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Stanley Eugene Fish
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Winning Arguments: What Works and Doesn't Work in Politics, the Bedroom, the Courtroom, and the Classroom Kindle Edition

by Stanley Eugene Fish (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 144 ratings
A lively and accessible guide to understanding rhetoric by the world class English and Law professor and bestselling author of How to Write a Sentence.

Ever wonder how gay marriage became accepted over such a short period, after thousands of years of peril? Or how you were dumb enough to get in that last quarrel with your significant other? Or how Donald Trump became the clear front-runner in the Republican presidential primary? Or how millions continue to deny the devastating effects of global warming? In Winning Arguments, professor and New York Times–bestselling author Stanley Fish touches on these hot-button issues as he reveals how successful argument can be used to win over popular opinion.

With wit and wisdom, Fish delves into a wide range of subjects, including Donald Trump, the Supreme Court, the logic of toddlers, Monty Python, the National Football League, Holocaust denial and creationism, the nature of political spin, and the fall of Adam and Eve.

For students, teachers, lawyers, managers, husbands, wives—indeed, anyone looking to persuade their opponent—Winning Arguments is a fun read and powerful tool that will stay with readers long after they finish the book. For, as Fish writes, “argument is unavoidable, argument is interminable, argument is all we have.”
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  1. Print length
    216 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Harper
  4. Publication date
    July 5, 2016
  5. File size
    1.9 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

The points [Fish] presents are philosophical, metaphysical, even ontological...The book is not so much about winning arguments as it is about better arguments, ones that elevate the discourse toward a mutual discovery of truth (whatever that is) rather than scoring points toward partisan goals...Fish presents a compelling argument about the necessity of argument.

-- "Kirkus Reviews"

Legal scholar Fish provides a practical, thought-provoking guide to improving argument skills...An important book for any lawyer, scholar, or pundit-not to mention any spouse who has tried to walk back fractious words-Fish's shrewd work can help everyone better understand the power of effective communication in everyday life.

-- "Publishers Weekly"

Not a guide to coming out on top in a squabble but an exploration of the strategies that succeed in personal, political, and professional domains...This timely publication that coincides with the upcoming presidential election will attract Fish's already established audience; newcomers to the author should find this latest work simultaneously challenging and accessible.

-- "Library Journal"

From the Back Cover

“The wish to escape argument is really the wish to escape language, which is really the wish to escape politics, and is finally the wish to escape mortality—and it won’t matter a whit.”

Ever wonder how gay marriage became accepted over such a short period, after thousands of years of peril? Or how you were dumb enough to get in that last quarrel with your significant other? Or how Donald Trump became the clear frontrunner in the Republican presidential primary? Or how millions continue to deny the devastating effects of global warming? In Winning Arguments, professor and New York Times bestselling author Stanley Fish touches on these hot-button issues as he reveals how successful argument can be used to win over popular opinion.

With wit and wisdom, Fish delves into a wide range of subjects, including Donald Trump, the Supreme Court, the logic of toddlers, Monty Python, the National Football League, Holocaust denial and creationism, the nature of political spin, and the fall of Adam and Eve. 

For students, teachers, lawyers, managers, husbands, wives—indeed, anyone looking to persuade their opponent—Winning Arguments is a fun read and a powerful tool that will stay with readers long after they finish the book. For, as Fish writes,  “argument is unavoidable, argument is interminable, argument is all we have.”

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B016I1BBXO
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper; Reprint edition (July 5, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 5, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.9 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 216 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 144 ratings

About the author

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Stanley Eugene Fish

Stanley Eugene Fish

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Stanley Fish is the Davidson-Kahn Distinguished University Professor and a professor of law at Florida International University. He has previously taught at the University of California at Berkeley, Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he was dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He has received many honors and awards, including being named the Chicagoan of the Year for Culture. He is the author of twelve books and is now a weekly columnist for the New York Times. He resides in Andes, New York; New York City; and Delray Beach, Florida; with his wife, Jane Tompkins.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
144 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers appreciate the book's language quality, with one review highlighting its comprehensive coverage of different types of arguments. However, the reading experience receives mixed feedback, with several customers finding it terrible.

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11 customers mention "Language quality"8 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the language quality of the book, with one customer noting it provides a quick overview of various argument types, while another mentions its comprehensive coverage and usefulness in political contexts.

"An interesting perspective on how opinion is shaped and changed. Really shows how a lie is sold. And we know the legs lies have!" Read more

"A comprehensive coverage of topic. Should have checked it out at local library first and not having to clutter my bookshelf by owning it." Read more

"...Fish's structure and prose style frankly sucks. If I had to describe the tone of the book in one word, it would be "bloviating"...." Read more

"This book is a quick trip through a few different types of arguments (legal, domestic, etc.) and their examples...." Read more

8 customers mention "Reading quality"3 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's readability, with some finding it a good read while others describe it as terrible.

"Did not hold my attention" Read more

"...and their examples. It's fun to read and it's short, but it's not particularly educational...." Read more

"...Boring, no value, and a waste of time. Not even worth the 3 dollars I spent on it, on sale. I want my money and my time back." Read more

"...For anyone who enjoys pondering human thought itself, this is a good read." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • David J. Cigler
    5.0 out of 5 stars Winning Arguments
    Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    An interesting perspective on how opinion is shaped and changed. Really shows how a lie is sold. And we know the legs lies have!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • ned
    4.0 out of 5 stars Covers material well
    Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    A comprehensive coverage of topic. Should have checked it out at local library first and not having to clutter my bookshelf by owning it.
    Helpful
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  • Alan Jones
    5.0 out of 5 stars You Never Win an Argument
    Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    As always, Dr. Fish offers his own unique perspective on the central role argumentation plays in our everyday effort to make collective sense out of the problems we humans confront. While I understand why the publishers titled this book "Winning Arguments," the theme of the book is not about winning, but about the recognition that argumentation is a necessary part of our life, that the goal of consensus is a myth, and to understand the rules of the different arguments we find ourselves in on a daily basis. As I read the book, I kept thinking of how the Irish view argumentation: "is this a private fight or can anyone join in. The point of this book is living life means you have joined the argument.
    22 people found this helpful
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  • Ivan M
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected
    Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This book is a quick trip through a few different types of arguments (legal, domestic, etc.) and their examples. It's fun to read and it's short, but it's not particularly educational. I liked being reminded of how persuasion and social skills are used in different areas of life, however I didn't learn much.

    The content doesn't match the title. If you're looking for advice on winning arguments, look elsewhere.
    14 people found this helpful
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  • gray a turner
    5.0 out of 5 stars Can't stop me now
    Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Since buying this witty book I've become unstoppable. I win all arguments and everyone bows before my rhetorical greatness. If you buy it we can't argue because it would be like matter touching anti-matter.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Hale Family Reviews
    1.0 out of 5 stars Not a how to, but a lecture on rhetoric
    Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I rarely stop a book mid-read. I did on this one. There were some good talking points - like explaining why Trump does speeches off the cuff the way he does. But, like most people, I hoped this would help me become a better debater/persuader.

    Each chapter goes around and around on how rhetoric and debate work and the theory behind it. There's no info on how to apply this to one's personal life.

    My second dislike was how verbose it was. He likes run-on sentences. 2 sentences = 1 healthy paragraph length. It's like sitting in a lecture hall with a tenured professor who only wants to hear himself sound important without teaching anything practical.
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  • LJK3200
    2.0 out of 5 stars Two Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Did not hold my attention
    One person found this helpful
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  • S. Beckwith
    5.0 out of 5 stars It will make you think
    Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Fish, always provocative, uses the analysis of argument to give us insight into the way language determines how we think. For anyone who enjoys pondering human thought itself, this is a good read.
    6 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Eashwari
    3.0 out of 5 stars An Okay Read
    Reviewed in India on May 24, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The book was delivered on time and was in perfect condition when it arrived. However, the book itself is okay. Not as interesting as I thought it was. It is an easy read and brings out of a couple of interesting points regarding the world of arguments, dialogue and discussion. That said, not really Stanley Fish’s best work.
    Report
  • Ankit
    2.0 out of 5 stars Two Stars
    Reviewed in India on October 2, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    boring...not good...just quoted examples with not good relevance...went over my head
    One person found this helpful
     Report

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