I'm a self-taught PowerPoint user and have been using it for years to create presentations for everything from a new client pitch, product launch, life in review (funeral), community event or family trivia night.

Russell Davies has created PowerPoint presentations for the likes of Nike, Microsoft and Apple and has become the go-to guru for all things PowerPoint. In this book, Everything I Know about Life I Learned from PowerPoint, Davies shares his tips for creating and delivering an engaging presentation.

This isn't a book for those wanting to learn how to use the program and doesn't contain any specific instructions. Instead, it provides a lot of well-rounded guidance around how to put together an effective presentation. What should you consider when starting work on a presentation? How do you engage your audience and hold their attention?

True to his word, not only is Davies able to present well, he's also highly engaging as a writer as well. In fact, I had to keep stopping to look things up mentioned in the book. Highlights include the PowerPoint slide outlining the situation in Afghanistan that was so confusing, US military General Stanley McChrystal declared "When we understand that slide, we'll have won the war."

I also enjoyed the insight into the preparation process Steve Jobs employed in order to achieve his now famous presentations. Summary? He practised every day for 3 months. In fact, Davies says you should:

"Spend one hour preparing for every minute you'll be presenting." Page 213

As an aside, I loved learning about tricolons (a rhetorical term that consists of a series of three parallel words, phrases, or clauses) such as the Olympic motto of Faster, Higher, Stronger or the byline for Rice Bubbles Snap, Crackle, Pop. A molossus contains three short words, like: Yes We Can and an epizeuxis is the repetition of words, like location, location, location. Fascinating right?

With quotes from business people and examples from a range of industries, there's something in here for everyone, from small business owners to aspiring leaders, speech makers, executives and office workers around the world.

Delivered with a great sense of humour and a light and breezy approach, Everything I Know about Life I Learned from PowerPoint by Russell Davies is an endlessly interesting and entertaining book and I highly recommend it.

Next slide please!

* Copy courtesy of Allen & Unwin * ( )