Book cover of Rhetoric

Book description

One of the seminal works of Western philosophy, Aristotle's Rhetoric vastly influenced all subsequent thought on the subject — philosophical, political, and literary. Focusing on the use of language as both a vehicle and a tool to shape persuasive argument, Aristotle delineates with remarkable insight both practical and aesthetic elements…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Rhetoric as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Aristotle is the OG: the first person to think seriously about how persuading other people with words might be a craft that can be practised, learned, and taught.

He was the first to identify the three ways you convince someone – ethos (the speaker’s connection with the audience), pathos (emotion), and logos (the argument itself) – and did so two and a half thousand years ago. I find that just thrilling. 

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Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

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