Speak From Your Heart: The Why and How of public speaking

Monte Reid brings us a great book that should be on everybody’s bookshelf who has a desire to be a better communicator. Not simply a public speaking handbook but a book about becoming excellent communicators, excellent leaders, quality people. This book gives away an important “secret.” Effective speaking is really about building relationships through communication. The title reveals his motivation for communicators to build community by Speaking From Your Heart. This is Not simply a “cookbook” with 5 easy steps to effective speaking. Monte shares both classical rhetorical theory as well as contemporary communication theories that help to explain best practices. Both the practical philosophical notions that underlie communication and the rhetorical theories about effective organization, logic and argumentation, understanding your audience, vocalics, and fear of speaking.

This book is chock-full of wonderful personal examples from Monte’s speaking experiences, but also useful ways to consider nonverbal communication, leadership, and using technology effectively in contemporary speaking. 

-Dr. John S. Caputo, PhD is Professor Emeritus and Distinguished Walter Ong, S.J. Scholar, and founder of the Master’s Program in Communication and Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington, USA.


This book is a complete 'toolbox' for whatever you may encounter before or during a speech. It gives you practical and hands-on tips and ideas on structure, body laguage considerations, dealing with fear and self-confidence, how to actually deliver your message, and much more!  I wish I had this book in my hands early in my career. 

- Lennart Edström, VP, Group Risk Mgmt (Ret.), AB Electrolux