Catherine Blyth, The Art of Conversation

“Don’t talk to strangers? Don’t speak until spoken to? Forget it. Inhibition is useless.”
Don’t let the title fool you; this is not exactly an etiquette handbook. Catherine Blyth’s goal is to help you get more out of social interactions and make you come off as interesting. If you end up looking polite too, well, that’s fine. Conversations, she says, with that touch of mischief which laces all of her lessons, are adventures. Remember: Small talk is worthless. Conflict need not be resolved. Know when not to speak. Each encounter is a chance to flex one’s tongue, an opportunity to try out a flirtatious hint or a surgically-focused jab at a social foe. Blyth’s not preaching from the pulpit. Like you, she’s found herself susceptible to common pratfalls (she recounts a humorous tongue-tied encounter with Jeremy Irons), and a frequent victim of a co-worker’s verbal sandtraps. She’s discovered smart ways to sidestep them, and quotes sociologists, anthropologists, James Joyce, Casanova and Big Brother to illustrate her points. To her, it’s all about confidence. When entering a party, she says, “Think like a criminal. Case the joint and find its weak spots.” Then strike.