Summary

Chapter 1: Speaking in Public makes the subject relevant to the student by a real world example. According to the text, cultivating the art of public speaking lifted a young man named Geoffrey Canada from his childhood in the South Bronx to his successful founding of the Harlem Children's Zone in 1990. He has raised more than $100 million over the years for the project. Currently, he gives more than one-hundred presentations a year including those at the White House and other high-profile venues.

After presenting Geoffrey's everyday citizen story, the book explores how public speaking has been an essential form of communication for today's world leaders. From President Barack Obama to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the power of public speaking and the presentation of views and ideas have had a lasting impact on society.

The text then delves deeper into the history of...