When you see a true master of verbal communication, remember that these are learned behaviours, not something innate which you are either born with or not. I just couldn't bring myself to press that one star button even though I think this is one of the few books that I think might deserve it. Arthanayake stated at the outset that this would be a book written based on his own experience so I was a little wary about how much depth he'd go for. Guests from the world's biggest stars to leaders of inner-city gangs have lauded his seemingly innate ability to stimulate positive discussions without the need for confrontation.

If the tag line had been something like " stories from my life as a radio host," it wouldn't have felt like such a letdown. It is entirely from the heart, an impassioned please for more meaningful conversation amid this era of online squabbling and all too easy animosity. Broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake helped me through lockdown; I’d often sit listening to his interviews on his BBC Radio 5 Live show when my social interaction and conversation topics were limited! It’s a very personal anecdotal take on conversation, the basic principles are ones that have been repeated in various places so nothing really enlightening.A lot of the time this worked well to link together the individuals the author spoke to for the book, but at times it did feel more like I was being sold his radio show/podcasts. First, the knowledge of who we are – the change in roles in a conversation based on the situation -, then understanding who we are talking to, and the confidence and comfort to challenge as well as defend your perspective with information. She previously worked as The Guardian's women's editor, a features commissioning editor on g2 and as a reporter for the Sunday paper, The Observer. From tracing the evolution of dialogue to discovering what lights up in the brain when we're enjoying a good discussion, Nihal speaks to the experts - from the board room to the criminal courts - to find why good conversation has eroded over time and how we can fix it. By the end of the introduction, I was already growing to dislike him after constant bragging and ensuring the reader knows how talented and qualified he is at conservation.

Nihal has a brilliant way of using his voice as a facilitator to help you learn from the experiences of others in a way that are understandable and compelling. Nihal interviews a range of people for whom communication is a key part of their life and business, whilst blending in some of his own stories and experiences along the way, to highlight his key recommendations for the importance of open and varied communication, and how we need to improve in ‘the art of conversation’.Throughout the book, we are shown the importance of a good conversationalist being driven by knowledge. For other, more casual conversations, it’s the desire to actively listen rather than wait to respond. Part how-to and part manifesto, Let’s Talk is Nihal’s accessible, anecdotal and invigorating toolkit to having better conversations with anyone, any time. According to Johann Hari which is literally quoted in this book saying that such a thing as tweeting keeps you distracted for about 25 minutes every time.