Top Public Speaking books recommended by experts

At MentorCruise, we are all about making the most out of the experience of others. As part of that, we've connected and asked dozens of experts and professionals about their favourite Public Speaking books – and here are the answers.

Table of Contents

Fundamentals of Public Speaking

Understanding the concepts of Public Speaking starts with understanding the fundamentals. On your way to mastery, it's crucial for you to understand how certain concepts were derived, and why things work like they do. Starting with these resources is the best way to do so.

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds

Ideas are the currency of the 21st century. In order to succeed, you need to be able to sell your ideas persuasively. This ability is the single greatest skill that will help you accomplish your dreams.
Many people have a fear of public speaking or are insecure about their ability to give a successful presentation. Now public speaking coach and best-selling author Carmine Gallo explores wha…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Public Speaking for Authors, Creatives and Other Introverts: Second Edition

In this book, I'll share everything I know as a professional speaker, author, and introvert. It includes the practicalities of speaking, as well as mindset issues like anxiety, plus the business side if you want to make speaking an income stream

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

How to Deliver a TED Talk: Secrets of the World's Most Inspiring Presentations

"How To Deliver A TED Talk" is a complete guide for creating presentations that inspire others through your story. Based on intensive study of the most popular TEDTalks, this step-by-step playbook shows you how to select your topic, craft your narrative, master your delivery, and refine your design.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Speak With No Fear: Go from a Nervous, Nauseated, and Sweaty Speaker to an Excited, Energized, and Passionate Presenter

Full of personal anecdotes, executable tips, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, this book teaches you 7 unconventional strategies to help you find your inner presenter. Don't wait any longer. Today is the day you take charge of your anxiety, calm your nerves, and – most importantly – speak with no fear.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking

In The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking, you can acquire and perfect your public speaking skills. Featuring accessible step-by-step instructions, you will learn how to build confidence, courage, and enthusiasm in every situation, including the boardroom and beyond.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication: Apply Them and Make the Most of Your Message

The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication is a guidebook by John C. Maxwell, teaching readers how to improve their communication skills through mastering 16 fundamental principles. It emphasizes the importance of effective communication in all aspects of life, from professional to personal.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Additional Public Speaking Reading

These books are not required for you to learn Public Speaking, but they are highly recommended for you to deepen your knowledge.

Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences

Just as the author's first book helped presenters become visual communicators, Resonate helps you make a strong connection with your audience and lead them to purposeful action. The author's approach is simple: building a presentation today is a bit like writing a documentary.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Talk Like TED

Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo provides insights from the world's top TED speakers, highlighting the qualities that make a great talk memorable and engaging. This book provides practical tips to help anyone deliver a compelling talk that captivates and inspires their audience.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Presentation Zen

Presentation Zen challenges the conventional wisdom of making "slide presentations" in today's world and encourages you to think differently and more creatively about the preparation, design, and delivery of your presentations.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

World's Greatest Speeches (Deluxe Hardbound Edition)

Step into the world of history-makers with this edition, enriched with the eloquence of individuals who shaped and reshaped their destinies. Experience the artistry of master orators as their meticulously crafted speeches transcend the boundaries of time and space, captivating the minds and hearts of their audiences. A literary gem for all, this exquisite hardbound edition features a ribbon bo…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Talk Like Ted

Ideas are the currency of the twenty-first century. In order to succeed, you need to be able to sell your ideas persuasively. This ability is the single greatest skill that will help you accomplish your dreams. TED Talks have redefined the elements of a successful presentation and become the gold standard for public speaking. TED―which stands for technology, entertainment, and design―brings to…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

TED Talks Storytelling: 23 Storytelling Techniques from the Best TED Talks

In this short but powerful guide, you’re going to learn how to use stories to make your presentations engaging and entertaining. Using case studies drawn from TED talks by Sir Ken Robinson, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, Susan Cain, Leslie Morgan Steiner, Mike Rowe and Malcom Gladwell, you’ll learn how to craft stories that keep your audience mesmerized. By the time you’ve finished reading this storyt…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Specializations and Deeper Public Speaking Knowledge

You've got your basics in order – time to move on to some advanced and specialized concepts. Public Speaking is evolving every day, these books can help you master it.

You Got This: Everything You Need to Master Authentic Public Speaking

Which of these phrases best describe your speech presentations? Lisa Kleiman is a speaking consultant with a passion for communication. She has coached hundreds of individuals and facilitated classes, workshops, and seminars across the globe. In You Got This , she shares her secrets about stepping out in front of any group and successfully delivering your message with clarity, confidence, and …

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

This list is curated by MentorCruise and can include Amazon affiliate links. Have any other suggestions? Add here.

Augment your Public Speaking books

There is no better source of accountability and motivation than having a personal mentor. What used to be impossible to find is now just two clicks away! All mentors are vetted & hands-on!


Hey there! I'm Igor, a lead software engineer with over nine years of software development expertise (mostly Rust, C and C++) and four years specializing in blockchain and zero-knowledge proof (ZK) technologies. I hold a Master’s in Computer Science from the University of Waterloo and have dedicated my career to …

$110 / month

Only 2 Spot Left

Do you feel overlooked? Do you believe you could perform at a higher level if you were given the opportunity? And yet, you are surrounded by incompetent managers who have been promoted above their capabilities? Nothing frustrates me more than this situation. To think they're not seeing your potential, that …

$330 / month

Only 5 Spot Left

With 15+ years navigating design careers across New York City, San Francisco, China, Singapore, and Australia, I've been through the ups and downs of building a career in this industry. I've worked at companies like Twitter, Pinterest, Yahoo, Grab, and now Canva - experiencing everything from startup chaos to corporate …

$220 / month

Only 1 Spot Left

Jasmine Lawrence, an accomplished Staff Technical Product Manager and Founder, brings a wealth of experience in developing innovative consumer and developer-focused products. Formerly a Technical Product Manager at NVIDIA and Cruise, she played a key role in advancing the development of autonomous vehicles. With notable roles at Everyday Robots (Google), …

$100 / month

Only 3 Spot Left

Hi! :) My name is Fatima, and I'm a Senior Software Engineer (backend) at Yelp. Here are some quick facts about me: - I graduated from the University of Waterloo, Canada, in September 2019 with a Bachelor's in Mathematics. I recently completed a Master's in Data Science in December 2023. …

$100 / month

Only 3 Spot Left

Hi there! My name is Lily Yang. I’m a former Senior Software Engineer at Amazon with over 8 years of experience, where I led several high-impact projects across diverse domains and teams. My expertise spans backend systems, data pipelines, and large language models (LLMs). I have helped many junior engineers …

$180 / month

Browse all Public Speaking mentors

Still not convinced? Don't just take our word for it

We've already delivered 1-on-1 mentorship to thousands of students, professionals, managers and executives. Even better, they've left an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 for our mentors.

Find a Public Speaking mentor
  • "Naz is an amazing person and a wonderful mentor. She is supportive and knowledgeable with extensive practical experience. Having been a manager at Netflix, she also knows a ton about working with teams at scale. Highly recommended."

  • "Brandon has been supporting me with a software engineering job hunt and has provided amazing value with his industry knowledge, tips unique to my situation and support as I prepared for my interviews and applications."

  • "Sandrina helped me improve as an engineer. Looking back, I took a huge step, beyond my expectations."