Let's Talk: How to Have Better Conversations

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Within the chapter “Conversations in Extremis” we are given insights into conversations with Paramilitaries, Neo-Nazis and Hostage Negotiation; where people with opposing views still find a way to communicate. Let's Talk blends Nihal's experiences as an acclaimed interviewer with expert and celebrity opinion on the secrets and psychology behind successful communication. With insights from ‘professional conversationalists’ from various sectors, this is a thoughtful read with some practical takeaways on how to have better conversations. Nihal Arthanyake has done a wonderful job of telling us how wonderful conversations by bringing people who need to communicate on. I read this at the same time as Malcolm Gladwell's Talking to Strangers and despite the books being on a similar topic/approach, this is hands down the better of the two.

million listeners a week on BBC Radio 5 Live who regard him as one of the best people of his generation at having public conversations. a very impassioned defence of conversation as an art and one of the things that can save and retain our humanity in a world of GIFs and emojis and fifteen second digital dopamine hits.That being said, Arthanyake conducted some great interviews for the book and I enjoyed many of his/their insights into conversations and the psychology around the subject. From tracing the evolution of dialogue to discovering what lights up in the brain when we're enjoying a good discussion, Nihal speaks to conversational authorities including Lorraine Kelly, former president of Ireland Mary McAleese, Professor Tanya Byron, internationally bestselling author Johann Hari, Matthew Syed, and many more, to find out why good conversation has eroded over time and how we can fix it. The pandemic has exacerbated the trend towards fewer face-to-face interactions, while the growth of social media has led to heated arguments online. In many ways this is not like any of the books I have read in the past, in the sense that this is not an easily read fiction book, or even an autobiography.

But by the end, after much repitition, it became clear to me that good conversation means listening a lot more. He currently presents the daily afternoon show on BBC 5 Live and the official Penguin Books podcast.

I enjoyed the fact that the author narrated the audiobook himself and it featured snippets of his interviews with some of the interesting people he talks to at work.