Never ask a question that can be answered with a one word answer. That doesn't just mean yes or no questions. For example, don't ask "What's your major?" Ask, "How did you happen to choose your major?"
I don't know about Dale Carnegie, but the idea of reading a book on the topic is a great idea. Check out these examples from an Amazon search I just did:
I read the first one at the top of the list, Conversationally Speaking, and thought it was pretty good.