When you’re just too busy to curl up with a good book, these talks bring the beauty of literature in audio form.

A list of the talks mentioned in TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking. Chris Anderson's comments on each talk (in the grey italics) indicate why they were included in the book. Use the book index for more info.

Software developer Mike Matas demos the first full-length interactive book for the iPad -- with clever, swipeable video and graphics and some very cool data visualizations to play with. The book is "Our Choice," Al Gore's sequel to "An Inconvenient Truth."

Deep inside Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library lies a 240 page tome. Recently carbon dated to around 1420, its pages feature looping handwriting and hand drawn images seemingly stolen from a dream. It is called the Voynich manuscript, and it's one of history's biggest unsolved mysteries. The reason why? No one can figure out what i...

During the span of a single life, how do you reinvent yourself? Take a page out of the book of these speakers who have found creative ways to fit many lives into one.

Whether you're a budding bibliophile or already in the throes of whirlwind romance with your favorite writers, these talks are for you!

Libraries are a magical place full of life and endless stories — both real and imagined. We're delighted to share these TED Talks as a love letter to libraries, librarians and the community they build.

Did you know TED has a Book Club you can attend from anywhere in the world? When you sign up for a TED Membership, you’ll get access to our special live TED Book Club conversations. Meet members of the TED community as you discuss big ideas and share new perspectives.

In 1998, a school district removed one of American literature's most acclaimed works from its curriculum. Parents pushing for the ban said the book was both "sexually explicit" and "anti-white." The book at the center of this debate was Maya Angelou's "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings." Why was the memoir so controversial? Mollie Godfrey digs int...

Intriguing nuggets regarding the intersection of work and happiness… a call, in a few pointed words, for an expanded, genuine work ethic. — Kirkus Review About the book For the overwhelming majority of people, work falls short—very short. The question is: why? Press and reviews About the author

These well-known writers weave beautiful words on the page ... and on the stage.

Libraries have the power to create a better world; they connect communities, promote literacy and spark lifelong learners. But there's one thing that keeps people away: the fear of overdue book fines. In this thought-provoking talk, librarian Dawn Wacek makes the case that fines don't actually do what we think they do. What if your library just ...

Childhood is surreal. Why shouldn't children's books be? In this whimsical talk, award-winning author Mac Barnett speaks about writing that escapes the page, art as a doorway to wonder -- and what real kids say to a fictional whale.

A surprisingly empathetic and practical volume, behavioral economist Dan Ariely’s slim, 100-page primer on motivation will be the book you wish your boss had read. –– Fortune About the book Explore the jungle of motivation's true nature, as well as our blindness to its strangeness and complexity. Rather than seeing motivation as a simple, rat-...

Since day one as Director of Character and Content Development at Marvel Comics, Sana Amanat has pushed to create and promote superheroes who aren't just straight white men. In this inspiring talk, she discusses the encouraging results of that editorial mission -- and stresses the importance of diversity in a medium that serves a decidedly heter...

For anyone who has ever been inspired by a TED Talk… this is an insider’s guide to creating talks that are unforgettable. TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking by Chris Anderson, curator of TED Now in paperback Since taking over TED in the early 2000s, Chris Anderson has shown how carefully crafted short talks can be the key to...

First impressions are the key to how we perceive the world, and are perceived by it. They are our introductions to everything: acquaintances, the workplace, products, experiences, retail stores, the Internet, entertainment, relationships, design. And based on our first impressions, we judge things. About the book Press and reviews About the author

Book designer Chip Kidd knows all too well how often we judge things by first appearances. In this hilarious, fast-paced talk, he explains the two techniques designers use to communicate instantly -- clarity and mystery -- and when, why and how they work. He celebrates beautiful, useful pieces of design, skewers less successful work, and shares ...

Can cellphones influence architecture? Architect Marc Kushner, author of a new book, 'The Future of Architecture in 100 Buildings' thinks so—especially as more people look to take selfies with interesting backgrounds. His book showcases 100 buildings that capture what he sees as the future of architecture. — The Wall Street Journal About the bo...

A smart, snappy guide to romance… On-screen and on the page, Fry has a wry, chatty voice that illuminates age-old questions in brainy yet simple language. — The Washington Post About the book Thankfully, love—as with most of life—is full of patterns: from the number of sexual partners we have in our lifetime to how we choose who to message on a...

We're in the dawn of a new space revolution, says engineer Peter Beck: the revolution of the small. In a talk packed with insights into the state of the space industry, Beck shares his work building rockets capable of delivering small payloads to space rapidly and reliably -- helping us search for extraterrestrial life, learn more about the sola...

Jade Begay works with the people affected first and worst by the climate crisis: Indigenous communities from the Arctic to the Amazon. In a call to align climate action with the needs of those on the frontlines, she offers two starting points to understand how climate change impacts these communities and how their expertise could guide sustainab...

These talks analyze the ways a story can enhance, alter and transform how we see the world around us.

A basic primer on some of the hows and whys, solutions and struggles surrounding the conversation on homelessness.

Ann Morgan considered herself well read -- until she discovered the "massive blindspot" on her bookshelf. Amid a multitude of English and American authors, there were very few books from beyond the English-speaking world. So she set an ambitious goal: to read one book from every country in the world over the course of a year. Now she's urging ot...

Surgeons are required every day to puncture human skin before procedures — with the risk of damaging what's on the other side. In a fascinating talk, find out how mechanical engineer Nikolai Begg is using physics to update an important medical device, called the trocar, and improve one of the most dangerous moments in many common surgeries.

Provocative, thoughtful and inspiring... The Globe and Mail About the book This book is aimed at everyone — from the CEO to the janitor — who wants a better place to work. It looks at the accumulation of small, everyday thoughts and habits that generate and sustain culture: ways of speaking, listening, arguing, thinking, seeing. These aren’t mu...

Becky Blanton planned to live in her van for a year and see the country, but when depression set in and her freelance job ended, her camping trip turned into homelessness. In this intimate talk, she describes her experience of becoming one of America's working homeless.

This is a dinosaur book with a difference. —Dr. Jane Goodall About the book As we move into an uncertain environmental future, it has never been more important to understand the past. Press and reviews About the author

Tattoos can transform and empower people, with some seeking them out to reconnect with their bodies due to scarring, physical abnormalities or the aftermath of a procedure or illness. Paramedical tattooist Becky Barker shares the art and craft of medical tattooing, explaining how this expansive field helps improve the quality of life for breast ...