Author delivers an insider’s view from the podium

Book review: Anecdotes and advice fill Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun

There’s no shortage of books on how to write speeches and speak with confidence. But there are precious few on what it’s like to stand at the podium and deliver a talk, let alone what it takes to make a living as a speaker.

Scott Berkun’s new book, Confessions of a Public Speaker, tells the inside story of one man’s experiences speaking on innovation to audiences around the world. Outside of a good late-night discussion at the bar at a National Speakers Association convention, you’re not likely to hear such an honest assessment of what life as a professional speaker is actually like.

First-person account