In Nazi Germany, Hitler portrayed the Jews as vermin and six million people were killed. Metaphors can make the unreasonable seem reasonable, the illegitimate appear legitimate, and good people turn evil.Top speechwriter Simon Lancaster goes on a mission to explore how metaphors are used and abused today. From Washington to Westminster, Silicon Valley to Syria, Glastonbury to Grenfell, he discovers the same images being used repeatedly. Scum! Bitch! Vegetable! Whilst vulnerable gro...

Shhh . Did you know there is a secret Language of Leadership: a timeless set of cues and signals that still determines who reaches the top in politics and business today. The ancient Greeks were the first to study the art of communication 2,500 years ago. It is only now, with recent breakthroughs in neuroscience, that we can say for sure what works and how. In Winning Minds, top speechwriter Simon Lancaster blends ancient rhetoric and neuroscience to create the definitive guide to the Lang...

*NEW EDITION FEATURING UPDATED MATERIAL*'Erudite, interesting and, above all, entertaining' ALAN JOHNSON, FORMER UK HOME SECRETARY'A racy, engrossing read' PROFESSOR IAN ROBERTSON'Incredibly absorbing, leaving even the most confident orator with food for thought' PSYCHOLOGIESCommunication can make the difference between failure and success. When communication goes badly, it's a nigh...

Speechwriting is the definitive guide to writing a speech, revealing all the tools and techniques of the trade, such as how to win an argument, construct a soundbite and perform on stage. The first part of the book covers the arts of persuasion, argument, story telling and metaphor, providing a solid grounding in the theory of speechwriting, which should appeal to anyone with an interest in politics, communication or language. The second part covers the crafts of editing, soundbites, media...

This is a collection of the best leadership speeches, gave by the most outstanding leaders of our generation.

Offending behaviour is one of the most talked about issues in contemporary society. What can be done to stop people reoffending? What can be done to help people escape their criminal lifestyles? This book aims to review and analyse the different ways in which these questions are addressed in practice, drawing upon the expertise of academics and practitioners.The book provides a critical reference text for practitioners, students and researchers interested in devising the most effec...

From fringe conspiracy theories to 'alternative facts', a timely look at how we arrived in the 'fake news' era.Would your younger self believe the news of today? An entire city block blown up by a suicide bomber on Christmas Day because he believed phone towers spread disease. A Representative elected to the US Congress on a platform that Democrats are secretly harvesting an anti-aging chemical from the blood of abused children. Angry rioters in furs and horns over...

Welcome to the Post-Truth era— a time in which the art of the lie is shaking the very foundations of democracy and the world as we know it. The Brexit vote; Donald Trump’s victory; the rejection of climate change science; the vilification of immigrants; all have been based on the power to evoke feelings and not facts. So what does it all mean and how can we champion truth in in a time of lies and ‘alternative facts’?In this eye-opening and timely book, Post-Truth is distinguished f...

'A Malcolm Gladwell-style social psychology/behavioural economics primer' Evening StandardLow-level dishonesty is rife everywhere, in the form of exaggeration, selective use of facts, economy with the truth, careful drafting - from Trump and the Brexit debate to companies that tell us 'your call is important to us'. How did we get to a place where bullshit is not just rife but apparently so effective that it's become the communications strategy of our time...

LONGLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE 2017How do we discuss serious ideas in the age of 24-hour news? What was rhetoric in the past and what should it be now? And what does Islamic State have in common with Donald Trump?We’ve never had more information or more opportunity to debate the issues of the day. Yet the relationship between politicians, the media and the public is characterised by suspicion, mistrust and apathy. What has gone wrong?...

'Greatly enjoyable' GUARDIAN'It is always exhilarating to read a book which says what so many of us think' SPECTATOR'Timely and lively' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH'Let us be very clear about this from the start: John Humphrys is a Good Thing' EVENING STANDARD* * * * * *From Today programme presenter and national treasure John...

Let me be clear. This book does not contain a raft of measures to address issues around the abuse of the English language. It is not a forward offering to proactively strategise a blue sky solution utilising key deliverables. Nor does it articulate a compelling and coherent vision for the coming period. The fact of the matter is, we need a step change in the way that we communicate if we are to avoid a spiral of decline. It is time to draw a line in the sand and consign certain linguistic ...