If there is such a thing as a "speechwriter's speechwriter," Dr. Alan M. Perlman more than qualifies for the title.

Dr. Perlman's Ph.D. is in linguistics, the scientific study of language. He taught the subject, along with English composition, for 12 years at various colleges and universities. In addition, he spent more than 20 years as an executive speechwriter at Burroughs Corporation (now Unisys), General Motors and Kraft Foods.

Dr. Perlman has written two books on speechwriting: "It Gives Me Great Pleasure..." -- A Guide to Writing Ceremonial Speeches (Ragan Communications, 1992) and Writing Great Speeches: Professional Techniques You Can Use (Allyn & Bacon, 1997).

And now he has just published a third: Perfect Phrases for Executive Presentations (McGraw Hill, $9.95).

The book is a bargain, particularly for beginning speechwriters or communications professionals who are not speechwriters but who write speeches occasionally as part of their other duties. As the title suggests, this book contains scores of effective openings, conclusions and transitions to enliven almost every kind of speech, from the ceremonial to the routine. And each of these perfect phrases is vouched for by a man who has been writing speeches for over two decades.

Speechwriters of any level of proficiency will be especially grateful for the suggested openings. As James Russell Lowell once said, and as any writer will agree, "In creating, the only hard thing's to begin." What do you say after you've typed, "Ladies and Gentlemen..." ?

Say that you need to write a speech for managers on employee development. Dr. Perlman suggests startling the audience by challenging them: "I have a simple piece of advice: become the person you would like to promote."

Or say that your CEO has to make a speech on why the company is changing strategies. Don't be passive, be proactive. Have the CEO say, "To be successful in this environment, indeed to survive, we must create the change that leads to distinct competitive advantages."

Got an audience for whom English is not a first language? Dr. Perlman will steer you towards terminology that will be less likely to create misunderstandings.

However long one may have been plying the speechwriter's craft, the quotes and stories Dr. Perlman has included in this new book make it fun to peruse and instructive as well.

Nice work, Alan. Anybody who reads your book will never have fall back on, "Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking ..." to break the ice with the audience.

(The book may be ordered through Perlman’s Web site: www.alanperlman.com)