Mehdi Hasan

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Publisher’s Weekly: “Readers will be won over by this perceptive guide”

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Publisher’s Weekly- “Readers will be won over by this perceptive guide”

Publisher’s Weekly reviewed “Win Every Argument” favorably in February. An excerpt:

He challenges Aristotle’s assertion that ethos, logos, and pathos are equally important to persuasion, countering that “pathos beats logos every time.” Citing a study that found stories focused on an individual garner more charitable donations than stories about groups, Hasan suggests that one should use “good anecdotes and gripping narratives” to get audiences invested in one’s argument.

He posits that sprinkling in humor can build rapport, defuse tension, and undermine opponents, recounting when he put an “Islam-basher” and Labor Party parliamentary candidate on the defensive by joking that she would better fit in with far right parties.

“Do your homework,” he urges, but he suggests that jokes are more effective when they’re spontaneous. Bolstered by Hasan’s incisive analysis of his interviews and debates with high-ranking political officials from the UK, US, and China, this collects illuminating insights on persuasion. Readers will be won over by this perceptive guide.

Read more at Publisher’s Weekly