Talk (Paperback)

Alison Wood Brooks

ISBN 10: 0593443519 / ISBN 13: 9780593443514

Published by Random House USA Inc, New York, 2026

About this Item

Paperback. A groundbreaking book that reveals the hidden architecture of our conversations and how even small improvements can have a profound impact on our relationships in work and lifefrom a celebrated Harvard Business School professor and leading expert on the psychology of conversation.Alison Wood Brooks brings to life the science of conversation, in which she is a world expert, with the utmost warmth, empathy, and joy.Angela Duckworth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of GritAll of us can struggle with difficult conversations, but were often not very good at the easy ones either. Though we do it all the time, Harvard professor Alison Wood Brooks argues that conversation is one of the most complex, demanding, and delicate of all human tasks, rife with possibilities for misinterpretation and misunderstanding. And yet conversations can also be a source of great joy, each one offering an opportunity to express who we are and learn who others areto feel connected, loved, and alive.In Talk, Brooks shows why conversing a little more effectively can make a big difference in the quality of our close personal relationships as well as our professional success. Drawing on the new science of conversation, Brooks distills lessons that show how we can better understand, learn from, and delight each other. The key is her TALK Maxims:Topics: Choose topics and manage them wellAsking: Ask more questionsLevity: Use humor to keep conversations fizzyKindness: Prioritize their partners conversational needsThrough experiments ranging across the conversational spectrumfrom speed daters who ask too few questions (or too many), to future business leaders averse to topic forethought, to traffic stops that reveal the essence of kind languageBrooks takes us inside the world of conversation, giving us the confidence and the advice to approach any interaction with more creativity and compassion.Addressing our face-to-face conversations as well as those we have by phone, email, text, and social media, Talk is a thoughtful guide for anyone seeking to better establish and sustain their relationships. From managing our emotions and sparking creativity to navigating conflict and being more inclusive, the right conversation skills just might be the key to leading a more purposeful life. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780593443514

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Talk (Paperback)
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc, New York
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593443519
• ISBN 13: 9780593443514
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

A groundbreaking book that reveals the hidden architecture of our conversations and how even small improvements can have a profound impact on our relationships in work and life—from a celebrated Harvard Business School professor and leading expert on the psychology of conversation.

“Alison Wood Brooks brings to life the science of conversation, in which she is a world expert, with the utmost warmth, empathy, and joy.”—Angela Duckworth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grit

All of us can struggle with difficult conversations, but we’re often not very good at the easy ones either. Though we do it all the time, Harvard professor Alison Wood Brooks argues that conversation is one of the most complex, demanding, and delicate of all human tasks, rife with possibilities for misinterpretation and misunderstanding. And yet conversations can also be a source of great joy, each one offering an opportunity to express who we are and learn who others are—to feel connected, loved, and alive.

In Talk, Brooks shows why conversing a little more effectively can make a big difference in the quality of our close personal relationships as well as our professional success. Drawing on the new science of conversation, Brooks distills lessons that show how we can better understand, learn from, and delight each other. The key is her TALK Maxims:

Topics: Choose topics and manage them well
Asking: Ask more questions
Levity: Use humor to keep conversations fizzy
Kindness: Prioritize their partners conversational needs

Through experiments ranging across the conversational spectrum—from speed daters who ask too few questions (or too many), to future business leaders averse to topic forethought, to traffic stops that reveal the essence of kind language—Brooks takes us inside the world of conversation, giving us the confidence and the advice to approach any interaction with more creativity and compassion.

Addressing our face-to-face conversations as well as those we have by phone, email, text, and social media, Talk is a thoughtful guide for anyone seeking to better establish and sustain their relationships. From managing our emotions and sparking creativity to navigating conflict and being more inclusive, the right conversation skills just might be the key to leading a more purposeful life.

About the Author

Dr. Alison Wood Brooks is the O’Brien Associate Professor of Business Administration and Hellman Faculty Fellow at the Harvard Business School. She studies the behavioral science of conversation, teaches an award-winning course in the MBA curriculum called TALK, and chairs a program for executives called Communicating for Impact. She was named a Best 40 Under 40 Business School Professor by Poets & Quants.