Conversation: A History of a Declining ArtEssayist Stephen Miller pursues a lifelong interest in conversation by taking an historical and philosophical view of the subject. He chronicles the art of conversation in Western civilization from its beginnings in ancient Greece to its apex in eighteenth-century Britain to its current endangered state in America. As Harry G. Frankfurt brought wide attention to the art of bullshit in his recent bestselling On Bullshit, so Miller now brings the art of conversation into the light, revealing why good conversation matters and why it is in decline. Miller explores the conversation about conversation among such great writers as Cicero, Montaigne, Swift, Defoe, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and Virginia Woolf. He focuses on the world of British coffeehouses and clubs in “The Age of Conversation” and examines how this era ended. Turning his attention to the United States, the author traces a prolonged decline in the theory and practice of conversation from Benjamin Franklin through Hemingway to Dick Cheney. He cites our technology (iPods, cell phones, and video games) and our insistence on unguarded forthrightness as well as our fear of being judgmental as powerful forces that are likely to diminish the art of conversation. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 87
Page ix
... and the civilized man from the barbarian . " Oakeshott himself was a good conversationalist . John Casey notes that when Oake- shott was in his late eighties he regularly attended a dining so- ciety , now named after him , where he ...
... and the civilized man from the barbarian . " Oakeshott himself was a good conversationalist . John Casey notes that when Oake- shott was in his late eighties he regularly attended a dining so- ciety , now named after him , where he ...
Page xi
... and the extent of what Hume calls the " conversible world . " Like Hume , Addison and Johnson thought that if Britain's educated classes neglected the art of conversation , Britain could become em- broiled in violent civil discord . If ...
... and the extent of what Hume calls the " conversible world . " Like Hume , Addison and Johnson thought that if Britain's educated classes neglected the art of conversation , Britain could become em- broiled in violent civil discord . If ...
Page xiv
... and the general public— about the centrality and effectiveness of public discourse in American society . " I am more interested in the informal con- versations that take place in private settings . In short , this book is about everyday ...
... and the general public— about the centrality and effectiveness of public discourse in American society . " I am more interested in the informal con- versations that take place in private settings . In short , this book is about everyday ...
Page 5
... and the Uneasiness of being interrupted ourselves . " There are also those who suffer from " the Itch of Dispute and Contradiction , [ and the ] telling of Lies . " And there are people " who are trou- bled with the Disease called the ...
... and the Uneasiness of being interrupted ourselves . " There are also those who suffer from " the Itch of Dispute and Contradiction , [ and the ] telling of Lies . " And there are people " who are trou- bled with the Disease called the ...
Page 6
... and the possibility of romance — raises the level of conversation . " If there were no other use in the Conversation of Ladies , it is sufficient that it would lay a Restraint upon those odious Top- icks of Immodesty and Indecencies ...
... and the possibility of romance — raises the level of conversation . " If there were no other use in the Conversation of Ladies , it is sufficient that it would lay a Restraint upon those odious Top- icks of Immodesty and Indecencies ...
Contents
29 | |
EighteenthCentury Britain | 79 |
A Conversational Triumph Lady | 119 |
Raillery to Reverie | 150 |
From Benjamin | 194 |
From | 242 |
NINE The Ways We Dont Converse Now | 264 |
TEN The End of Conversation? | 291 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
According Addison admired agree American anger appeared argues asked attacked attended avoid became become Boswell Britain called century cities civil clubs Coffee coffeehouses common continually conversationalist conversible world critic culture describes dinner discussion easy effect eighteenth-century England English enjoyed essay feel Franklin friends give guests human Hume ideas implies important Instant Messaging interest Italy Johnson Lady Mary leading learned less letter listen live London look mainly manners means meet mind natural never one's opinion party passions person play pleasures poem polite popular praised questions raillery reason refers remark salon sation says seems sense social society Socrates solitude sounds speaks Spectator sublime suffering Swift talk thing thought tion told turn versation wants women Woolf writers wrote young