Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: 21 Powerful Secrets of History’s Greatest Speakers

Review by Mark R. Anderson:

This is a very important book for health professionals because the art and skills of communication will, in most instances, determine success or failure. I personally asked the author if he thought this book should be offered through Selene River Press. He replied, “Of all the professions, health professionals rank last in making effective presentations.” To make his point, he went into a monotonous drone of mockery, saying, “With their back to the audience and staring at a slide screen, they read, ‘The four leading causes of heart disease are blah, blah, blah, blah.'” In other words, in his experience, most doctors could not inspire a cow to eat grass! If you do any public speaking, please read this book before you speak again.

Whether you are presenting your vision to patient groups, civic organizations, professional groups, or giving a seminar, Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln is the one book to help you to the top of your form. Five American presidents have turned to Mr. Humes to help them craft their speeches. Countless CEOs and business leaders are students of his approach. Two of the greatest orators in the history of the English language, Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill, had a style of communication that inspired their nations to victory in times of impending doom. James C. Humes identifies the techniques, styles, and methods that they used to such enduring success.

All of the chapter titles begin with the word “Power.” The power to command your audience’s attention is at the heart of each chapter.

1. Power Pause
2. Power Opener
3. Power Presence
4. Power Point
5. Power Brief
6. Power Quote
7. Power Stat
8. Power Outage
9. Power Wit
10. Power Parable
11. Power Gesture
12. Power Reading
13. Power Poetry
14. Power Line
15. Power Question
16. Power Word
17. Power Active
18. Power Dollar
19. Power Button
20. Power Audacity

In each chapter, he cites vivid examples of how Lincoln, Churchill, Kennedy, Reagan, Roosevelt, and others used each of these chapter heading points to stunning effectiveness, often turning the tide in so doing. This book also teaches you what to avoid in presenting your message—and there are many common errors that you will recognize as presented in this wonderful book. I don’t want to list some of the common errors here, because, presented by Mr. Humes, you will more clearly understand why!

James C. Humes teaches at the University of Denver Business School. He lectures to Churchill groups and clubs throughout the world. As a young exchange student in England, he met Churchill. He has authored several books about him, including the classic The Wit and Wisdom of Winston Churchill. He has also published books about Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln, authoring over thirty books in all. The Sir Winston Method: The Language of Leadership is a classic book by this author that is reprinted around the world. A former actor, lawyer, and diplomat, Humes is a memorable and powerful speaker.

From Amazon Customer Reviews:

“A must read for anyone that talks! Yup, whether you work at the assembly line in a factory, clean cars for cash, or are the top executive at the local Bank….Hard to put down, easy to read, and very practical…For me it reiterated a lot of the principals I attained in the Dale Carnegie Course…Well worth the $jQuery.”
—Owen Yoder

“‘Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln’ by James Humes is a lighthearted book of advice for speakers. Some of the ideas that he discusses are pausing for emphasis, using quotes, using anecdotes, and dressing properly. The book is short but useful and I recommend it to anyone interested in improving their speeches.”
—David Tigges

“A great book that outlines secrets to solid presentations & speaking in an actionable, clear & informative way. Flows nicely and very easy to apply relevant examples in one’s daily life—whether it be speaking in front of a large group or simply organizing your thoughts in daily conversation. Highly recommended. Also, for those in a leadership postion, provides very ‘teachable’ and actionable advice.”
—jf1216

“I have to do a lot of public speaking for work. This book blew my mind. I’ve taking course and read other books but I found tips in this book that I’d never heard and could instantly apply. I’ve recommended it to all my co-workers. If you’re serious about public speaking, you owe it to yourself to give this a try.”
—DDC

“I expected a lot from this book and was still pleasantly surprised. James C. Humes is a very experienced speechwriter and speaker that takes the time to tell you some great secrets of public speaking. The book goes through every aspect of speaking from opening to closing and beyond. Each section has many great ideas to take from it. There was no chapter that I did not walk away from saying, ‘That was a great idea!’ When he makes a recommendation, he backs it up with supporting facts and real stories that illustrate the point. The book is also easy to read. The writing style is easy to read and is interesting. Humes seamlessly ties in stories from the great speakers of history to demonstrate his ideas. Many of the stories are humorous, but all are good. Humes is also very clear in his recommendations, which leaves little confusion on the reader’s part. I would recommend this to anyone interested in public speaking.”
—Bryan “scbryanw”