Martin Diederich develops a professional concept for the artistic design of free weddings and free funeral services. For the first time, psychological, sociological, art and communication theoretical technical fundamentals for the profession of 'free speaker' are comprehensibly described and linked to practical work. For all who are interested in deepening and expanding their professionalism as wedding and funeral orators, the book provides an overview of the technical dimensions of the profession and its practice.

Barred from political engagement and legal advocacy, the second sophists composed and performed epideictic works for audiences across the Mediterranean world during the early centuries of the Common Era. In a wide-ranging study, author Susan C. Jarratt argues that these artfully wrought discourses, formerly considered vacuous entertainments, constitute intricate negotiations with the absolute power of the Roman Empire. Positioning culturally Greek but geographically diverse sophists as colonial subjects, Jarratt offers readings that highlight ancient debates over free speech and figured discourse, revealing the subtly coded commentary on Roman authority and governance embedded in these works. Through allusions to classical Greek literature, sophists such as Dio Chrysostom, Aelius Aristides, and Philostratus slipped oblique challenges to empire into otherwise innocuous works. Such figures protected their creators from the danger of direct confrontation but nonetheless would have been recognized by elite audiences, Roman and Greek alike, by virtue of their common education. Focusing on such moments, Jarratt presents close readings of city encomia, biography, and texts in hybrid genres from key second sophistic figures, setting each in its geographical context. Although all the authors considered are male, the analyses here bring to light reflections on gender, ethnicity, skin color, language differences, and sexuality, revealing an underrecognized diversity in the rhetorical activity of this period. While US scholars of ancient rhetoric have focused largely on the pedagogical, Jarratt brings a geopolitical lens to her study of the subject. Her inclusion of fourth-century texts-the Greek novel Ethiopian Story, by Heliodorus, and the political orations of Libanius of Antioch-extends the temporal boundary of the period. She concludes with speculations about the pressures brought to bear on sophistic political subjectivity by the rise of Christianity and with ruminations on a third sophistic in ancient and contemporary eras of empire.

Have you ever seen a great presenter, up on stage or in a meeting, and wondered what makes them so good? Have you noticed the way they engage and inspire the audience? Have you ever wished you could do that? Now you can! This book reveals the presenter's secret weapon and puts it in your hands: Storytelling. It shows you how to stop reading slides and start telling stories that make an impact in any business situation. It's packed with techniques and examples that you can start using today. John Clare has been telling stories for more than 40 years. He's been a journalist, documentary maker and a presentation coach to some of the world's biggest companies. This book gives you the benefit of all that experience. Your presentations will never be the same again.