BEST 24 Inspiring Books, As Recommended By TED Talks Speakers
If you're looking to round out your reading list, I've got some great book recommendations from TED speakers to inspire, educate, and entertain you. The 24 books included below are only a small selection taken from the mega-list published on ideas.ted.com, so be sure to check the full post for more awesome reading recommendations.
For those who aren't familiar, TED Talks are short, digestible speeches on everything from scientific discoveries to social life hacks. They're free to watch and share. Every so often, one of them goes viral. There's even a TED Talk to explain why videos go viral.
This is all to say that, if you want to read a book that will change your life, you should probably ask for a recommendation from someone who changes people's lives. And trust me: TED speakers change lives. I wouldn't have been half as successful in my post-college life, had I not watched curated TED Talks lists on Netflix and YouTube.
From Finn Family Moomintroll author Tove Jansson comes this heartwarming story of a woman and her granddaughter on an island in the Gulf of Finland.
2. Born to Runby Christopher McDougall, recommended by Jill Heinerth
Written by runner and journalist Christopher McDougall, Born to Run tells the story of Mexico's indigenous Tarahumara: a tribe who have perfected the art of long-distance running.
3. inGeniusby Tina Seelig, recommended by Elise Roy
Tina Seelig's "crash course" will help anyone, even the most boring among us, unlock their creative potential.
4. A Short History of Nearly Everythingby Bill Bryson, recommended by Lisa Nip
Ever wonder how we discovered [insert scientific fact here]? Read Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everythingand feel smarter.
5. Belle du Seigneurby Albert Cohen, recommended by Jocelyne Bloch
This satire of early-20th century European social mores will delight any fiction lover.
6. On Photographyby Susan Sontag, recommended by Angélica Dass
Susan Sontag's 1973 critical analysis of photographic images and art remains a classic today, as TED speaker Angélica Dass points out: "[I]t’s important to know the power of this media and to take responsibility for the images that we consume, create and share."
7. The Sparrowby Mary Doria Russell, recommended by Monica Byrne
Mary Doria Russell's 1996 sci-fi novel centers on a linguist priest who makes first contact with intelligent alien life in 2016.
8. Infinite Jestby David Foster Wallace, recommended by Magda Sayeg
The work of postmodern fiction to end all postmodern fiction, Infinite Jest, examines human connections and disconnections with a signature, wacky form of comedy.
9. Good to Greatby Jim Collins, recommended by Pardis Sabeti
If you want to get your startup off the ground, check out Jim Collins'Good to Great to find out what makes successful companies tick.
10. The Big Ideaby Donny Deutsch, recommended by Achenyo Idachaba
Also for entrepreneurs, Donny Deutsch'sThe Big Idea focuses on the art of uncovering niche problems and devising their solutions.
11. Improv Wisdomby Patricia Ryan Madson, recommended by Lisa Dyson
Can improv's "rules" help us succeed in business? Patricia Ryan Madson shows us that flying by the seat of our pants isn't always a bad thing in Improv Wisdom.
12. Speak Italian: The Fine Art Of The Gestureby Bruno Munari, recommended by Alice Rawsthorn
Children's author Bruno Munari's guide to non-verbal Italian communication was Alice Rawsthorn's top summer reading pick.
13. Spiralby Mark Danner, recommended by Samantha Nutt
How have September 11, 2001 and the years-long war that followed affected the U.S. and its citizens? That's the question that drives Mark Danner'sSpiral .
14. Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn, recommended by Gill Hicks
Jon Kabat-Zinn's 1994 bestseller on mindfulness might see renewed popularity, thanks to Gill Hicks' recommendation.
15. Station Elevenby Emily St. John Mandel, recommended by Negin Farsad
This brilliant sci-fi novel was nominated for the 2014 National Book Award for Fiction.
16. An Orchard Invisibleby Jonathan Silvertown, recommended by Jill Farrant
This microhistory on seeds, their evolution, and uses has something to offer everyone.
17. The End of Powerby Moisés Naím, recommended by Sue Desmond-Hellmann
Who holds the power and how can they keep it? Moisés Naím's examination of the evolution of large-scale control will make you rethink everything you know about power dynamics.
18. The Sense of Wonderby Rachel Carson, recommended by Emma Maris
Silent Spring author Rachel Carson examines the wonder of nature in this beautifully photographed book.
19. Between the World and Meby Ta-Nehisi Coates, recommended by Shivani Siroya
If you haven't yet read Ta-Nehisi Coates' short letter to his son, put it on your summer reading list today.
20. Mapping the Heavensby Priyamvada Natarajan, recommended by Tabetha Boyajian
A bit more narrow than Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything above, Mapping the Heavenstraces the cosmological discoveries that have radically changed our world.
21. The Things They Carriedby Tim O'Brien, recommended by Aomawa Shields
This Pultizer-nominated novel draws heavily from the author's experiences to tell the story of a platoon of U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War.
22. An Affair with My Motherby Caitríona Palmer, recommended by Sarah Gray
Fearing she would hurt the woman who raised her, Irish adoptee Caitríona Palmer carried out a 16-year-long, secret relationship with her birth mother. She tells the story of that "affair" in this engaging memoir.
23. Doing Good Betterby William MacAskill, recommended by Julia Galef
An enlightening read for anyone interested in charity work, William MacAskill's Doing Good Better examines how we can be most effective in our world-bettering endeavors.
24. Space and Eternal Lifeby Chandra Wickramasinghe and Daisaku Ikeda, recommended by Wanda Diaz Merced
This conversation between a Buddhist scholar and an astronomer tackles all the biggest questions of morality and existence.
