"Provide[s] rich and detailed guidance to the antecedents and motivations underpinning the central themes, principles and practices of CA [Conversation Analysis] . It is comprehensive and to the point in its coverage of the central principles and provides many illustrative examples for analytical guidance. It also gives those in disciplines other than sociology food for thought about ways in which neutral talk can be analysed in the social sciences." Discourse Studies "This splendid second edition introduces conversation analysis in a way that is both clear and engaging. It selects themes from across the field and introduces them in a way that captures their richness and teases out their broader implications. It will be an invaluable resource for those teaching conversation analysis and those academics who wish to learn about it." Jonathan Potter, Loughborough University & "This updated edition of a cherished introduction to CA is valuable for its focus on the striking role CA has played in such closely related areas of inquiry as linguistics, psychology, education, politics, medicine, language disorders, and linguistic anthropology. This book will be treasured for its comprehensive, accessible and engaging presentation of the findings and future trajectories of the study of language and social interaction.

" Sandra A. Thomson, University of California, Santa Barbara & "This new edition offers eloquent support for scholars who use CA as a method. It nicely leads students unfamiliar with CA through not only the details of transcription but also through the motivations behind transcription choices. The book will also continue to challenge social science researchers to rethink core concepts and cherished categories in a truly rigorous manner." Cecilia Ford, University of Wisconsin.