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Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric From Aristotle to Obama

by Sam Leith
Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric From Aristotle to Obama
Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric From Aristotle to Obama

Rhetoric's journey from Aristotle to modern orators.

If you're fascinated by the power of words and their ability to sway an audience, "Words Like Loaded Pistols" may just deepen that fascination. Sam Leith takes you through history's most poignant moments where rhetoric shaped outcomes, influenced the masses, and became an art form of its own. This book isn't just informative—it equips you with rhetorical tools and a newfound appreciation for influential speeches that have echoed through time. Whether you're a student of communication, a history enthusiast, or simply intrigued by the impact of effective language, you'll find this read both enriching and enlightening.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric From Aristotle to Obama

by Sam Leith
Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

Books in Like New Condition

This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Very Good Condition

This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Good Condition

We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Well Read Condition

This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

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ISBN: 9780465096190
Authors: Sam Leith
Publisher: Basic Books
Date of Publication: 2016-04-26
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: History, Business, Politics, Philosophy
Related Topics: Politics, Communication, History, History
Goodreads rating: 3.75
(rated by 1574 readers)

Description

In Words Like Loaded Pistols, Sam Leith traces the art of persuasion, beginning in ancient Syracuse and taking us on detours as varied and fascinating as Elizabethan England, Milton's Satanic realm, the Springfield of Abraham Lincoln, and the Springfield of Homer Simpson. He explains how language has been used by the great heroes of rhetoric (such as Cicero and Martin Luther King Jr.), as well as some villains (like Adolf Hitler and Richard Nixon). Words Like Loaded Pistols is a primer on rhetoric's key techniques; you'll find out how to build your own memory palace; you'll be introduced to the Three Musketeers: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos; and you'll learn how to use chiasmus with confidence and occultatio without thinking about it. Most importantly of all, you will discover that rhetoric is useful, relevant, and absolutely nothing to be afraid of. In this updated edition, Leith discusses the nature and role of rhetoric in the age of social media.
 

Rhetoric's journey from Aristotle to modern orators.

If you're fascinated by the power of words and their ability to sway an audience, "Words Like Loaded Pistols" may just deepen that fascination. Sam Leith takes you through history's most poignant moments where rhetoric shaped outcomes, influenced the masses, and became an art form of its own. This book isn't just informative—it equips you with rhetorical tools and a newfound appreciation for influential speeches that have echoed through time. Whether you're a student of communication, a history enthusiast, or simply intrigued by the impact of effective language, you'll find this read both enriching and enlightening.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.