Prologue: The New Age of Fire ix
Foundation
1. Presentation Literacy: The Skill You Can Build 3
2. Idea Building: The Gift in Every Great Talk 11
3. Common Traps: Four Talk Styles to Avoid 22
4. The Throughline: What's Your Point? 30
Talk Tools
5. Connection: Get Personal 47
6. Narration: The Irresistible Allure of Stories 63
7. Explanation: HOW to Explain Tough Concepts 72
8. Persuasion: Reason Can Change Minds Forever 86
9. Revelation: Take My Breath Away! 97
Preparation Process
10. Visuals: Those Slides Hurt! 113
11. Scripting: To Memorize or Not to Memorize? 130
12. Run-Throughs: Wait, I Need to Rehearse? 148
13. Open and Close: What Kind of Impression Would You Like to Make? 156
On Stage
14. Wardrobe: What Should I Wear? 179
15. Mental Prep: HOW DO I Control My Nerves? 183
16. Setup: Lectern, Confidence Monitor, Note Cards, or (Gulp) Nothing? 189
17. Voice and Presence: Give Your Words the Life They Deserve 198
18. Format Innovation: The Promise (and Peril) of Full-Spectrum Talks 209
Reflection
19. Talk Renaissance: The Interconnectedness of Knowledge 227
20. Why this Matters: The Interconnectedness of People 233
21. Your Turn: The Philosopher's Secret 247
Acknowledgments 253
Appendix: Talks Referenced within the Book 255
Index 259