Top 10 books about presentations

If you need to make a presentation “here and now,” then books are not the best assistant.

Advice for those who are “here and now” - follow our instructions with recommendations about how to make a good presentation yourself. If time allows, then in addition, study the rules cool presentations and spectacular slides. Don't be lazy - success is guaranteed.

We believe that books are needed for meditative immersion in a topic or search for inspiration. Therefore, our selection of books is not literally about presentations (although there are some). We suggest joining the literature that will help make your presentation targeted and holistic.

Each of the proposed books can be read in different ways. For example, in university mode. Then each chapter in it is a whole course or semester. Naturally, studying without a notepad, markers and a computer with the necessary software is a guarantee of “staying for a second year.” 

Or in a master class format. Scrolling through. Look at pictures, graphs and diagrams. You read only “bold” and “italics”. And so on until you catch “Oh, what you need!” or “Not that!”

Sometimes the brain takes extremely original paths to achieve an ideal result. We will move through our top alphabetically (follow the author’s last name;)).

In the beginning was the Word: a book from the “father” of TED conferences

Book: TED TALKS. Words change the world: The First Official Guide to Public Speaking

Author: Chris Anderson

Presentation is always a symbiosis of words and visuals. If one element falls out, then all your work may be meaningless.

But the first is always the word. Which in the presentation should be capacious, telling and captivating at the same time.

Same as in a TED talk (maximum 18 minutes).

So feel free to use tools useful for the popular conference in your presentations.

Thanks to the book, you will understand with clear examples:

• what is a through line for?
• what's wrong with starting a story?
• how to interest from the first words.

Presentation LEGO

Book: Ready to perform! Presentation designer

Author: Radislav Gandapas

Volume by Radislav Gandapas continues to work with words. 

Disassembles the presentation into cubes and details. With a big advantage on the “protruding” part. 

For more than 10 years, millions of people have effectively used the author’s advice. Each is generously flavored with clear examples.

Thanks to the book, you will learn:

• about the importance of balance in presentation
• slide design principles
• “how to relax and enjoy” the performance.

Illuminate and enlighten: the book will “infect” with victory

Book: Illuminate: how to give inspiring speeches and create effective presentations that can change history

Author: Nancy Duarte, Patti Sanchez

The book is as inspiring as its title. The key is to read with the right expectations. After reading the title, it may seem that the book will have some rules “on the topic”. But if you study it as a “guide for creating presentations,” you will be very disappointed. There are no explicit prescribed algorithms or step-by-step instructions. But they will be clearly revealed to analysts who can easily summarize data and identify patterns.

For everyone else (with the right expectations, of course), this will be a motivating read about what and how to tell people to get them to follow you.

Thanks to the book, you will receive:

• a ton of visual presentation cases that will make you motivate and win
• the mechanics of creating word images (not visual, but clearly perceptible).

To balance the motivational rather than practical purpose of the book, here is a link to Slidedocs are sample Power Point slides from Nancy Duarte herself. They are written in English, but can be easily edited into any language.

Stick, stick, cucumber: a book on how to correctly fit diagrams into a presentation

Book: Speak the language of diagrams: A Guide to Visual Communications

Author: Gene Zelazny

Finally, purely applied material. 

Few good presentations will be visual without graphs, charts and tables.

Yes, this is one of the best tools for comparison, identifying patterns and demonstrating dependencies. 

We ourselves actively use it and responsibly declare: one slide with a correctly designed diagram “beats” 3 slides with texts.

Thanks to the book, you will understand once and for all:

• a presentation with only diagrams is just as bad as a presentation without them at all
• for clarity, its own diagram
• a clear algorithm for selecting the type of diagrams for the situation.

DuSoleil presentation: with such a book you don’t need insurance 

Book: Presentation Mastery: How to create presentations that will change the world

Author: Alexey Kapterev

In the world library of books

about presentations, there are units that cover the entire process without distortions - from idea to presentation. 

Alexey Kapterev created one of them. The author, with examples, work on mistakes (primarily his own) and practical tasks, breaks down the presentation into its component parts: text, slides, presentation.

“Presentation Mastery” is a textbook for universities in the best sense: modern, understandable, interesting and as applied as possible. As they say, study, take and do.

Thanks to the book, you will find out:

• focus, contrast and unity - the three pillars of history, slides, presentation in a presentation
• presentation design is not magic, but a set of tools
• The best presentation is a rehearsed one.

Your own compass: a book will help you stay on track in the taiga presentation

Book: Visualization effect

Author: Jamie Nast

A book about the skill of visualizing processes using mind-mep (“smart map”). 

It may seem that the book has nothing to do with creating a presentation. But, believe the professionals, if you know how to use this tool, you will make your task much easier. Moreover, regardless of its scale.

With the help of a “smart map” you will clearly know where the presentation begins, what its development is and how you will finish. 

“Visualization effect” seems to us simpler and more intelligible than “Mind maps“Harry Buzan - the progenitor of “smart cards”.

Thanks to the book, you will see:

• what does an entire presentation look like on one sheet of paper?
• developing a presentation from start to finish
• Drawing a “smart map” of a presentation has a therapeutic effect.

Storytelling in analytics: captivate with story with this book

Book: Data: visualize, tell, use

Author: Cole Naflik

Storytelling (literally, “telling a story”) is one of the most popular styles in selling texts today. The hero is placed in a situation from which a product or service helps him get out.

Cole Naflik suggests using the same technique to juggle data. We would like to note that she does it well.

Thanks to the book, you will be able to:

• Easily choose an effective data visualization option
• decisively get rid of information garbage
• control audience attention using data.

I want to twist and turn and confuse: a brochure with great potential

Book: Three-stage “right-brain” presentation: In sales and more

Author: Sergey Potapov, Olga Bakhonova

This “short thing” may cause indignation among many: why did you put it in “books about presentations”? Especially in the top 10?! 

And in our opinion, this book is unique. In just 7 printed pages of text, it simply, like in a primer, reveals the design of ideal formulations in presentations. 

Thanks to the book, you will learn:

• How does a “right-brain” presentation work?
• three stages of the “right hemisphere” presentation design
• parallels between selling a product and selling ideas.

Let's draw - it will live: with this book you will make your presentation beautiful with your own hands

Book: Design. A book for non-designers. Design and Typography Principles for Beginners

Author: Robin Williams

Books on presentation design are rare. 

Alexey Kapterev speaks in detail about the design rules in the presentation in the book "Presentation skills", mentioned a little by other authors. We think this is not enough.

Therefore, we bring to your attention this lifesaver. The book succinctly contains all the basics of design skills. You can apply the universal knowledge gained from the book in any field, including creating a presentation.

Thanks to the book, you will understand:

• four basic principles of design: contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity
• fonts are the basis of typography
• the main thing in design is to train the skill.

Brevity is the sister of talent: not Gandapas, but also useful

Book: Successful short presentation

Author: Evgenia Shestakova

Evgenia Shestakova’s book is similar in format to “Presentation Designer” by Radislav Gandapas. 

The language of the book is more academic, but the sequence of actions for creating a presentation and examples are presented simply and clearly. There are also mechanics for overcoming fears of speaking.

Thanks to the book, you will understand:

• Why you can’t start working on a presentation without deciding on its purpose
• What are the mistakes in presentations and how to avoid them
• How to make your presentation more effective?

Bonus: a few more popular options

A practical guide to creating bomb slides 

Book: A Primer on Killer Presentations

Authors: Nikolay Pere, Svetlana Firsova

The guys created a treasure trove of ideas on more than 400 pages! All the authors' experience in creating hundreds of slides is collected in the book and provides a useful guide. Vivid examples and unusual presentation of material grab you from the first page. Everything here is structured so that the information can be easily implemented into work and used in absolutely different areas. The entire path from creating a structure to setting the final accents can be followed directly from this book. 

What killer will you find?

• presentation templates for different tasks;

• practical tips for quickly creating slides;

• ready-made creative scenarios for all occasions;

• non-trivial font and design solutions;

• creative tasks for mastering the material.

After this book, people will never say about your presentation: “boring”, “difficult”, “old-fashioned” and “incomprehensible”. 

Be like Kung Fu Panda. Zen philosophy in effective presentation

Book: The Art of Presentation

Author: Garr Reynolds 

Here are techniques to help you break through banner blindness and engage your audience. The author, a communications specialist, focuses on minimalism and benefits for the audience. On the pages of the book you will learn to simply and concisely highlight the very essence of the presentation. 

What you will get in this book: 

• examples that are easy to apply in everyday work;

• secrets of an effective and selling presentation;

• the basis for which the methods of Eastern philosophy are taken;

• Tips on how to avoid mistakes when creating a presentation. 

Practice your speech. A book that helps keep the audience's attention

Book: Successful short presentation  

Author: Evgenia Shestakova  

Many people freeze and literally “cringe” at the sight of a microphone. The author focuses on how to build a convincing speech and communicate with the audience on equal terms. 

The book provides answers to the questions:

• how to overcome fear of public;

• what mistakes can be prevented;

• how to make a presentation engaging and interesting.

And the most important thing is how to correctly set the goal of the presentation. After all, the result depends on it. If you want to improve your delivery and be confident in the process of public speaking, this book is definitely for you. We prepare your speech to be bright and memorable! 

Conclusion

Choose what to buy. Enjoy reading. Learn new things. And remember. Presentation in any business is a special form of communication. Don't give business partners a chance to view you - order presentation at Veonix. We respond quickly and to the point!