William Collins Good Arguments: How Debate Teaches Us to Listen and Be Heard

It is a real book. For me it is better than digital one. Quality is good too.

I understand that this was not meant to be a textbook on debate. There was, in fact, some very good insights but I expected more. Alot was autobiographical but in a superficial way. Alot of banalities about his childhood that just seemed like filler. Also, an overuse of adjectives and setups that served no purpose. For instance every debate story starts with an inexplicable description of the weather. And, apparently every debate room ever was some form of "stuffy and airless". It was a good read for sure but not as edifying as I'd hoped. Also, It kind of damaged my trust in debate. There seemed to be less emphasis on truth and persuasion through facts and logic and more emphasis on how to win at all costs. How to "win" the debate topic you are assigned even though you may have no knowledge of the subject or belief in your case, through tricks of oratory and argumentation. That was dissapointing. Still, i'd recommend this book.

As a high school debater, I can remember how powerful the techniques were for me to improve my persuasive writing and communication in school and in my political advocacy work. Now over a decade later, this book is an excellent reminder of the tenants of debate and how they transform the way we approach communication. These fundamentals can be the difference between winning or losing a disagreement at work or reconciling and argument with a family member or friend. Language is powerful and when we’re intentional about how we wield it, the results can be exceptionally gratifying. Thank you for your story, the coaching, and the new way to look at life many years post- high school debating.

Fabulous read

There is so much unimportant detail in this book. It makes it hard to stay interested enough to glean his insight.