Thank You for Arguing, Third Edition: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion

I am a practicing Computer Engineer who was educated in the era when Computer Engineering was still called Electrical Engineering. Suffice it to say, I am well versed in Formal Logic (from an engineering, not philosophy perspective) but am not formally trained in Rhetoric. Any training I had in persuasive writing was long ago and is long since forgotten. I am also, generally speaking, a reader for utility, not for pleasure. This is my first review of a book (or anything for that matter) on Amazon. With this perspective established, I will say that I found myself educated, entertained, compelled and persuaded by this book. Not the avid book reader, I read this in two days, two sittings. And, I am now writing this review,... at 3:41am on a work day. Compelled indeed! The fact that I found it persuasive is the strongest evidence of value given it's purpose. I also recognize that it will serve as a valuable reference in my attempts to persuade going forward. Now, I should say that although I do not agree with all of the arguments the author makes whilst explaining the art of argument, I do appreciate his perspective. I feel he does short change formal logic, but that may be due to my perspective, just as much as his. And, maybe, there should be more that one rule.? In any case, I look forward to applying what I gained from this wonderfully effective book.

Going in blind was quite the experience. I had expected a typical monotonous text full of only facts and logic that didn't cater to a teenager's attention span. However, this book quickly intrigued me when it not only took an effort to keep my attention, it also included pop culture references that made me feel more connected to the information. It made the great Rhetoricians feel more human and fleshed out instead of simply giving them blind praise. The author took great notice to also include lots of personal stories about him, his family and coworkers that made me feel as if the author's purpose wasn't just to inform but to entertain as well. I found this book to be an amazing stepping stone in my path to total manipula- I mean, persuasion of anyone I would happen to be arguing with, and I would highly reccomend it to anyone who may feel a bit of persuasion may be needed in their life.

A

Heinrichs delivers a fresh, entertaining approach to a potentially dry subject. Students will find his approach to rhetoric engaging. He not only lists rhetorical tools, he also uses his writing savvy to demonstrate their use. This is a must-read for anyone willing to learn how to persuade others more effectively. This book is also for those who want to know the rhetorical magic tricks played on them during car sales pitches and political campaigns.

I have been utilizing this book for my college speech course for the last 2 years. The students sit in a circle and discuss 2 or 3 chapters (depending on the length). Since I have 30 students and there are 30 chapters, each student is assigned a chapter and are the experts on the chapter--they teach what they learned. Also, the student prepares 2 or 3 discussion questions for students to generate discussion. It is an effective way to teach. I empower them to teach each other and every day amazing things happen in the classroom. It is an enjoyable experience to walk into a classroom and have students excited to discuss the readings and participate in the class discussion readily. The book makes my teaching easy. The examples in the book allows us to have discussions on deeper topics of race, inequity, gun control, the me too movement, politics, religion and so much more. My students tell me that it is one of the only books they have actually read cover to cover. In fact, some students begin reading it again after we finish to get a deeper understanding of the material. As a college professor, I can tell you this never happens in other courses with textbooks.

As a teacher of AP English, I've assigned this book for the past five years (both the second and third editions) as a summer read for my students. All of my students learn the basics of rhetoric and rhetorical analysis from this book. Most importantly, students enjoy reading this book and because the difficult and sometimes obscure concepts are explained in an engaging and humorous way, my students remember what they've read months after the assignments and assessments are done. Although not all of my students agree with Mr. Heinrich's politics and some of my students are raised in religious homes, I've never received a complaint from parents or students about the examples used to illustrate rhetorical strategies. This is one of the few books that I assign year after year!

Clever writer and informative. I love the review of college Logic. Full of humor and good examples . . . but . . . as I mentioned above, he is often not balanced in his critique of political positions, that is, I felt the cudgel a bit too often. Of course, this is subjective, but so is every review.

In a relaxed and conversational style, Heinrichs explains the differences between arguing and conflict. In our public and private life, Americans today basically shout at each other and seldom engage in anything which might persuade each other to change our opinion(s). The author shows the many ways to argue/persuade and many of the pitfalls to avoid. He supplies practical, everyday English words for forms of argument, fallacies, etc., but for the scholar he also supplies the usual Greek or Latin terms. This is a useful reminder for us old-timers and a valuable tool for college and high-school classes.

The book covers an interesting topic, rhetoric, but by someone who seems not so great at applying it, nor with much life experience. All the content is drawn instead from the knowledge of others, such as Greek and Roman writers, rather than someone who tries to convince people for a living

fun to read. best to read in small intervals to take in the advise.

A great book for those wanting to learn how to make a good argument.

This is one all students of writing should read!

Es un excelente libro, lo recomiendo porque muchas de las cosas se pueden aplicar de inmediato