Simple Book Review: "TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking" (2016)

TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking (2016)
by Chris Anderson

If you want to improve your public speaking, I highly recommend this book. This is the only public speaking guide you ever need today! I love to watch TED talks on YouTube, at least once per week. I learned so much. TED is a short form for Technology, Entertainment and Design. At first TED began as an annual conference, but in recent years it has expanded to cover any topic of public interest. I like TED’s mission very much: To nurture the spread of powerful ideas or simply put “ideas worth spreading.” 

Chris Anderson, head of TED, believe that as “ants shape each other’s behaviour by exchanging chemicals, we do it by standing in front of each other, peering into each other’s eyes, waving our hands and emitting strange sounds from our mouths.” Public speaking if done right, it can “electrify a room and transform an audience’s worldview.” Thus, a great talk is its freshness. “Your only real job in giving a talk is to have something valuable to say, and to say it authentically in your own unique way.” Yes, but how? Well, this book will tell you how. If you’re a student or your work require you to do public speaking and presentations, then, behold, buy or borrow this book [Carmine Gallo also have written a book on public speaking in 2014 entitled Talk Like TED. You may want to buy this book if you can’t find Anderson’s]

At TED, speakers are require to present their ideas – experiences or achievements, talents or skills, studies or researches, innovations or inventions – in 18 minutes. For some people, 18 mins is like 18 hours, but for most people that have great ideas, 18 mins is too short. Chris writes “you will only cover as much ground as you can dive into in sufficient depth to be compelling.” In this book, Chris carefully guide readers to create talk that can transform people’s worldview, unlocking empathy, stirring excitement, sharing knowledge and insights and promoting a shared dream. And hopefully in 18 mins for a lifetime impact. Here are the contents of this book:

Prologue: The New Age of Fire

Foundation

#1 Presentation Literacy: The Skill You Can Build

#2 Idea Building: The Gift in Every Great Talk

#3 Common Traps: Four Talk Styles to Avoid

#4 The Throughline: What’s Your Point?

Talk Tools

#5 Connection: Get Personal

#6 Narration: The Irresistible Allure of Stories

#7 Explanation: How to Explain Tough Concepts

#8 Persuasion: Reason Can Change Minds Forever

#9 Revelation: Take My Breath Away!

Preparation Process

#10 Visuals: Those Slides Hurt!

#11 Scripting: To Memorize or Not to Memorize?

#12 Run-Throughs: Wait, I Need to Rehearse?

#13 Open and Close: What Kind of Impression Would You Like to Make?

On Stage

#14 Wardrobe: What Should I Wear?

#15 Mental Prep: How Do I Control My Nerves?

#16 Setup: Lectern, Confidence Monitor, Note Cards, or (Gulp) Nothing?

#17 Voice and Presence: Give Your Words the Life They Deserve

#18 Format Innovation: The Promise (and Peril) of Full-Spectrum Talks

Reflection

#19 Talk Renaissance: The Interconnectedness of Knowledge

#20 Why This Matters: The Interconnectedness of People

#21 Your Turn: The Philosopher’s Secret

Borrow mine if you want… :)

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.