Book Review: 'Words That Stick' — A Curator’s Toolkit

'Words That Stick' arrives as a practical handbook for anyone who wants to craft memorable language. The book mixes research with hands-on exercises and is especially useful for curators, copywriters, and leaders who use quotes to communicate values.

What the book does well

It synthesizes decades of memory and communication research into accessible rules-of-thumb. The author provides exercises for distilling complex ideas into concise lines, a topic our readers will find valuable. The chapter on editing quotations for modern usage offers step-by-step methods that are directly applicable.

Limitations

At times the book privileges brevity over nuance, which risks flattening historically rich passages. The reader should supplement this handbook with context-checking resources to avoid misinterpretation.

Who should read it

Editors, speechwriters, social media managers, and brand teams will find immediate value. It is less suited for scholars seeking exhaustive theoretical grounding.

Practical takeaways

• Rule of three: structure memorable lines with three parts or beats.
• Test readability: if a line is repeated easily after one hearing, it will likely stick.
• Context check: always preserve the original intent when republishing.

Recommendation: Buy if you curate quotes regularly or work in communications. The exercises alone justify the price for teams looking to develop concise messaging skills.