impress your audience.

Editor's Notes

During our public speaking reference book research, we found 1,200+ public speaking reference book products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 21,453 customer reviews through our big data system to write the public speaking reference books list. We found that most customers choose public speaking reference books with an average price of $11.36.

Written by
Wilson Cook Avatar

Wilson Cook is a talented writer who has an MFA in creative writing from Williams College and has published more than 50 books acquired by hundreds of thousands of people from various countries by now. He is an inveterate reading lover as he has read a vast amount of books since childhood.