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A review by perfect_leaves
The Joy of Argument by Albert Navarra
2.0
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley.
I'm posting this review several months after having read the book, so I've forgotten the specifics, but I do remember why I felt so strongly about it.
When I picked up The Joy of Argument, I thought I'd be reading something that both illustrated the benefits of excellent argument and laid out a road map for winning debates. While The Joy of Argument does meet the latter expectation, Albert Navarra's writing is so insultingly facile that I did not enjoy the book at all. Besides that, most of the tips and hints he discusses are common sense: be an engaged listener, have information on hand about what you're arguing, don't be fooled by your opponents appearance. For those who have absolutely no debate experience, this book might provide helpful insight, but for those who have been arguing for years, The Joy of Argument is a waste of time.
I'm posting this review several months after having read the book, so I've forgotten the specifics, but I do remember why I felt so strongly about it.
When I picked up The Joy of Argument, I thought I'd be reading something that both illustrated the benefits of excellent argument and laid out a road map for winning debates. While The Joy of Argument does meet the latter expectation, Albert Navarra's writing is so insultingly facile that I did not enjoy the book at all. Besides that, most of the tips and hints he discusses are common sense: be an engaged listener, have information on hand about what you're arguing, don't be fooled by your opponents appearance. For those who have absolutely no debate experience, this book might provide helpful insight, but for those who have been arguing for years, The Joy of Argument is a waste of time.