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16 December 2010 / Anne-marie Forker
Issue: 7446 / Categories: Blogs
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Book review: How to Argue Powerfully, Persuasively, Positively

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Jonathan Herring’s delightful “little red book” provides some useful tips on arguing that come from his background as a leading lawyer.

How to Argue Powerfully, Persuasively, Positively
Author: Jonathan Herring
Publisher: Prentice Hall Life; (21 Oct 2010)
ISBN-13: 978-0273734185, Price: £10.99

Jonathan Herring’s delightful “little red book” provides some useful tips on arguing that come from his background as a leading lawyer. However, it also contains advice on arguments of all sorts, from family situations, such as forgetting an important birthday, to uncomfortable office encounters. Herring is not just a lawyer, he is an Oxford academic, author, father, and husband. The arguing skills needed in all those roles are illustrated superbly.

The book divides into simple, focused sections and contains 10 “golden rules of argument”, one of which is “watch out for crafty tricks”, such as attacking the person, rather than the issue. Herring advises to keep cool, ignore personal insults, and focus on the theme of the argument.

So, if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being

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