Everybody is a public speaker. Maybe you’re delivering a corporate presentation or interviewing for a new job. Maybe you’re a teacher lecturing students or a citizen addressing a neighborhood association. Maybe you’re arguing a case before a courtroom or persuading book club members about the merits of your latest read.

Whatever the situation, being able to speak in public is essential to success. You can have the most logical argument possible, but in order to truly teach, inform, persuade, or defend, you need to present your ideas with conviction and confidence.

Yet this is often easier said than done. Many of us have a deep fear of public speaking. Or we think it’s just an intuitive talent that can’t be learned. But according to award-winning Professor John R. Hale of the University of Louisville, a masterful public speaker who has delivered more than 1,000 speeches to all manner of audiences, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

All it takes is confidence, practice, and the knowledge of time-tested techniques and strategies used by history’s greatest public speakers—all of which you’ll find in The Art of Public Speaking: Lessons from the Greatest Speeches in History. This 12-lecture course is your guide to the secrets of this essential skill, an insider’s look at what makes history’s enduring speeches so unforgettable, and an invaluable reference tool you can use any time you have to speak your mind.

Learn from History’s Greatest Public Speakers

As both a lecturer and a distinguished historian, Professor Hale has a strong awareness of how public speaking has been used effectively in the past. What makes The Art of Public Speaking such a unique educational experience is that you learn about the craft from some of the best public speakers in history. Each lecture features powerful speeches by iconic individuals that illustrate how the strategies of public speaking have been used in real situations.

Here are some of the powerful voices you’ll meet:

• Abraham Lincoln, who defined the art of delivering a strong conclusion with his iconic Gettysburg Address
• Marie Curie, whose commencement address to Vassar College in 1921 exemplifies how to turn dry facts into captivating stories
• Martin Luther King Jr., who illustrated the best way to share beliefs in his stirring “I Have a Dream”speech

A Course Designed for All Speakers

Explorations of public speaking are often bogged down in complex rhetorical terms. But Professor Hale has designed The Art of Public Speaking to be accessible to everyone. In order to do this, he takes you through each of the three key components of successful public speaking.

• How to prepare for public speaking: Learn from Patrick Henry, Elizabeth I, and others how to overcome stage fright, control your voice and body, use humor, and personalize your delivery.
• How to craft a great speech: Learn how to build captivating speeches from people such as Paul the Apostle and Susan B. Anthony and how to use stories, examples, logic, and impressive visual images.
• How to handle your audience: Learn from Mark Antony, Gandhi, and others how to focus on your audience, persuade them to agree with you, invite them to share your vision, and inspire them to change.

Practical Advice to Help You in Any Situation

The Art of Public Speaking, though rooted in rich history, is packed with practical advice. Here are just three of the tips you’ll find:

• Speak from personal knowledge: Use personal experiences to allow your audience to better connect with you. In polite conversation, talking about yourself is frowned upon; in public speaking, it’s essential.
• Organize your facts into a story: When drafting a speech, find the underlying stories in your topic and organize your information around these stories. You’ll find it easier to remember your speech, and your audience will engage more with your message.
• Weave familiar references into your speech: Using familiar quotations when addressing your audience can establish a common ground. They may not be your words but, when used sparingly, they can infuse your speech with added power.

A Course that’s Informative and Inspirational

Praised by both our customers and his students for delivering lectures that are informative and engaging, Professor Hale is the perfect instructor for a course on the power of public speaking. Each of his lectures is an example of lecturing at its finest, demonstrating firsthand the ability of a public speaker to tell stories, to inform, and to inspire.

So join him on this invaluable and practical look at one of the most important skills in your personal and professional life. Whether you want to finally become the confident public speaker you’ve always wanted to be or are just looking for fresh advice on how to strengthen your public speaking skills, this dynamic course has everything you need.