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. |
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Page 3
... listener . The seventeenth - century French aphorist La Rochefoucauld says that most people are poor listeners . " One of the reasons why so few people are to be found who seem sensible and pleas- ant in conversation is that almost ...
... listener . The seventeenth - century French aphorist La Rochefoucauld says that most people are poor listeners . " One of the reasons why so few people are to be found who seem sensible and pleas- ant in conversation is that almost ...
Page 8
... listener : " She listened to all that was said , and had never the least distraction or absence of thought . " Though she knew how to please in conversation , she could be caustic in her assessment of people . 8 Conversation and Its ...
... listener : " She listened to all that was said , and had never the least distraction or absence of thought . " Though she knew how to please in conversation , she could be caustic in her assessment of people . 8 Conversation and Its ...
Page 16
... listener . One acquaintance says that " she excelled in the delicate art of exciting and encouraging others to talk . " Some people thought Johnson was not a good listener , but a con- temporary said that Johnson knew how to get ...
... listener . One acquaintance says that " she excelled in the delicate art of exciting and encouraging others to talk . " Some people thought Johnson was not a good listener , but a con- temporary said that Johnson knew how to get ...
Page 17
... listener . Describing an evening at Weimar when Goethe was present , one observer says : " The conversation was general , lively , and never came to a halt . Goethe led it in mas- terly fashion , but without ever restricting anyone else ...
... listener . Describing an evening at Weimar when Goethe was present , one observer says : " The conversation was general , lively , and never came to a halt . Goethe led it in mas- terly fashion , but without ever restricting anyone else ...
Page 43
... listeners , but is he a great conversationalist ? He possesses one trait that great conversationalists have . He is a good listener who treats his fellow conversationalists with respect . He does not tell them what to think . He wants ...
... listeners , but is he a great conversationalist ? He possesses one trait that great conversationalists have . He is a good listener who treats his fellow conversationalists with respect . He does not tell them what to think . He wants ...
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 |
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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