Former U.S. Navy aviation weapons instructor Goldfinger channels his military and public speaking expertise into guidance on how to craft killer presentations in this well-ordered debut. “Great oral presentation skills are as vital to having a successful career as breathing is to survival” he writes, emphasizing that preparing and perfecting presentations with “military precision” is exactly what can make the difference between public speaking success and failure—whether briefing a group of cadets, a corporate board, or the local chamber of commerce. Goldfinger details his “tactics, techniques, and procedures,” all springing from the Navy’s TOPGUN (Naval Fighter Weapons School established in 1969) presentation strategies, with an eye for clarity, performance, and a liberal dash of humor along the way. Though he dedicates considerable time to explaining why the Navy’s approach works best, Goldfinger also leans on legends like Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, and Abraham Lincoln as examples of master presenters, delving into their methods and even analyzing famous speeches—including Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, a “mere two minute” presentation that, Goldfinger writes, “struck such an emotional chord that it is now etched in granite for hundreds of thousands of annual visitors to view and reflect.” Goldfinger is at his best when addressing the human aspects of public speaking—such as the role that trust, audience connection, and mood can play in speech delivery.
Goldfinger’s clear, fast-moving style, much like the military itself, gets straight to the point, and his love for Navy acronyms—like the TILT (Tell It Like a TOPGUN) hints for tailoring presentations that are sprinkled throughout—help break the military-style tension accompanying some of the lessons. There are moments when the text strays from its primary mission, including a dive into the role of serotonin and other bio-chemicals in high-pressure situations, but this thorough, procedural approach to public speaking has definite appeal.
Takeaway: Public speaking strategies modeled on U.S. Navy TOPGUN techniques.
Comparable Titles: Peter Pearson’s Public Speaking, Ivan Wanis Ruiz’s End Boring.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
