Author Description

"No man is an island," so the cliché goes. These days, no man could be an island even he wanted to -- the phone, fax, pager, or computer would somehow find his address and "get in touch." These advances in communication are just a technological means of fulfilling a very basic need of all people -- the need for human contact and social interaction. Communication is about connecting, linking, sharing, participating, bonding, coupling, or joining with others, proving that humans cannot exist and survive in isolation. This book provides the basis for understanding how and why relationships develop and dissolve, and how communication has changed in recent years. This book introduces readers to the field of communication and the connection of communication to their lives, their education, and their careers. Focusing on the notion of "making connections," this book strives to help readers understand the role communication plays in their daily lives and the value of communication skills. Throughout the book, readers see how diversity, ethics, and technology relate to communication and to their lives as a whole. The "making connections" theme is evident within every chapter through the careful weaving of how communication connects to every text concept and discussion. Communication specialists, debaters, speech writers, instructors of speech communication, and anyone interested in this field.