Author:Dr. Gary Rodriguez

When I was a teenager in the 40s, a tutor on the subject of speaking in public instructed that a good public speech consisted of four parts: start a fire, build a bridge, get down to cases, and wrap it up. The decades have flown by, but this good advice has survived intact, especially as expanded by Dr. Gary Rodriguez in his admirable book, Purpose-Centered Public Speaking.

Clearly and admittedly inspired by Rick Warren's The Purpose-Driven Life, Purpose-Centered Public Speaking takes the present or future speaker by the hand and expounds on some very valuable aids. Starting with the phenomenon of fear, an introductory topic that for some reason dominates the book's handsome dust jacket, Dr. Rodriguez instructs the reader on how to organize, prepare, and present a public talk.

The lessons are plentiful and patiently presented: the importance of relaxation, knowledge of both the subject and its audience, and tricks and traps to be understood in the interest of engaging, enlightening, and motivating an audience.

The author's most valuable messages are the importance of the element of surprise, intensity, and early connection with audiences. Some of the anecdotes are not only instructive but also totally entertaining. His encouragement of speaking without, or with a minimum of, notes is worth the price of the book. Any reader will identify with the ennui that ensues once a teleprompter or a sheaf of papers accompanies the speaker.

The writing style is aggressively reader-friendly, at times approaching the "now we're going to take our bath" technique. "The conclusion is the final part of your talk" hardly induces the reader to take notes. There are too many cross references to what has been said and what it going to be said later, and the author dilutes his own wind-up by a final reference to the "Good Book."

The critical section on Presentation Skills is somewhat compromised by the author's statement that, "I feel obligated to touch on this subject." Perhaps this reluctance explains why there is no discussion or instruction on the handling of Q&A episodes, the split-focus hazards inherent in PowerPoint presentations, and the advantages of moving away from a fixed-point podium as a means of drawing attention to the speaker.

Considering the author's bibliographical reference to Toastmasters, it was especially surprising to find no reference to the verbal vices of "ah," "well," and "you know." On the other hand, the author's advice about distributing eye-contact among members of an audience is spot on.

The author clearly favors "talk" over "speech" in describing the basic subject of the book. I think I prefer the latter mainly because "talk" doubles as a verb, whereas "speech" has its own distinctive verb, "speak."

This book is well worth the effort to plow through no fewer than ten pages of dedications, acknowledgements, endorsements, and cross promotions to get to it.