The Art of Rhetoric by Aristotle

"Moral character, so to say, constitutes the most effective means of proof." In ancient Greece, rhetoric was at the center of public life. Many writers attempted to provide manuals to help improve debating skills, but it was not until Aristotle produced The Art of Rhetoric in the 4th century BCE that the subject had a true masterpiece. As he considered the role of emotions, reason, and morality in speech, Aristotle created essential guidelines for argument and prose style that would influence writers for more than two millennia. Brilliantly explained and carefully reasoned, The Art of Rhetoric remains as relevant today as it was in the assemblies of ancient Athens.