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Improving your communication skills can be one of the most widely beneficial training tasks that you can take on. Communication can benefit you in almost every aspect of your life from your relationships, to the workplace and more.
What are the Best Books on Communication to read?
Finding some quality books on improving communication could be a widely beneficial task that you can take on to improve the way you connect with people and the way you communicate in the workplace effectively.
Best Books on Communication: Our Top 20 Picks
If you would like to improve your communication skills, here are some the best books that you should consider picking up that will help you to maximize your communication skills:
1. Nonviolent communication and language:
Having sold over 2 million copies worldwide and having been translated into over 35 languages, Nonviolent communication in its third edition is a book that is grounded in finding commonalities with everyone anywhere. If you are interested in connecting with people more professionally and personally and in a safe way, this is a book that will suit your needs. Written by Marshal B. Rosenberg, this book strengthens communication strategies and the way that we can communicate with one another without judgment, bullying or bias.
This book can help you recognize some of your shortcomings in communication and some of the ways that you may put up barriers against other people. Improving your own consciousness and understanding the language and connotation that you have with others can be widely important. Nonviolent communication strategies can help us to improve the ability that we have to connect with others and empathize with others.
- Authors: Marshall B. Rosenberg (Author), Deepak Chopra (Author)
- Publisher: PuddleDancer Press; Third Edition, Third edition (September 1, 2015)
- Pages: 264 pages
2. 7 Levels in communication relationships
7 L introduces the seven levels of communication from relationships to referrals. If you can imagine receiving a new relationship referral every day, this is a book that can help you to improve your active communication in the same way that you would use referral relationships online. Michael J Maher introduces a revolutionary new way that you can build relationships. Whether you could use support for improving your communication strategies at conferences, or you would like to master your ability to build your business in day-to-day communication, this is a book of exact strategies that can help you to go from relationships to referrals within your business. If you are interested in improving your communication skills to build your own personal business or to maximize your ability to sell other people, this is a book that can be Wiley beneficial for improving your skills in the business world. Building a business that can feed your family as well as feed your need for human collaboration is exactly what is covered in this book.
- Authors: Michael J. Maher (Author)
- Publisher: BenBella Books; Reprint Edition (April 5, 2016)
- Pages: 192 pages
3. Everyone communicates, few connect
Everyone communicates, few connect is a book that offer support for those that regularly run into problems with roadblocks. Connection is the form of communication that many people struggle with and John C. Maxwell introduces new strategies that can help individuals to connect in the most effective way possible. Is people connecting different ways understanding how to create change in results and how to improve connections amongst individuals can be important. The basics of this book include ways that you can stay authentic, inspire people, capture people’s interests and more. As a best-selling novel, this is an inspiring book that will help you establish inspiring communication strategies.
- Authors: John C. Maxwell (Author)
- Publisher: Thomas Nelson; 1st Edition (March 30, 2010)
- Pages: 272 pages
4. The art of communicating
The art of communicating comes from Thich Nhat Hanh, a best-selling author of the book Peace is Every Step. As one of the most celebrated religious leaders in the world, this book delivers a path towards happiness through mastering communication. This guide is extremely practical and precise and it delivers a series of instructions that can help with mastering the most important skill in life. Moving beyond the perils and frustrations of misrepresentation and misunderstanding involves mastering listening and speaking skills. By improving these aspects of our lives it’s possible to see results in our everyday experience. The added bonus of choosing this book is that a small portion of the proceeds will go towards the future of mindfulness teachings and piecework across the world.
- Authors: Thich Nhat Hanh (Author)
- Publisher: HarperOne; Reprint Edition (August 14, 2014)
- Pages: 176 pages
5. Essential keys to effective communication
The essential keys to communication is a book that includes a guided challenge called the 12 day communication challenge. Four essential keys to effective communication include strategies that you can use for improving communication at work, in love, in life and while you are out in the world. As a 2019 readers choice award winner, this book from Bento C. Leal III introduces some skills that you can use to radically improve your relationships and communication strategies moving forward.
By breaking down listening blocks and forming more effective communication strategies you can better manage disagreements and conflicts throughout your life. You can work on various communication skills each day by working within this book. By completing the source material in this book you can nurture your relationships, express better appreciation and gratitude and manage any conflict or disagreement with expert precision.
- Authors: Bento C. Leal III (Author)
- Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1st Edition (May 14, 2017)
- Pages: 111 pages
6. Interplay interpersonal communication
Interplay is a textbook is packed with a series of contemporary examples based off of cutting-edge research. The goal of this textbook which is written by Ronald B. Adler, Lawrence B. Rosenfeld and Russel F. Proctor II is to help you improve your own relationships. Interpersonal communication strategies are all published throughout the theory in this book and the textbook also delves into practical skills that you can improve for maximizing your own relationships.
Interplay has several additions that cover a series of contemporary examples for communication. Early chapters highlight mass personal and multimodal communication with a strength on social media and mediated communication. Every chapter is filled with updated focus on research items that relate back to popular culture and some of the newest connections and communication for today. The watch and discuss activities also include links to video exercises that assist with finding new video clips and updated examples. If you are looking for a textbook that has a series of supplements improvements for your communication strategy, this is a modern and highly interactive program that goes beyond just a simple textbook.
- Authors: Ronald B. Adler (Author), Lawrence B. Rosenfeld (Author), Russell F. Proctor II (Author)
- Publisher: Oxford University Press; 14th Edition (November 14, 2017)
- Pages: 496 pages
7. Communication miracles
Communication miricales for couples are creative and effective ways that you can create more love with less conflict. Jonathan Robinson includes strategies that have helped his clients for generations. As a psychotherapist, professional speaker and best-selling author, Robinson has worked with hundreds of thousands of couples to repair their marriages and relationships. The print run of this book has been operating since the year 1997 and has now sold into hundreds of thousands of copies. If you are interested in improving your conflict resolution skills or you would simply like to resolve their use communication structures throughout your relationship, this is a positive step in the right direction. If you are looking for a honeymoon gift, an anniversary gift or a gift for improving your own communication, this is an excellent choice to pick up.
- Authors: Jonathan Robinson (Author)
- Publisher: Conari Press; 3rd Edition (August 23, 2012)
- Pages: 176 pages
8. Technical Communication
Technical communication in the 12th edition is a book written by Mike Markel and Stuart A. Selber. It delivers a series of clear and practical advice with real-world examples for written communication strategies. The goal is to ease any high school student into the process of college-level writing or workplace writing. With a wide range of written strategies to aid with communication and support this is a book that can help you to maximize your ability to communicate in the workplace or improve written communication strategies for your future. Technical communication could have you writing better reports, sending better e-mails and more. If you could use improvements to your written communications, this textbook can serve as an excellent strategy moving forwards.
- Authors: Mike Markel (Author), Stuart A. Selber (Author)
- Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin’s; Twelfth Edition (October 14, 2017)
- Pages: 768 pages
9. Understanding human connection
Understanding human communication has been a best-selling book for over three decades. Used as a primer or textbook in a wide range of communications courses, this is a new edition of the book that covers areas like gender, social media, technology and culture. With a revision that includes a number of elements of modern popular culture, there are elements in this textbook that can aid with communication strategies for people in all stages of their lives and careers. Author Ronald B. Adler, George Rodman and Athena du Pre offer a wide range of strategies that can assist with connecting with people across various socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
- Authors: Ronald B. Adler (Author), George Rodman (Author), Athena du Pré (Author)
- Publisher: Oxford University Press; Thirteenth Edition (November 17, 2016)
- Pages: 480 pages
10. Communication Skills Intelligence Presentation Persuasion
Communication skills training is a 120 page e-book that is designed to help people avoid conflicts and get more of what they want out of life. Is a practical guide for improving social intelligence, there are tips in this guide that can help you improve the powers of public speaking, persuasion and presentations. The guide provides you with practical answers to a series of questions on how you can negotiate better terms, communicate more appropriately in various situations and succeed with communication in the long run.
Most of the strategies that are shared in this book offer improvements for your ability to establish rapport with individuals, strategies for remembering names, how you can nail public presentations and how you can showcase your own unique personality with your communication strategies. This is a book that can improve your life with a multifaceted approach in persuasion communication.
- Authors: Ian Tuhovsky (Author), Wendell Wadsworth (Editor)
- Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1st Edition (July 11, 2015)
- Pages: 280 pages
11. Say what you mean communication
Say what you mean communication is taking a mindful approach in nonviolent communication. Written by Oren Jay Sofer with a foreword by Joseph Goldstein, this is a book that will help you become a more active participant in each interaction you have. Become a more active participant in communication can make sure that you can speak your mind in a clear and kind manner. The groundbreaking communication strategies that are delivered here are a mindful approach to nonviolent communication.
The book will allow you to find your own unique voice, speak your whole truth and have the ability to listen deeply as others are communicating as well. The powerful practices that are delivered here will help you to develop an effective and extremely satisfying method for communication. If you are interested in feeling more confident during conversation and you’d like to stay focused on what really matters in each interaction, this is a book for you.
- Authors: Oren Jay Sofer (Author), Joseph Goldstein (Foreword)
- Publisher: Shambhala (December 11, 2018)
- Pages: 304 pages
12. Simply said, communicating better
Simply said is a book written by Jay Sullivan that details top communication strategies for work and beyond. If you ever feel as though your message is not getting across where the details are getting lost along the way in your day to day working life, these are some scenarios and skills that can help you to share your message and communicate more effectively. The skills that you can build in this book can make sure that you can deliver everything from top presentations, to writing better e-mails. Almost every scenario for communication skills can be improved with the strategies included here.
The book connects a series of scenarios with a number of purposes that you can use to be heard and offer better communication strategies for the future. You can learn some of the basics that are required to help you deliver a clear and persuasive message or handle a difficult conversation. With the strategy included here you can improve your authenticity as well as the strengths of your communication skills with every new interaction. The improvements made through this book can make sure you can focus on great communication with each new interaction you have in life and in business.
- Authors: Jay Sullivan (Author)
- Publisher: Wiley; 1st Edition (October 31, 2016)
- Pages: 288 pages
13. The communication book: 44 ideas
The communication book is written by Mikael Krogerus and Roman Tschappler. It includes solutions to improve your conversations as well as a series of strategies that you can use to make other people in conversations feel fantastic. Whether you’re interested in improving meetings, maximizing e-mails, focusing on better business deals or other forms of communication strategies, there are activities and tips in this book that will help you improve almost every communication outcome.
The communication book delivers the theoretical base knowledge that you need to take on practical device for day to day communication strategies. Whether you’re interested in developing your communication strategies or building better relationships, this is a book that you can keep in your back pocket for an easy reference guide. The selections here cover everything from work to personal communication strategies. This is a book that you can use to develop your own skills and build a better knowledge of communication into the future.
- Authors: Mikael Krogerus (Author), Roman Tschäppeler (Author)
- Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; Illustrated Edition (February 4, 2020)
14. Interpersonal communication encounters
Interpersonal communication encounters is a book written by Julia T. Wood. It provides details on how you can find your voice and maximize interpersonal communication in everyday encounters. The eighth edition of this book allows you to improve the skills that you have become a much more effective communicator. Award-winning author Julia T. Wood has updated this textbook with a series of communication research improvements.
Covered are the basic skills, principles and concepts to communicate more effectively and interpersonal relationships. With reflection from her expertise in social diversity and gender research, this book offers newfound emphasis on diversity in communication and cultural influence on communication. With comprehensive coverage on New Age communication and social media, email and online communication, it offers thorough improvements for the workplace and for managing relationships online.
- Authors: Julia T. Wood (Author)
- Publisher: Cengage Learning; 8th Edition (January 1, 2015)
- Pages: 432 pages
15. Communication featured necessary persuasion
The HBR’s 10 must reads on communication is a book produced by the Harvard business review and a series of authors including Robert B Cialdini. With information on how some of the best leaders communicate, their activities included in the 10 articles published here that will instantly make you a more persuasive to medications expert. If you’ve ever had difficulty expressing your ideas with impact in clarity, the short articles that are written within this presentation can help you to provide new insights and advice on communicating effectively. Leading communications experts from across the world share their insights and strategies to help you communicate more effectively in relationships, for work and more.
- Authors: Harvard Business Review (Author), Robert B. Cialdini (Author), Nick Morgan (Author), Deborah Tannen (Author)
- Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press (April 2, 2013)
- Pages: 208 pages
16. First Look Communication theory
A first look at communication theory is a 10th edition textbook from Em Griffin, Andrew Ledbetter and Glenn Sparks. This textbook for McGraw-Hill is growing in popularity for students that are tackling new communication theories. The goal of this textbook is to encourage students that are interested in improving their communication skills. , Numerous examples are given in this revised version including connections to pop culture, applications and students can use in their own lives as well as a solid foundation that can help students to understand important relationships and build connections between various theories and communication.
On a chapter by chapter basis the three authors breakdown a series of activities and theories that can be used to help students build more professional communication skills for their career or for taking them further in their relationships.
- Authors: Em Griffin (Author)
- Publisher: McGraw-Hill Higher Education; 10th Edition (January 31, 2018)
- Pages: 560 pages
17. Communication Mosaics
Communication mosaics is an introduction to the field of communication. Written by Justin T Ward, this is a textbook that has some of the most up-to-date research, theories and technological information on the field of professional and public communication. Designed as a student friendly study guide, this is a textbook that can help you to improve your public communication skills and a professional mediation skills. The text provides a first-person approach with student commentaries. The basic processes and the skills for communication are delivered on a chapter by chapter basis. You can put your skills into practice as you progress through the chapters in activities. Communication mosaics takes the standpoint of many different layers of communication and the mosaic of individuals.
- Authors: Julia T. Wood (Author)
- Publisher: Cengage Learning; 8th Edition (January 1, 2016)
- Pages: 400 pages
18. Rethink communication playbook
The Rethink communication playbook is written by Phil Bowdle and it delivers several improvements for individuals that are looking for practical methods for improving their own communication. Focusing primarily on a church congregation, this is a resource for pastors, ministers and priests for reaching out to a congregation more effectively.
Older communication playbook’s no longer work effectively in modern communication strategies, rethinking the way that you communicated before and leveraging the best opportunities you may have missed can be important. If you have ever had to communicate effectively in a tense situation, this is a solution that can be used to help you communicate nearly anything to a congregation. Using proven communication strategies, this playbook allows individuals to rethink the way that they communicate in church.
- Authors: Phil Bowdle (Author), Tony Morgan (Foreword)
- Publisher: Independently published (December 31, 2018)
- Pages: 265 pages
19. Media culture introduction
Media and Culture is a book by Richard Cambell, Christopher Martin and Bettina Fabos. It introduces an introduction to mask a medication using culture and the media. The textbook is in its 12th edition and it’s a standard in many college media courses.
The overall goal of this book is to provide a series of topical information in a nuanced approach to students seeking assistance in media and communications. If you are in any journalism or media course, this could become required reading for your needs. The media culture introduction is a solution that will help you with a series of visual representations and strategies that can be used in written and audio visual communication strategies.
- Authors: Richard Campbell (Author), Christopher Martin (Author), Bettina Fabos (Author)
- Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin’s; Twelfth Edition (January 8, 2019)
- Pages: 608 pages
20. Communication skills workbook
The communication skills workbook is a series of assignments and self assessments produced by John J Liptak, Ester Leutenberg and illustrated by Amy L Brodsky. The workbook uses a series of psychological tools that can be designed to help enhance communication skills. Journaling and self-assessment are used over a group of assignments.
In the educational handouts and activities students are able to improve their skills in active listening, communication, awareness and empathy as well as nonverbal communication. Making your way through the educational activities and follow up assignments can be done as part of a course or for at home learning assignments. This book serves as an excellent supplement with activities to help anyone improve their communication skills.
- Authors: John J Liptak (Author), Ester Leutenberg (Author), Carlene Sippola (Editor), Amy L Brodsky (Illustrator)
- Publisher: Whole Person Associates, Inc; Spi Edition (January 1, 2008)
- Pages: 122 pages
Choosing the Best Books on Communication
If you would like to master your skills in communication and see a difference in your life, any of these top books can help you study at home or improve your skills in communication for a course. Communication skills can benefit you in a wide range of settings from your career to forming relationships daily. By accessing these books, you can work at generating improvements in your communication that will improve your lifestyle in the future. Consider any of these top books to start building more effective communication strategies today.