How books can open your mind
6,492,772 views |
Lisa Bu |
TED2013
• February 2013
What happens when a dream you've held since childhood ... doesn't come true? As Lisa Bu adjusted to a new life in the United States, she turned to books to expand her mind and create a new path for herself. She shares her unique approach to reading in this lovely, personal talk about the magic of books.
What happens when a dream you've held since childhood ... doesn't come true? As Lisa Bu adjusted to a new life in the United States, she turned to books to expand her mind and create a new path for herself. She shares her unique approach to reading in this lovely, personal talk about the magic of books.
This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.
About the speaker
Lisa Bu has built a career helping people find great stories to listen to. Now she tells her own story.
Charlotte Brontë | Wilder Publications, 2009 | Book
Jane Eyre was my role model of an independent woman when I was growing up. 'Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!'
Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey | Martino Fine Books, 2013 | Book
Since reading this book as a kid, I have been obsessed with efficiency. Read it at your own risk :)
Pearl S. Buck | Washington Square Press, 2004 | Book
Pearl S. Buck's house in Nanjing where she lived during the 1930s later became the office of the Chinese Department of Nanjing University, where I received my BA. But her books were banned in China when I was in college, so I finally read this book in the US. After Beijing lifted the ban on her books a few years ago, her house has been converted to a museum.
Walter Isaacson | Simon & Schuster, 2004 | Book
Read this and John Adams by David McCullough together. Both men were great yet very different. They had many disagreements but the American Revolution needed them both.
Katharine Graham | Vintage, 1998 | Book
Read this along with The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder. The first one is the autobiography of Katharine Graham, former publisher of The Washington Post. She was an inspiration for me when I was struggling with insecurities. She and Warren Buffett are great friends and business partners. I really like Buffett's approach to life, business and wealth: 'Life is like a snowball — all you need is wet snow and a really long hill.'
Christopher Moore | William Morrow Paperbacks, 2004 | Book
This book is both hilarious and profound. The teenage Jesus took a road trip with Biff to look for the three wise men and encountered Buddhism and Hinduism (and lattes) along the way. I'm amazed by the author's understanding of all three religions.
Mystic Fire Video, 2001 | Watch
This six-hour conversation between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers changed my life. I re-watch it whenever I'm stuck in writing or life, and it never fails to inspire me. It's also one of my favorite gifts to give to friends.
Thomas Merton | New Directions, 2010 | Book
Read this and Tao: The Watercourse Way by Alan Watts together. Instead of loss in translation, I find there's much to gain from Thomas Merton's interpretation of Chuang Tzu's writing. Maybe because without cultural preconception, a Westerner can read Chuang Tzu's ancient text with fresh eyes, thus see its original meaning more readily. I'm also amazed by Alan Watts' understanding of Eastern philosophies. He has a talent to articulate complicated ideas in an easy to understand manner.
This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.