audio nonfiction (analyzing successful TED talks to arrive at recommendations for
probably better in print=more skimmable; as an audio it was excessively long, with each point being repeated so many times despite Gallo's recommendation that this presentation tactic is not as effective as keeping things short and to the point.
some points that I managed to pick up (in between completely zoning out). Note that these will help people in job interviews as well as career presentations and public speaking engagements.

* to make your topic interesting, stick to themes that you actually care about (i.e., that "make your heart sing"
* think of a presentation more as a conversation in which you are connecting with your audience. The pace of a conversational tone is actually a little faster than the pace at which an audiobook is read.
* sit/stand up straight (or even lean slightly forward as a friendly/interested salesperson). See Amy Cuddy's power pose for prepping before your presentation.
* connect by invoking emotion--as through a personal anecdote, funny story, or shocking statement. Keep in mind that serious topics may benefit from a thoughtful injection of humor.
* practice a LOT. in front of friends, strangers, in front of a camera--put in the thousands of hours until you've reached proficiency and polish.
* keep it short (18-20 minutes) and focus on three things you want the audience to remember.
* adding carefully selected images to your slide deck (and limiting text - try 40 words for first 10 slides) can help people remember. Stick to one theme/one statistic/one message per slide; don't just stack bullet-points together as per the old style. (also consider props or multimedia to help illustrate your point) ( )

Presenting has always been something I've struggled with. If I'm well prepared and know my stuff, then I'm not at all scared - but when I don't invest the time it shows. Talk like Ted dives deeper into the core of the presentation - focusing on adding pathos, logos and ethos to your talks. I like the idea of sharing memorable experiences and novel statistics as a way to stand out as well. ( )

The tips in this book are solid. I used some of them as a teacher and trainer. I will use this book as a study book when preparing for future talks until I know the tips by heart.

The next things I will take on is
* telling stories
* limit the talks to 18 minutes
* use images instead of text ( )

This book has inspired me to rethink the structure of my potential job talks for academic job interviews and my informational lectures to my students. It's an engaging, practical book. ( )

This clear, simple book could be boiled down into a handful of guidelines and fill two sides of a page, but it is expanded with anecdote, repetition (each main point is repeated at the beginning and end of each chapter), text boxes, and descriptions of how popular TED speakers implement the main ideas. It's brisk and chatty. One chapter has one of my favorite opening lines: "Aimee Mullins has 12 pairs of legs," but as with the rest of the book, the next couple of pages doesn't quite deliver on the opening.

His advice, in concise form: Be passionate about your topic. Tell stories. Speak as if you are having a conversation. Provide new information. Provide your audience with surprise - at least one emotionally charged moment or experience. Use humor (not jokes). Stick to eighteen minutes, because otherwise your audience will have cognitive overload. Don't talk too fast or too slowly (190 words per minute is about right) (And use the Rule of Three for the same reason). Provide multisensory input for memorability. Don't put too much text, if any, on your slides (human beings can't multitask well), but use powerful pictures and data graphics. Be real.

He provides citations for many of his main points, but when I looked at his references, more often than not they were newspaper articles, TED talks, novelties, or mass market books.

All that said, it would be a good text for teaching my students how to be good public speakers, or more specifically how to give a good TED talk. ( )