The communication playbook for adults 18 and up
Speak EasyThe Communication Playbook for Adults
For adults 18 and up who were never taught this in school. 15 chapters, 129 pages.
The XP System
You level up by doing, not just reading.
Every chapter has optional challenges worth XP. Five tiers of difficulty. No leaderboard, no pressure. Just a way to track your own progress.
Low stakes. Try the move once.
A real step. Slightly scary, very doable.
A real stretch that changes something.
The big ones. You'll feel these.
Help someone else learn the move.
15 Chapters
Start anywhere. Finish everything.
Each chapter is its own complete unit. Chapter Zero is free.
Every chapter carries a Note for Different Kinds of Minds, written into the core content, not bolted on at the end.
Chapter Zero (Free)
Say Your Name
The chapter that should have come first in every conversation class you never took.
Before We Begin: The Elephant and the Rope
A man was walking through a village when he came across a group of elephants standing quietly under the shade of some trees.
What caught his attention wasn't the elephants themselves, but what was holding them.
Each enormous animal had only a thin rope tied around one front leg. No chains. No cages. Just a rope, fastened to a small wooden stake in the ground.
He couldn't understand it. These were animals powerful enough to uproot trees. Surely they could snap a rope like that without even trying.
The trainer told him: when they were very small, the same rope was enough to hold them. They tried to break free, and failed. Over and over. Until they stopped trying.
The rope hadn't changed. The elephant had.
The opening of Chapter Zero is above. The full chapter, with its Nugget, Method at a Glance, XP Missions, and a Note for Different Kinds of Minds, is in the free Kindle sample and in the book.
Nine Appendices
More than 15 chapters.
The book includes practical extensions and reference material you can return to long after you've read it.
Ideas from Speak Easy
Available Now
One mishandled conversation can cost you a promotion.
One failed difficult conversation at home can cost you a relationship.
This book costs less than the coffee you'd buy to avoid it.
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ISBN 978-1-0696315-0-3 · © 2026 Speak Easy Bookshelf
Early Days. Here's Why That's Fine.
“I love it. It's very practical and useful. Definitely worth it.”
Amirhossein Farjami, reader
That is one reader. Every book with hundreds of reviews started with one. The opening of Chapter Zero is on this page and the full chapter is in the free Kindle sample, so you can judge it yourself before buying. If it doesn't speak directly to you, don't buy it.
If it does, and you read the full book and find it valuable: a review on Amazon takes 60 seconds and is the highest-value thing a reader can do for an independent publisher.
Leave a Review ↗ Haven't read it yet? Chapter Zero is free ↓Questions
FAQ
Who is Speak Easy for?
Adults 18 and up who were never formally taught communication skills: networking, setting boundaries, listening deeply, navigating difficult conversations, and adapting across cultures and contexts. If you've been out in the world and still feel a gap, this book was written for you.
What is the XP system?
Every chapter has optional challenges called XP Missions, in five tiers: Chill (10 XP), Brave (25 XP), Epic (50 XP), Legend (75 XP), and Social Mode (100 XP, for teaching the move to someone else). No leaderboard, no pressure. Track it or don't. Appendix A has blank templates if you want them.
What is a Nugget?
Every chapter drops one Nugget: a single bolded line, right after the opening story, that captures the whole idea in a sentence or two. If you remember nothing else from a chapter, you remember the Nugget.
Is Speak Easy built for neurodivergent readers?
Yes. Every chapter includes a Note for Different Kinds of Minds, written into the core content, not bolted on. Appendix F goes deeper, with patterns and scripts for autistic, ADHD, and dyslexic readers, and for the people they talk with. It's built on the idea that mismatch goes both ways, not that anyone needs fixing.
Is the book research-backed?
Yes. Appendix C lists every source with an honest note on what each one is: a study, a survey, a trade book, or older wisdom. It also sets straight the most misquoted statistic in communication research, the one people wrongly pin on Mehrabian.
Do I need to read the chapters in order?
No. Each chapter is self-contained. Start with whatever is most relevant to where you are right now. Chapter Zero is a good entry point, and it's in the free Kindle sample.
What if I don't find it valuable?
Amazon's standard return policy applies to Kindle books. You can return any Kindle purchase within 7 days. Chapter Zero is free before you decide.