The Fine Art of Small Talk

How to Start a Conversation, Keep It Going, Build Networking Skills - and Leave a Positive Impression!

By: Debra Fine

Narrated by: Debra Fine

Length: 4 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

Nationally recognized communication expert, keynote speaker and trainer and best-selling author Debra Fine reveals the techniques and strategies anyone can use to make small talk—in any situation. Do you spend an abnormal amount of time hiding out in the bathroom or hanging out at the buffet table at social gatherings? Does the thought of striking up a conversation with a stranger make your stomach do flip-flops? Do you sit nervously through job interviews waiting for the other person to speak? Are you a Nervous Ned or Nellie when it comes to networking? Then it's time you mastered the fine art of small talk. 

With practical advice and conversation cheat sheets, The Fine Art of Small Talk will help you learn to feel more comfortable in any type of social or mingling situation, from lunch with the boss, a first face-to-face date, to an industry event, a business networking opportunity, or even a cocktail party where you don't know a soul. In this newly revised, updated edition Fine offers additional tools and tips on virtual interactions, managing political conversations, and navigating conversations addressing transition, illness, and grief.  

This fast-paced, informative audio program offers concrete tools to:

• Strike up conversations and keep them going
• Master introductions and remember names
• Come across as composed and self-assured when interacting decision makers, client, and colleagues
• Develop rapport with anyone
• Become an “active” listener
• Overcome communication barriers
• Handle awkward situations
• Come up with topics to discuss
• Avoid conversation “killers”
• Prepare for successful conversation
• Exit conversations with grace
• Feel more at ease at award receptions, banquets, receptions, and networking events

©2023 Debra Fine (P)2023 Debra Fine

Exactly What I Expected

I spend a lot of time alone, both at work and at home, so my social skills are dismal to say the least. Every now and again, I feel the need to remind myself that such things are exactly that: skills. They can be improved and practiced. It's just a question of getting the basics fresh in your mind. Building a solid foundation is the always the most important part.

And that's the entire nature of this book. Most of it is common sense to those who are have built the skill set, and even for people like me, it makes sense. Anything more than what this book covers is going to come down to personality. Some things you just can't get from a book. For what this audiobook offers, it's worth the listen if you're inclined to to give it a go.

Helpful but not entertaining

This book is for introverted people who need help with approaching and talking to people. It offers good advise, but it's a little more florid than it needs to be and, as with most books, it would be better if it was read by a professional and not the author.

Great advice, awful monologue.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Fine Art of Small Talk to be better than the print version?

Minutes after listening to the audio book, I started thinking that the print version would have been better.

Who was your favorite character and why?

N/A there's only one character as far as I know.

What didn’t you like about Debra Fine’s performance?

She just wasn't engaging enough. At lot of times I got lost and had to listen to a chapter again because I got distracted.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Nope.

Any additional comments?

Don't get me wrong, the book is really good but it'll be better with another narrator. She might be good with small talk but audiobook narrating is not her strong suit.

Excellent book!!!

Gentle instructions of how to become a skilled small talker. The most important skill I have learned so far. I noticed immediate change, thank you!!!

worth the time even if you "think" you know how.

at first, I asked for a refund because the first few chapters I do natural. however, I continued listening and came across a lot I didn't realise myself and a lot of mistakes I have been making and why. thanks a lot Debra Fine :- )

Not very helpful...

The book's ideas were pretty basic and very business oriented and the narrator was a bit boring.

In her book Devorah talks more about her life.

I did not find it helpful. It does not teach good strategies and only keeps repiting the same things. I already know these things like asking people what they do for a living. A waste of money in my opinion.

An absolute struggle to get through this one.

Debra should've hired someone to narrate. Gave two stars because I learned a few things.

Great for me. Great for my kids. Outstanding!

If you could sum up The Fine Art of Small Talk in three words, what would they be?

I wanted something that I could listen to in the car... With my teens. My kids are more introverted than I am, and I just starting playing this recording w/o asking them in the car. What a success. If the recording was horrible, my plan never would have worked. But this is beyond great. Great information delivered very well.

By the way, though I bought this to play for my kids, I picked up tons of great advice and tips that more than pay for the investment in time and the cost of the recording. Such a no brainer; just buy it and listen to it. Awesome.

What did you learn from The Fine Art of Small Talk that you would use in your daily life?

Conversation skills for all of us. How to not be intimidated by a group of outgoing people.

Any additional comments?

Great listening. Listen with your partner and/or kids. Such great stuff. Besides...it gave us something to talk about ... Which is both ironic and helpful. Fun recording. Such a great buy.

Worth a listen

What did you love best about The Fine Art of Small Talk?

This was a book definitely worth a listen. As a fellow nerd engineer, I have very often been confronted with a need to make small talk. I was always uncomfortable and awkward doing so, but have gotten better with age. Deborah's book is fairly short, but to the point and summarizes a lot of attributes of small talk that are logical, but it's good to see it all in a focused and one place. I tested myself the other day at a dinner where I used some of her tips and had a great time!

What did you like best about this story?

It brought all of the issues and tactics of making small talk into one book and one presentation.

What about Debra Fine’s performance did you like?

She spoke well and clearly and interestingly.

What insight do you think you’ll apply from The Fine Art of Small Talk?

The body language aspect is brought up, but not developed to the extent I think is needed. However, it is mentioned.

Badly paced, not great to listen to.

The content seemed quite good, but the narrator speaks too fast and sounds awkward, almost shouting at the listener.

Load of crap

Learnt nothing. I think Debroah Fine was bored so decided to write a book, badly

Useless unless you are a hermit

Defintely give her credit for managing to get published with this. As my title says, unless youhave lived in a cave for your entire life, this shows you nothing. It makes you feel like a fool for even wasting some time on it.

A must read

Anyone interested in improving small talk skills should surely benefit from suggestions in this book. However it presumes that you have all you need already and the issue is that you dont know how to 'get out of your shell'. It gives quite a few good tips, but the list and conversation examples are not exhaustive, so it could be a little more practical. To conclude however its definately worth a read. information is presented in a nice clear manner.

Social noob

I read two other books on the subject via audible that were rubbish and unpractical. This was great, the right mix of practical and theory, lots of situations covered. Give it a go if your looking for some help!

Would give the performance 5 star but my app won't let me!

Awful

I am so sorry for the time that I wasted to listen to this.
I found it :
#too personal and all about her life
#Almost no useful knowledge/information or....
I believe I could learn more by going to a bar and ask an old drunk man to give me some tips about life.

I found it useful

it's not for those seeking detailed tools on advanced conversations. it is very good however in laying the foundations for a good conversation.

I needed this myself and as an engineer like the author, her story felt very similar to mine.

overall its a great way to start overcoming small talk anxieties

Genuine book on the subject matter

Beware! There are many fake audiobooks on this subject on Amazon that are poorly ghostwritten and published by marketers that teach you absolutely nothing. After having to return a few other audiobooks it is refreshing to get Debra Fine's book which is genuine and from a real expert on the subject matter. This book met my expectations and I learned many new things tips and techniques from it that I can practice with.

Few good tips that I will now put in practice.

This was my first Audiobook ever. I liked the experience and learnt few good tips that I will now try to put in practice in my daily life. Not everything can be put in practice, you need to revise the suggestions and adapt them with your own personality and life.

Positive guidance

positive and clear but perhaps more applicable to those in the US or established career professionals