The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds

Disappointed. I enjoy the ‘feel’ of any book I read. The pulp paper provided here was unpleasant. I think his book could have been easily summarized into less than twenty pages without sacrificing anything. A lot of this material seemed more like ‘fill.’ There are several other popular books on this subject which were superior.

What a fabulous book. I learned a ton and got so inspired to dig deep into my heart and soul to access powerful content and passion. It's the perfect handbook for anyone wanting to create a memorable talk, and also overcome insecurities. Also a must-read for anyone in sales. Thanks Mr. Gallo!!

I'm not one who makes too many reviews, but i got through about 25% of this book and the author is clearly similiar to a few other popular the store authors, i found no NEW good or simple advice on speaking from what i had read and the book seems to run on constantly while repeatedly mentioning TED.com. Clearly the author is more about the art of business than the art of actual speaking. Im going to continue through with this book, but its about one of the worst I've came across.

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I was pleasantly surprised.

This book's catchy title uses TED brand equity just as feeble investment articles mention Warren Buffet in the title. Add "{an odd numeral} Secrets..." to the subtitle...and I was ready for lots of sizzle with very little steak.

But Gallo is not a blowhard. He knows his subject. Leaning the book so heavily on TED talks might seem like grand larceny, but it makes perfect sense. TED's rich and varied examples are a perfect way to learn, and they're at your fingertips, thanks to YouTube.

If you want to be an interesting presenter -- or just a more interesting person -- this is a good start. Even if they are not "Secrets," Gallo's classic and correct points add up to a solid, easily digested book.

Some of the main points, such as "Think outside the box," "Tell stories," "Create jaw-dropping moments," "Add some humor," require craftsmanship and practice. This book does not get you to the finish line. It shows you good examples and points you in the right direction.

- - - Nit Pick - - -

Gallo drifts off into brain science for no good reason. People like funny. People like stories. People like pictures. People remember the unusual. Talk of dopamine, endorphins, and neural pathways adds nothing.

- - - Alternatives - - -

Search "Ted Talk" in the store books. There are several other titles like this.

- - - Additional Reading - - -

For help building your word-craft muscles, check out Word Hero by Jay Heinrichs.

~~~ Comments & questions welcome ~~~

"Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds" recycles ideas over and over without getting to the nuts and bolts of good speaking and delivery. The author/narrator hammers on the same topic to the point that I could not take it and fast forwarded to the next section of his talk over and over. Yet it was as though I was still stuck in the section I had tried to move past.

Perhaps, for me, the notions here, the really big ideas such as BE ENTHUSIASTIC or TELL A STORY, are exaggerated to point where the ideas lose their resonance and become loud gongs clanging over and over. Mr. Gallo does not instruct as much as he tells the listener what other speakers did. This analysis may be fair, but I hardly think the ideas stressed here are secrets, and the subtle skills needed to present are buried.

I learned far more about speaking by participating in Toastmasters groups and by attending a three-day course from Speakeasy. I cannot recommend this series.

It's nice if you get to share a message that will change the world. Sometimes, you simply have to show people how to fill out a form. Sometimes, there just isn't that much room for passion. Sometimes, it can get really old being told One. More. Time. that you have to have "Passion!" in all that you do.

Yawn. Passion gets boring after a while, when you keep having your face rubbed in it.

I was more than a bit disappointed that the one fully-controllable, massively important factor in presentation success was hidden.

Practice.

You don't get on the TED stage without delivering the talk A LOT. At least 100 times, is what I've seen elsewhere. When I look at the TOC, there is no mention of "practice." It turns out that the topic of practice is presented, but under the heading, "have a conversation." Huh? The chapter goes on to talk about practice, but why hide this dirty necessity under a different label?

Practice is NOT conversation. I can follow the train of thought; that one should be able to deliver the material as easily as a conversation flows. But I disagree. Conversations can ramble, go off track, contain sidebars. Good presentations don't.

Most "bad" presentations could be markedly improved with a little bit of practice and feedback. Five times, out of your mouth, out loud, to the cat the first three times if you're shy. Good-enough public speakers know this; newbies think that just looking at the material is enough.

The more important the presentation, the more practice, rather than any other variable, will improve the delivery and reception. It's strange to me that this element of presentation success was not labelled as such. Maybe it looks too much like hard work?

Gallo's good marketing can turn this mediocre product into a bestseller

Honestly not as impactful as his other books

Too many meandering stories about TED speakers

It's as if Gallo couldn't provide his own expertise on public speaking and needed to rely on TED speakers instead to provide the insights

Which is too bad because he actually is a presentation skills coach

I'd pass on this one

Get his Steve Jobs presentation skills book instead

If you are in a hurry read pages 6 to 11. Then you can decide whether you should read the rest. This book is a model of clarity and is worth buying because you may actually use it. The 3 points are, when you are giving a public presentation: (1) believe in what you are saying, be emotional (2) be novel or original in your approach and (3) make the talk memorable. Okay, this is easier said than done. But the book recommends many TED Talks (for example, Steve Jobs How to Live Before you Die) that illustrate the three key points. There are, in fact, 149 end notes that leads to Internet addresses for TED videos, etc. And for the older folks out there, the author says Dale Carnegie's The Art of Public Speaking "remains the foundation of effective communication to this day." (page 7) And furthermore, this TED book is an update for the 21st century. 278 pages, with index.

For a book about being memorable and concise, this book falls far short in both those categories. He beats the TED thing to absolute death, beginning every section with a paragraph about how many views a particular TED video got online.

This is the chapter breakdown:

1. Unleashing the master within

This is a very vague chapter title which really means "find what makes you passionate about your topic."

2. Mastering the art of storytelling

I agree, this is critical. I wish the author had explained in more detail what makes for a good story.

3. Having a conversation

As another reviewer pointed out, this chapter is more about practice.

4. Teaching something new

Even if your subject matter is not new, your audience will be more engaged and get more out of it if you can find a new aspect, spin or story. This is similar to the "Unexpected" part of the book "Made to Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath.

5. Delivering jaw-dropping moments

If you can think of a jaw-dropping moment, that is obviously gold in a presentation. Again, similar to the "Unexpected" part of "Made to Stick."

6. Lightening up

If appropriate, add humor.

7. Sticking to the 18 minute rule

I understand that this book has TED in the title, but I was looking for something that would improve my public speaking skills in general. I did not assume that this book was ONLY intended for TED speakers. While the author eventually came around to the idea that people's attention spans are only so long and longer presentations need to be broken up with activities, breaks, and changes of topic, he really harped on the idea that every presentation ever needs to be able to fit into 18 minutes. I know very few conferences or trainings that are only 18 minutes long.

8. Painting a mental picture with multisensory experiences

This is an important and often over-looked part of public speaking.

9. Staying in your lane

I can understand that the author's point was to stay specific to your own skills, but the message often came across as "don't think outside the box" or "don't aspire to change."

There were some good examples of TED Talks to illustrate each concept, and some of the book was interesting. However, as a whole, this was a mediocre book. The ideas are very basic, and people with presentation experience won't find much new here. The author does not follow his own advice and rambles quite a lot, losing some of his points in his own wordiness.

If you are looking for a great book to help you create brief presentations, I highly recommend "Made to Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath. Most of the ideas are the same, but distilled more to their essence and presented in a clearer and more applicable way.

I tried to like the book, I had great expectations. But as the boook opened, it hit me with some self important mumbling jumbo about how this book is the best book ever, and how the author did an amazing job bringing it together.. words of course, written by the author.

Well, never mind, I pushed on.... it started talking about various TED pieces...in a winding, meandering way, with a long lead to an actual point. Or, if the point was made, it was supported ad-naseum with rambling examples. Anyway, I guess I wanted something more to the point. I don’t need the author to defend his points so desperately, just state your case, provide any example, and move on.

There are much better books out there.

This is one the best books I've read on communication. (That's considering that I've been preaching and teaching for 20 years). It's very well written and researched, easy to read, and interspersed with insights from neuroscience. Gallo presents the most important aspects to public speaking, and does so using scientific facts and examples from leading experts in America. Those who are interested in preaching or public speaking will benefit greatly from this book. Those who have had experience will still benefit from these principles since many of them are timeless and need to be reviewed afresh. Whether you are an expositor or topical preacher, these timeless principles are immensely helpful.

I can honestly say that these are the very principles I have sought to master in the last twenty years. Communicating and connecting with people is a gift, but it can be acquired or polished through practicing these particular principles. This book was encouraging to me in that it confirmed characteristics that over time I deemed most important for connecting with people. Despite my experience, however, I learned some valuable insights from Gallo's investigative research. I agree that the six principles here are among the very best speaking secrets. Learning even the majority of them will put you ahead of most people who speak, preach, or teach publicly. I highly recommend this book!

A few months ago I purchased Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds with my monthly Audible subscription. I was so impressed with the book that I bought a hardcover version so that I could read it and take some detailed notes.

Talk Like TED interested me because I am always trying to improve myself in all areas of professional development. Although I will never be a Tony Robbins or a Sir Ken Robinson, I do quite a few presentations in the course of a year so any improvement that I can make in how I present will make a positive impact in my career. And, if a person is going to get tips on presentations, what better source to turn to than the world’s premier public speaking events!

Carmine Gallo did an outstanding job in boiling down the best TED presentations and establishing nine common elements that each of us can incorporate into our own presentations:
1.Unleash the Master Within – you must be inspired to inspire
2.Master the Art of Storytelling – tell an engaging story to illustrate your point
3.Have a Conversation – rate, volume, pitch, pauses, body language, gestures
4.Teach Me Something New – people love to learn new things
5.Deliver Jaw-Dropping Moments – provide a unique illustration or experience and people will never forget what you talked about
6.Lighten Up – use humor in your presentations
7.Stick to the 18-Minute Rule – presentations that are too long cause your audience to zone out
8.Paint a Mental Picture with Multisensory Experiences – try to engage as many of your audience’s senses as possible
9.Stay in Your Lane – be authentic open and transparent

So, why do you need to strive to “Talk Like TED“?

Communicating to others is probably the most important skill anyone can learn. Almost everything we do depends on collaboration with others. In fact John D. Rockefeller said “The ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee. And I will pay more for that ability than for any other under the sun.” He was willing to pay more money for someone that can communicate with others than any other skill! If you cannot communicate effectively, you will not be able to collaborate effectively and your value will be limited by this.

Now the word communicate really does not just mean to talk. I know a few people that love to talk and they are really good at talking. The problem is, no one wants to listen to them because they are just focused on themselves. When you communicate effectively, you are connecting with the people that you are communicating with and these people are understanding the concepts, ideas and thoughts you are presenting. This means that while you are delivering your message, you are doing it in the most engaging way possible and you are adjusting your content and delivery to match the verbal, emotional and visual cues from your audience. The best communicators are masters of this whether they are communicating to one person or one thousand people.

When you communicate above average, you will have above average value in the marketplace and you will get above average opportunities and be paid above average wages. This is why you need to Talk Like TED!

www.thinkingbusinessblog.com

Talk Like Ted by Carmine Gallo, is the kind of book everyone should read/listen to because even if you don’t ever plan on doing a Ted-talk, or any other kind of public speaking, this book will help you tell your stories in a more interesting way at your next cocktail party. “Ideas are the currency of the twenty-first century”, and so begins this fascinating book. If the above statement is true, then getting your ideas across can the be the difference between you realizing success or just dreaming about it. Being a good public speaker can elevate you in whatever world you live in, and listening to this book can really make a difference.

Listening to Talk Like Ted an eye-opening experience. I’ve always loved watching Ted Talks on Youtube, but analyzing what made them great, was not something I’d thought too much about. Broken down into 9 public speaking secrets and 11 chapters, starting with an overview on what Ted Talks are all about, I then learned each of the 9 secrets in order to help deliver my own ideas more effectively.

The first secret is to make your talk hit people’s emotions. Humans connect to each other through emotion. The talks that work best are the ones where we can sense the passion of the speaker, where we connect to their hopes and dreams-vulnerability.

Master the art of story telling. “Stories are data with a soul.”

Have a conversation. “Fake it until you become it.”

“Novelty recognition is a hardwired survival tool.” Make your talk novel by being completely yourself, something no one else can be.

“Deliver jaw-dripping moments”.

Use humor, especially self-depreciating humor. “Stick to the 18 minute rule”. I had no idea that creativity works best under restraint, which should be obvious to a songwriter. We are limited by space, the need to rhyme, and the need for a memorable chorus that can be chanted by an enthusiastic crowd (best case scenario).

“Paint a mental picture using as many of the senses as possible. Again this is writing 101, but good to review. I really enjoyed this book, and the man reading it(the author)has a pleasant voice that was easy on the ears and easy to follow.

Talk Like Ted is a must read for anyone who delivers presentations or facilitates professional learning. Along with being a delightful read, this book provides powerful, concrete techniques and lessons of how to create memorable presentations that sell your cause and your ideas persuasively from some of the world’s most engaging speakers. Since TED Talks have become the gold standard of presentations, this book will provide the reader with the confidence needed to create memorable and inspiring presentations that will sell ideas.

Gallo’s book focuses on the premise that “ideas are the currency of the twenty-first century” and how, regardless of the field of work, “we’re all in sales now” (Gallo, p. 1 & p. 7). In order to sell your cause, Gallow believes that a presenter must “reimagine the way” they see themselves “as a leader and communicator” (Gallo, p. 8). In order to communicate and sell your ideas, Gallo believes that presenters must focus on the three components of inspiring TED presenters, which are:
Emotional talks-which touch the heart
Novel talks-which teach something new
Memorable talks-which present content in ways the audience will never forget
Through these three components, Gallo reveals secrets that every presenter can learn from and apply directly to their presentations. Gallo’s secrets include: unleashing the master within; mastering the art of storytelling; having a conversation with the audience; teaching the audience something new; delivering memorable and jaw-dropping moments; lightening up and using humor; delivering a short and concise presentation; painting a mental picture through a multisensory experience; and finally, being passionate about your topic. Each secret is used to frame a chapter of Gallo’s book and comes alive through detailed examples of TED presenters.

Part of what makes this book so enjoyable and easy to apply to your own work is that Gallo uses anecdotes and concrete examples from a variety of TED presenters. From providing tips on how to include gestures and images into your presentation, to dissecting the ideals rate, speed, pitch volume, and pauses given in the best TED talks, to emphasizing the importance of practice and how it literally makes perfect, Gallo provides concrete examples on how to improve your presentation and constantly reiterates that passion is key to having your presentation create a lasting impact.

In my opinion, this is a must read for district administrators, teachers, and professional development facilitators. Although Gallo focuses on how the components of great TED presenters can be applied to business presentations, these components are easily applicable to educational presentations and facilitating professional development. According to Gallo, regardless of background, as long as a presenter is passionate, authentic, and transparent, they will be successful in selling their ideas (Gallo, p. 240).

After the umpteenth mention of the word "passion" in the first chapter alone, I was ready to call it quits. An excess of clichéd biz-speak and one too many iWorshipful mentions of Steve Jobs are examples of how Talk Like TED behaves more like an infomercial for TED than an actual how-to guide for better presentations.

The author of this book is undoubtedly an expert in the science of public speaking. He has worked with executives at Intel, Cisco, Chevron, Hewlett-Packard, Coca-Cola, Pfizer and many others and writes the "My Communication Coach" column for Forbes.com. These are all companies that boast excellent products that generate high demand.

There is a saying in marketing that even the best advertising campaign for a poor product or service will be unsuccessful; for instance, consider the Coca Cola rollout of a new version of its popular beverage that totally failed to gain traction with Coke's otherwise loyal following. Conversely, major missteps in promoting an excellent product or service will not diminish the demand for it. For example, several of Bill Gates' presentations for new Microsoft products suffered from failures in technology that were embarrassing at the time, but in no way diminished the audience interest in the products.

As one who has endured numerous poor presentations I can relate to the need for research and development in the area of improving communications. Slip-ups in presidential speeches (of which there have been many) detract from the message, and it would be far preferable not to have lived through them. On the other hand, practically everyone has enjoyed the speeches made by Great Communicators, even when they might not have agreed with their politics.

The author of this volume provides nine principles for successful public speaking, based on an analysis of effective public presentations using technology, education and design (TED). Previously, the writer issued volumes describing the innovation and presentation skills of Steve Jobs, as well as Apple's secrets of "insanely great customer loyalty." Lest one should assume, however, that Apple's success has been based mainly on effective public relations (although that is clearly a major part of the equation), the computer giant's reputation has been sustained by providing user-friendly products built using breakthrough technology. (I am writing this review on my iPad, which has become a great companion in the relatively short time I have owned it.)

If you offer a good product or service and wish to sell it to as many potential customers as possible, you won't go wrong by reading Carmine Gallo's book on TED presentations. He offers advice in appealing to the audience using emotion, novelty and memorable components. Much of what makes a good presentation seems obvious after reading the book, but the plethora of poor public presentations attest to the fact that what seems obvious on reflection is not so evident when someone shows a PowerPoint presentation that fails even the simplest rules for effective communication.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to stand on the shoulders of giants when giving a public speech. It will help to spare your audience from boredom and assist you in developing a reputation as someone worth hearing.

Carmine Gallo's book is a hybrid of sorts -- half public-speaking advice and half TED talk hit parade. That is, by reading it you will learn something (or, if seen through the lens of common sense, REVIEW something) about good public speaking -- but you will also see much of this advice paired with various TED talks, where said trait is shown to good effect. Thus, for each trait of a good speaker, Gallo references TED talks where you can see said trait demonstrated.

This pairing makes the book a good companion piece for teaching -- either yourself or students. For instance, if Gallo talks about passion and storytelling, then links it to Bryan Stevenson's talk on the criminal justice system, you can find Stevenson's TED talk online, watch it, and see Gallo's points in action. It's like show and tell, with the book telling and the TED talk showing.

In addition to having passion for your topic (a tough proposition if you're a student who's been assigned a speech topic) and mastering the ancient art of storytelling, Gallo advises that you surprise your audience, engage in a conversational approach, use humor, employ sensory details, only talk about your field of expertise (or passion), and time yourself -- 18 minutes is the magic neighborhood.

As a cover-to-cover read, this is not especially compelling, but as a reference book to drop into while reading other books, it pulls its weight and delivers what most prospective readers would hope for -- sound, common sense-imbued speaking advice with follow-up homework in the form of online TED talks.

I absolutely loved the book. I joined the Toastmasters Club and this book was a recommended read. It was packed with so many examples on how to give a great presentation. It took me a couple of weeks to read the book because I kept looking up every TED presented they mentioned. Just being able to see the style of each presenter really helped. I won't give away too much info about the book because you should resale read it for yourself if you're interested in being a presenter. It's worth it! The reason I gave it a four star is because the binding and cover material of the book is horrible. I like for my books to remain in very good condition and the book looks like it's been handed down from my great great great grandmother.

A highly entertaining and encouraging book.

Carmine used the speeches of many prominent luminaries to illustrate the secret of successful presentation - preparation!
Using their preparation she tried to obviate the nervousness that was often associated with presentation.

However, it might be more helpful if some unknown nonentities were portrayed as we all known that audience tend to be very much more accommodating and receptive to presentation by successful achievers.

Carmine did highlight one very important point - audience's attention is limited and best to present the key instrumental ideas within that span of 15-20 minutes.

Whether or not you ever hope to give a TED talk of your own, if you do any public speaking at all (and that includes teleseminars and webinars), you can learn a lot by studying the best TED talks. There are quite a few books on the subject.

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds, by Carmine Gallo, was recommended to me by my friend Jim Bowes, who used it in preparing his own TEDx presentation.

I read this during those few weeks I had to prepare, and I found that often, I’d get up from the book to watch one of the examples he refers to. And almost as often, I’d go from reading the book or watching one of the referenced TED talks to the edit window in PowerPoint, and immediately make changes based on what I was learning.

Some of my takeaways (or reinforcements of my existing ideas) from Gallo:
• Talk to the amygdala: to the part of the brain that reacts viscerally, emotively
• Use strong sound bites
• Incorporate humor, abundance, and optimism
• Group concepts in threes (in my case, I had three social problems for the business community to solve, and three examples of how people worked backward to reach an “impossible” goal—but I’ve been speaking and writing in threes long before I read this book)

It depends. A book such as this must accomplish 3 objectives:

1. Provide effective and practical advice
2. Keep the reader engaged throughout
3. Motivate the reader to act

On the first objective, the material does a bang up job. Mr. Gallo obviously has the credentials and experience to offer a worthy thesis on public speaking. On page 3, however, Mr. Galo states this book “represents a bold, fresh, contemporary, and compelling style that will help you win over your audience.” A few sentences before this ambitious claim he states, “These are techniques I’ve used for years to coach CEOs, entrepreneurs, and leaders who have invented products or run companies that touch your life every day.” So which is it then? Are these “bold, fresh, contemporary” ideas gleaned from TED presentations or tried and true techniques devised by Mr. Gallo and used for years in his business practice? Has Mr. Gallo used his research of TED to reinforce his long held beliefs, thereby his conclusions are biased, or was he able to remain objective throughout?

And this is what brings us to the 2nd objective of keeping the reader engaged, which I would give an average grade to. Mr. Gallo could have reduced the content in half and accomplished just as much. The anecdotes are excessive, and the self promotions could have been toned down a little.

Unfortunately, on the 3rd objective of motivating the reader to act, Mr. Gallo gets a below average grade. Actions that serve the purpose of improving one’s presentation skills go beyond viewing YouTube clips of past TED presentations. Mr. Gallo spends relatively little time in emphasizing practice. On the science of effective presentation, the book falls short as well, perhaps because there isn’t a plethora of research on the subject. And maybe science is unnecessary. Be passionate about your topic, offer novel material, use appropriate humor and practice your presentations incessantly. There isn’t much more to becoming an effective presenter. Not everyone is a natural at this, but everyone can improve and use these skills not just in public speaking, but interpersonal communication as well.

This book gets an average score overall. You will find all the practical advice you need to become an effective speaker, but beyond that there isn’t a whole lot else because there isn’t a whole lot else to elaborate on. There’s not much to effective public speaking beyond a few basics and lots of practice, e.g. at your local toastmaster club which was surprisingly not mentioned in the book.

Your level of cynicism will probably determine whether you find Carmine Gallo's hook for his latest book on public speaking to be a shameless exploitation of the TED brand or a brilliant marketing move, but whichever side you come down on, there's no denying that he's penned an extremely effective primer on the art of the presentation.

A great deal of what makes this book so useful is that he ties in so closely with TED, which means that when he's using a particular Talk to illustrate a technique it's an easy matter to cue the video up and see first hand exactly what he means. Gallo also seems to be as fan of Keep It Simple, Stupid, and sticks to nine very basic but fantastically important methods to improve speaking. Some of them, in fact, seem so simple as to be overly obvious (like the importance of familiarizing yourself with your material enough that you can deliver it with a level of comfort that allows you to engage with your audience), but he's quick to point out that even professionals who depend on their ability to pitch to make a living can make rookie mistakes if they're not fully aware of themselves and their audience.

Gallo also cunningly applies his presentation tricks and tips to his own book, which means Talk Like TED is conversational, well-researched, and broken into easily-digestible segments. It makes for both an entertaining and illuminating read, and his association of his principles with the visual examples of the TED Talks makes it invaluable for any budding speaker.

Do you watch TED presentations? If not, then you should! There is so much knowledge to be acquired from them. This book introduces you to TED, but also helps you become a better public speaker. I've taken public speaking in college, but I wasn't taught many of the skills this book offers. Disappointingly, I wasn't taught anything about TED either. This book is a must read for anyone who speaks publicly, whether that is in college or a career path. The main point in this book is "Passion". If you don't have passion about what you're presenting, then you won't be a great speaker. Always speak with passion and from the heart. That's what drives and makes public speakers successful. You will find many useful advises in this book. It doesn't get boring as Carmine uses an ample amount of stories and examples. It's simply, awesome!

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds

It is often said that fear of public speaking is one of mankind's greatest fears. As a professional educator and trainer who has given several thousand classes, talks, seminars and presentations, I understand that sense of angst that precedes appearing before a new crowd. No one wants to embarrass themselves and everyone recognizes that instant global communication today creates instant sound bites - and we want ours to be great.

American author and keynote speaker Carmine Gallo has taken a phenomenon from the digital age - You Tube - and written a marvelous book on how the most successful speakers in the world deliver their messages.

The book is short - 255 pages, including notes - and is divided into 9 chapters that all make sense as they flow from one "ah-ha" moment to another.
The nine chapters are grouped into three segments and each chapter has illustrations that are to the point and clear as they explain their focused message:

Emotional
1. Unleash the Master Within
2. Master the Art of Storytelling
3. Have a Conversation

Novel
4. Teach me Something New
5. Deliver Jaw- dropping Moments
6. Lighten Up

Memorable
7. Stick to the 18 Minute Rile
8. Paint a Mental Picture with Multisensory Experiences
9. Stay in Your Lane

Examples from the above chapters include:
* Howard Schultz and who shares that he wasn't passionate about coffee, but that he wanted a 3rd place between home and work, where employees would be treated with respect and offer exceptional customer service. (p 19) We all know about Starbucks.

* Storytelling illustrations from well known and previously unknown speakers who share their messages in just about any topic by building empathy and making it real and human (chapter 2)

* Collin Powell's moving conversational approach regardless of crowd size (p.92-94)

* Understanding that while we all know there is much more detail in any message we hear, society has become so information overloaded that we need what is called The Twitter Friendly Headline (p.130-132). Hook the listener and they will pay attention and want more

* Bill Gates released mosquitoes in a talk about how disease is transmitted. While only a tiny percentage of the talk, the jaw-dropping experience made the talk memorable and more (p.136-138)

* Comedians tell jokes - sometimes they are very funny and other times, well - we know. Using anecdotes, observations and personal stories is not the same as telling jokes and is almost always more successful. (Chapter 6)

* While sound bites capture only a highlight (or low point), the TED 18 minute rule is an essential part of forcing speakers to focus. I hope to be invited to give a University commencement speech one day soon, and I would follow the late Steve Jobs model of 3 sub-topics in his DO WHAT YOU LOVE 2005 speech (p. 199)

* Al Gore and Bono are certainly far apart on the presentation scheme of life, but note pages 210 and 218 to see how they made their messages come alive and real

Finally, chapter 9 says it all on p. 240 - be authentic, open and transparent.

This book should be required reading in every business program at the University level AND for any professional who wants to improve communication skills. I cannot say enough good things about it!

Dr. John Hogan CHA CHE CHO

Hospitality Educators
Hogan Hospitality

TED Talks feature the best-of-the-best speakers with powerful messages. If you want to learn about being a better public speaker, studying TED presenters seems like a good place to start.

Talk Like TED teaches nine secrets on how to give a great TED talk (or any talk). They are:

1. Unleash the Master Within
2. Master the Art of Storytelling
3. Have a Conversation
4. Teach Me Something New
5. Deliver Jaw-Dropping Moments
6. Lighten Up
7. Stick to the 18-Minute Rule
8. Paint a Mental Picture with Multisensory Experiences
9. Stay in Your Lane

Most importantly, there are lots of examples to go along with those nine secrets. And every TED Talk is as close as your computer, tablet or phone.

Maybe you will never give a TED talk. That's okay--you will still benefit from the lessons in this book. In fact, even if you do give speeches or other formal presentations, your communication skills will improve and you will become more persuasive when you apply the nine secrets.

Each chapter in Gallo's book is about how a different person learned to tell a story that made a difference in their business or in their life. He summarizes each situation by telling what tools this person used in telling the story and concludes with this storyteller's secret. I found the book inspiring and helpful to any reader who wants tips on improving their own storytelling to achieve a purpose. Well-written. Entertaining.

Having read Carmine Gallo's other books previous to this, I was excited to read it as soon as it came out and wasn't disappointed. If you have read his work before you will definitely notice some common themes and information from some of his other books (such as The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs - which I highly recommend as well), but I welcome the repetition and review. As some of the reviewers have noted, his recommendations are not "rocket science" and are at times very simple, but I appreciate this. As someone who has and does speak for a living I noticed a big difference in the response I got and effectiveness of my communication by putting into use just a few of the things I learned from this book. Whether you are a veteran speaker or terrified of the stage but wanting to get up there, I think that this book has something that could benefit everyone. Definitely a great reference and resource that I have returned to and reviewed even after my initial read. Thanks!

I was pleasantly surprised by the book. Several months ago, I read a similarly titled book based on TED Talks. It was OK, but it was written by a pretty good communicator who had watched a bunch of TED Talks and then shared his thoughts on what you can learn from him.

This book is much weightier and better. It's packed with tons of research, and yet it's an entertaining read, by a longtime expert who lives and breaths presentations. The opening chapter on Passion was good and necessary, and yet it made me think this book was going to be just another motivational message. But from then on, I was hooked by the stories, the data, and Carmine’s obvious experience and command of the topic.

Are you going to keep putting a bunch of bullet points on PowerPoint and reading them to your audience? Yawn. If it’s worth making a presentation, I assume you want to influence your audience … to make them care, make them seriously consider your ideas, make them remember and take action. In short, you want to fully engage your audience … and this book can help you.

Talk Like Ted is full of entertaining anecdotes, but little substance and less nuance.

For example:
The first secret the author wants readers to learn is roughly "Follow your passion" or be inspired by what you're talking about. He says that you should pick a career you're passionate about and justifies this by saying that all the best speakers at TED, a prestigious conference, are passionate about what they're talking about.

Follow your passion is fine advice if you have the economic privilege to be able to fail. It's not so great if you're a single parent, or a teenager without family support. The author also fails to discuss the idea that there are passionate people who do not succeed, even to refute it.

By only looking at the successful speakers, he is introducing a bias and failing to acknowledge or correct for it.

I have read several books on how best to create a TED talk after being selected to give a TEDx (local TED talk) in Albany, NY on Google Glass and wearables with another colleague. While I didn't end up being a part of that talk, I prepped for it and read books on the topic.

The approach used in "Talk Like TED" is very logical and chunked out. It provides the kind of tweaks necessary to make a good and dynamic presentation .... but that assumes you have a good topic or product that you are presenting a talk on. Given that, this book provides insights and skills to take your presentation and push it over the top.

This is not the only TED book out there, there are two others I utilized before getting my hands on this one. Each have their similarities given the nature of TED talks .... but this one is a little more usable outside TED.

Definitely worth a look!

I just opened this book and I'm on page 3... So far Mr. Gallo has referred to TED twice as "Technology, Education, and Design." I may be mistaken but I thought TEDstands for "Technology, Entertainment, and Design." How can you write a whole book on TED talks and not know what TED stands for?

If you’re looking at this book then there’s a good chance that you’re pretty familiar with TED talks. This book weaves stories and tips around some of the most famous talks. It gives insight into the thought process of the speakers. I admit I was a little naïve at thinking that everyone who gives a TED talk is already a great speaker. People put so much into their TED talks to make them into the quality that they are. If you are just trying to become a better public speaker then this book can help you do that. It outlines all the ways that TED talks are memorable and engaging. The popularity of these talks is worldwide. I enjoyed the background information on the speakers. It made them more relatable. This book makes you want to go watch even more TED talks!

The 9 public-speaking tips are not so much secrets as they are solid tips that, to the dismay of those subjected to an endless barrage of droning presentations, are rarely followed. Be passionate about your topic. Infuse the presentation with stories. Don't preach, but have a conversation with the audience. Cut down on the words on the slides. Practice, practice, practice. Follow the tips and Gallo promises that you will deliver inspiring presentations - those that the audience will actually remember!

Gallo explains the science behind the effectiveness of the tips, and he uses his own tips within the book. He tells stories. He invokes all the senses of the reader. He uses the many classic TED presentations as examples to support his tips. In short, he inspires the reader. He achieves the goal of effective presentations in written form.

After reading the book you will want to listen to TED presentations. You will want to change the way you deliver presentations. Hopefully you will follow through.

--Nick McCormick, Author, "Lead Well and Prosper"

Emotion is the first lane to the brain. As a Master Trainer for the UN Entrepreneurship Training Program, I can vouch for findings in the book Talk like TED. Carmine analyzed over 500 TED presentations to distill three principles, namely: (1) the emotional aspect – a key component of persuasion. Since the time of the Greeks, we can see that even though Ethos (credibility of the speaker) and the Logos (his logic) are important, Pathos (striking a chord in one’s heart) is what takes the cake. (2) The novel aspect – we have to be sort of a magician to bring new tricks constantly that have the potential to startle our audience. Finally, (3) the memorable aspect – If you want to make something memorable, you first have to make it meaningful. In this book, an example is that of Palmer in which he changes the question from “How do we make people pay for music?” to “How do we let people pay for music?” The framing of the question goes beyond semantics. I highly recommend reading this book and, who knows, may be you call tell your story on TED.

I received this book as a gift. I thought it was a very thoughtful gift; I had already given a Tedx talk, had spoken at South by Southwest (SXSW), and planned on giving more talks. The talks I gave were well-received, but of course I could always do better. But since I didn't feel insecure, I didn't pick up the book for a while.

But once I began reading it, I not only couldn't put it down, but found myself folding down corners of certain pages, then going back and highlighting it, and since, by this point, I had begun raving about the book to friends who wanted to borrow it (I should have said "Buy your own copy;" I don't know why I didn't, other than that I like to accommodate my friends) I xeroxed the pages I had highlighted and scanned them into my computer so I could have them for future reference. It wasn't just that Carmine Gallo gives great advice on giving killer talks: his advice translates directly into learning how to be a better writer. There were several points I highlighted that made me realize, "That's how I fix that part of the essay that isn't working," or "That will help me when I write that screenplay."

I will still lend this book to my friend, but as opposed to usual loans of books that I never expect to get back, i will make sure that this one is returned.

I have read a lot of books about public speaking. This book could be summarized in a couple of pages. The 9 tips you get are solid but you could get them out of any good public speaking book. On top of that this book is bloated with too many examples and studies. While it is nice to read about this there are other books which give you more bang for your buck like "Confessions of a Public Speaker"

We all know TED talks. By now they have set the standard for excellent presentations, engaging content and inspirational ideas. This book brings an amazing set of advice, rules, principles and techniques that can help you shape your own presentation to match those we see at TED. Does it say "nine secrets"? Actually inside each one of them there are many more.

In the book, there are countless examples where the author explains why they work and how they were planned - so you can do the same. Of course there are other books that also will give you great advice on how to give great presentations. But this one is incredibly well organized and explained into making perfect sense.

RECOMMENDED!!!!

There were many things I liked about this book. The topics covered seemed to hit most of the high points in developing engaging public speaking skills. By now there are few people who are not aware of the TED talks and the variety of interesting topics they cover. It is clear that most of the guests have given their "talks" multiple times. In fact, I have seen at least one of the TED speakers in person (in a different venue), and she gave the exact same speech as on TED.

However, not everyone has something that riviting to say. If you're looking for a good book on how to do a presentation, I would recommend How to Wow by Frances Cole Jones. After using the techniques outlined in that book, I've actually had people tell me that my presentations were the best they've heard.

To be sure, author Carmine Gallo sometimes resorts to the repetitive, over-caffeinated I-WILL-MAKE-YOU-RICH school of how-to writing. If he had exhorted me one more time in the first chapter to achieve success by sharing my passion, I would have stabbed the book with a butcher knife.

Nonetheless, Gallo clearly knows this terrain well, did his homework thoroughly, and has loads of solid information to impart. I was drawn to the book for two reasons: as an author myself, I lecture frequently and am eager to become more effective. Second, I'm a big fan of the TED talks and was really curious to see his analysis of why the most-viewed talks connect with audiences.

By the time I got to the last page, I was thoroughly won over. Although I've read a few books about public speaking (the one that helped me most before this is called "Be Heard Now"), this one made the biggest impression and gave me practical take-aways. I don't flatter myself that I'll ever get called to do a TED talk on one of the areas of my expertise (family traditions and modern quilt making), but I can already see ways to make my talks more vivid, memorable and concise. I've already completely overhauled one of the speeches I give most often on family traditions, using his "rule of 3" and other templates.

Now, a lot of the book seems to be written directly for business types, and Gallo gives lots of examples of CEOs and marketing honchos whose talks he helped whip into shape. But I really felt that the specifics are applicable to any type of speech, and clearly, the TED talkers come from all sorts of backgrounds and pursuits. One of the biggest and most needed messages of Talk Like TED is that great speeches don't just come out of peoples' mouths in off-the-cuff ramblings, even if they are masters or icons of their respective fields. To be a truly powerful speaker, and this is similar to writing, you have to be a good editor, willing to pare down to the bone. The other most important point, to me, is that great speeches are performance art, and we all have enough ham in us, given the right topic, to perform rather than read a good speech.

So, get this book! Even if you only speak at church or in small local groups. Even if you never speak publicly, but love watching the TED talks on YouTube: this volume is like a companion study guide for finding and appreciating the best of the best TEDs.

This is a good book with some great tips on delivering a great presentation. I really think this book would be helpful for anyone who speaks to groups of people, be it as a trainer, presenter or key note speaker. My only issue with the book is the same issue I have with many other business books is that they can get the point across in a more condensed way. I would love to see little pocket guides that you can read in a short amount of time and wonder why more business related books aren't written this way. Professionals are busy and don't have time to sift through the filler to overemphasize a point.
I found myself skimming through some of the content to get to the main point.

As others have remarked---pretty standard book on public speaking despite the TED moniker. Moreover, given TED's 18-minute rule, Gallo does in 248 pages of text (excluding footnotes) what he should have done in 125. Still, if you've never given a presentation, or only a few--it's worthwhile.

I began doing more public speaking beginning in 2012 and I've been looking for ways to improve my speaking skills ever since. The TED style has become the gold standard in communicating messages and Talk Like TED gives you all the Moves Like Jagger to be eloquent and effective at sharing. I already feel comfortable speaking, but this book gave me some great ideas to enhance my presentations even more. You need to connect on an emotional level with your audience, tell them a compelling story along the way, and paint a picture that your audience will not soon forget. It's the secret to speaking that far too many people get stuck in boring mode and never branch out of their rut. Don't be a victim of being complacent in your presentations ever again.

TALK LIKE TED! is a book everyone should read!
TED is the acronym for Technology – Education –and – Design. TED talks began in 1984 as an annual event where people in these industries met as a group to make and to listen to presentations. TED became known as the place to mingle with the best public speakers.

TED quickly expanded - from a one day event to a 4 day conference then to a sister conference called TED Global. TED granted licenses to third parties who were able to present their own events using the TED format. Later, there were 5 TEDx events held in more than 130 countries. In 2006, TED became TED.com where over a thousand presentations are posted. Now, everyone can view and learn from the best presenters! With all this growth and expansion, TED must something to offer everyone.

Although the cover presents the book as one which gives 9 Public-Speaking Secrets, these secrets are not limited only to those who make speeches or give presentations. It teaches the art of communication! - Everyone can use this art in simple conversations with just one other person or in presentations to an audience of millions! We learn to use these same techniques to present ideas, provide leadership, persuade, teach and for all the other reasons we communicate.

What I liked most about this book is that, the author, while guiding us through these techniques and secrets, encourages us to be true to ourselves – to be open, authentic and transparent – to speak our own truths! He titled this chapter, “Stay in Your Own Lane”.

This book incorporates information from conference material and online videos into this concise and well written book.
TALK LIKE TED presents three most important components for an inspiring presentation. They are:
Part 1 – Emotional - An exemplary presenter must connect with the audience on an emotional level.
Part 2 – Novel - An exemplary presenter must teach something new or present an old idea in a new way to keep the
audience's attention.
Part 3 – Memorable - An exemplary presenter is advised to follow the 18-minute rule using multisensory experiences to keep
the audience involved in the presentation.

In this book, the author associates scientific data with theories to make them real along with many other practical examples and resources that dissect the techniques. Interview summaries with many of the premier TED presenters from all facets of art, business, sports, religion, movies, etc. are also part of the book.

In the book, the author also lists pages of NOTES with many other references including website addresses where the TED.com presentations can be found. The information is arranged in chapter format which can help readers easily follow along, study and learn chapter by chapter.

The information in this book is good, but Akash Karia's books tell you pretty much all the same things and do so far more concisely and compellingly!
I also like Karia's examples more than Gallo's.

The primary reason this got three stars instead of four is that I was not a fan of Gallo's use of descriptions and charts to talk about how a speaker moved or what they did with their props. It was a long, often unclear approach that could have been much more effectively and concisely done by using photos, screen captures, etc. One page of numbered stills from a person's presentation in order would have been much more powerful and made the point better than a chart showing "when he said this, he did that with his arms".

Even if you don't think you'll ever need to speak persuasively or make a presentation (though doesn't everyone need to at some point?), this book is still fun for how it presents a sort of 'best of Ted Talks' while giving a great dissection of what makes them great.

5.0 of 5 stars –
(I'm excited to have won this as a Goodreads First Read – so thanks!)

"Talk Like Ted" is a fantastic book. I’ve been sharing the gems that are quotes from the book since I started reading it. This book is a rich resource for anyone in any profession from writing, business, law, academia, or artists in performance, visual, or music arts.

I studied oral communications, and can easily see this book making its way into any university’s required reading for speech communications. In fact, I’d be surprised if that didn’t happen sooner rather than later. Everyone looking to make their next pitch for any business proposal for investors would greatly benefit from the wealth of wisdom Carmine Gallo has practically dropped in the public sector’s lap mined from the Ted Talks.

I took me a while to read this book although I normally read quite fast. That's because every time I would go to the internet to find a TED talk, that was mentioned in it, I would view some more or would read additional information about the speakers. It a book well worth it though, especially for someone who's professional paractice involves speaking in front of any kind of public. I found out I can't stand a boring lecture since reading the book. I feel so frustrated when I see a speaker who didn't do his homework and I even asked my money back once, while I was still reading it. The book is very well structured (there 9 secrets, divided in three parts) and features a lot of explanations and also examples how to do things right. I still have difficulties with public speaking, but I feel more confident now when I can spot the mistakes I make and know how to improve my skills.

Gallo’s book deals with the basic principles for effective speaking as inspired by the TED presentations that he has surveyed. For Gallo, effective presentations are characterized by being emotional (part 1), novel (part 2), and memorable (part 3). These three parts have three chapters giving the nine public-speaking of effective TED communicators as seen in the sub-title of this book.

The first of the nine secrets is being passionate about what you are sharing. Gallo states, “Effective stories, slides, and body language are important components of a persuasive presentation, yet they mean little if the speaker isn’t passionate about his or her topic” (39). The second secret is storytelling –“stories plant ideas and emotions into a listener’s brain” (49). The third secret is to “have a conversation” (chapter 3). The fourth secret is to present an idea in a novel way (chapter 4). The fifth secret is to “Deliver Jaw-Dropping Moments” as exemplified by Bill Gates releasing mosquitos during a presentation on malaria (137). The sixth secret is to use humor. Gallo says “Combine humor and novelty and you’ve got presentation gold” (159). The seventh secret is to “Stick to the 18-minute Rule” (chapter 7) or, in other words, be powerfully succinct. The eighth secret is to use as many of senses as possible to drive the point home (chapter 8). Finally, the ninth secret is to “Be authentic, open, and transparent” (p. 240).

Each of these nine chapters is illustrated by TED presentations described in the book and the reader can look these up on TED.com and learn not only by reading but observing these principles in action. I did this as I read through the book and learned much. This should make a difference in my public-speaking and presentations.

I read this book 7 days before I gave a TED talk, and I'm very glad I did. In many crucial ways, author Carmine Gallo provided me in this book guidance I badly needed both for the prep phase and the actual talk. I particularly appreciated her emphasis on passion and on storytelling as a centrally important part of good public speaking. Perhaps most useful for me was the way she illustrated her key points by referencing existing TED talks that can be watched online. Right after I finished reading her book, I sat down and enjoyed many of the talks she recommended. When I took the stage, I felt ready and comfortable, and Carmine Gallo played a major part in that. I am grateful to her.

This book is living proof that you can't trust the store reviews on books.

Mr. Gallo has a loyal army of fans. They are out in full force to give this five stars.

Now, if you are a person who has - literally - never taken a basic class on public speaking or had to present before... you might be blown away by this book and give it five stars.

If - however - you have ever read a book that is truly life-changing, you would be hard pressed to give this book more than 2 or 3 stars.

That is how bad this book is.

With my introduction done, let me jump into exactly why this book is terrible.

If you wanted to learn the piano... what would be more helpful? Reading a book describing Mozart's composition process... or taking piano lessons?

If you wanted to become a black belt in karate... what would be more helpfulf? Reading a book describing the movements... or going to a karate class?

This book is a complete waste of time, because the author spends a healthy portion of the book just describing or writing out some of the most famous TED talks... and then explaining in excruciating detail why it was effective.

This is like telling a joke, and then explaining to someone why it is funny.

This book could have been condensed to one really long blog post. That is how little actual content is in here.

What a waste of time.

If you are an author, speaker, leader, or someone who just wants to improve his/her communication skills, Talk Like TED is the definitive resource on the art of public speaking. Current, relevant, and inspiring, it is beautifully written and Gallo's passion for his craft is found on every page. What makes this book truly unique is the compelling research he conducted on brain science to reveal what it really takes to connect with your audience.

This book is an incredible resource, especially if you watch the many TED videos mentioned in the book while reading. If you do so, you will get the same multisensory experience that Carmine recommends to his presenters. Thanks Carmine - you have provided us with a groundbreaking book that will impact speakers for years to come!

Most people know I read a ton of preaching books. I am always looking to improve my art. There is no one book or style of preaching I follow. I try to take the best parts of various styles, and blend them together to create “my voice.” Also, I try to mix it up some too. Using one style one week and another another week. This keeps the congregation listening I feel. The constant is the personality not the form. With saying that, I also look to the business community for insight into a good talk. ”Made to Stick” is a great book on public speaking and creating a lesson. This book I was asked to review, and I was thankful to do so. It is a good one. It might not blow your mind with five new great thoughts, but everyone is well done, and you gain a lot of great ideas for a sermon. I loved the chapters on lighten it up and teach me something new. Also, the concept of the “Aha moment” was huge. The chapter on why 18 minutes is a good length would help a lot of preachers. I consider this type of book a toy book. It gives me a ton of new tools to use in a sermon. As a minister, I can become boring fast without improving rapidly. This is a good refresher for preachers looking for some new dynamics in a sermon. I liked it.

This books is a very simple but powerful book for anyone who struggles to understand how to hold an audiences attention during a presentation. Most of the content was not new to me, however it did reinforce the importance of following the 9 secrets that I have been using, I have just started really getting into TED talks and the mentions in the book have led me to watching some really good presentations. The best part of the book is the TEDnotes that give some really good advice that I was unaware of. Overall a great book and makes you want to give a presentation.

Carmine Gallo's previous book was The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience
Although I haven't read it, it certainly gave him additional insights for this book.
In fact, he devotes an entire section to Steve Jobs which seems to sum up his previous book.

PRO:
- Gallo knows his stuff.
- Beginners and intermediate speakers will benefit a lot from this book.

CONS:
- Advanced speakers will learn little.
- The section on humor should have been better

CONCLUSION: I gave a TEDx speech in 2012 and I learned little in this audiobook.
It tells you things that most experienced speakers already know, such as:
- Have passion
- More images; fewer words
- Speak naturally
- Rehearse a ton
- Stories over data
- Inject humor

If you're not confident of public speaking ability, then this is recommended.
The author read the audiobook well.

I'm only 40 pages in and this book has already paid for itself with the golden nuggets I've gleaned. I bought this book with the goal of delivering my first TEDX talk in March 2018 and needed to gain some insight and tips for what I'll be getting myself into. Excellent book filled with insights into what makes a great TED talk. Whether you are a newly minted Toastmaster about to deliver his / her first speech, to a season exec or TED speaker, this book is for you. It's perfect for anybody who wants to improve their public speaking, presentation and communication skills.

I heard the audio version of this book cover to cover. The storytelling in this book is excellent. The detailed examples will help anyone who speaks in public. I enjoyed the writing in this book and recommend it.

W. Terry Whalin is an editor and the author of more than 60 books including his latest Billy Graham: A Biography of America's Greatest Evangelist

As a scientist I give talks on a regular basis. I'm also an advocate of creating engaging science presentations! This book has some to say on presentation style, and this has been thoroughly discussed by other reviewers. What I found most useful was the TED notes sections. These were little blurbs of text that asked you questions. I got a notebook and wrote down each of these questions and my answer to each of them. I highly encourage this. The questions may seem innocent enough, but when you force yourself to write an answer, they often go deeper. This practice helped give me some insight to how I define my passion and interests to a general audience. Answering the questions also gave me a list of techniques and specific examples that I'll pull from in my next talk. Excellent job! As a side note: the book binding quality is very nice and will survive getting passed around my colleagues.

If you are going to claim 9 Public Speaking Secrets from these great speakers i.e. they tell a great story (which is true) you probably should do the same in this book. You can completely just skip Chapter one as it doesn't really provide any value and just keeps on pandering on all of the potential value you'll find later in the book.

I'm a bit frustrated at the moment because I wasted a credit on this book and this review may come off as a bit more critical than may be fair.

That being said, all I heard was one liners or quotes/stories that are already wildly known without getting into any depth of those topics.

It talks about novelty being such a big factor for being a great speaker yet for me, didn't provide any novel idea, story or engaging commentary.

If you are completely new to public speaking, this may not be a bad book but if you have any experience whatsoever in public speaking, I just wouldn't recommend this book.

Pros:
- Great Topic
- Easy to read format (Broken into Sections, Chapters, subjects, call outs)
- Makes you want to do a presentation to try out all the topics brought up
- Gives you great speeches to queue up your youtube feeds to watch later.

Neutral:
- If there is a Kindle version, it would be cool if the Ted Speech was embedding in the chapter.
- Carmine does such an excellent job talking about particular TED presentations, that when you watch the actual presentation, it sometimes feels like a let down.

Great Read. I had to make sure I had a highlighter with me because there were so many small nuggets of great info to try and remember. After reading this book, I will definitely look for other that he has written.

I am a big fan of TED talks! I also spend a lot of time sitting in meetings and conferences as presenters drone on and on with terrible PowerPoint slides and presentation styles. I, too, have to make presentations on occasion. Presenting on technical subjects often seems difficult to avoid wordy slides and boring data-filled talks. However, this really does not need to be the case. In Talk Like TED, Carmine Gallo covers 9 key "secrets" to making presentations more powerful. This is NOT a book about making PowerPoint slides. A slide show should only augment your presentation if necessary, but truly you are the best tool for getting your point across. Passion for your subject, knowledge of it, and connecting with the audience are some of the keys to a great presentation. I love this book and am glad I have it to add to my collection.

If you give a lot of presentations, then I would suggest that you also add Garr Reynolds' "Presentation Zen" books to your library along with this one.

I don't know about you, but the fear of boring people to death is one reason I rarely volunteer to give presentations. Yet as an aspiring college instructor I know soon I will have to face my fear.
Garmine Gallo's Talk like TED; The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds is a wonderful primer on giving inspiring or at least enjoyable presentations.
The 9 secrets are under three chapters: Emotional, Novel & Memorable. Even without the 9 points, these three chapter headings are good reminders on what makes a speaker stand out.
Each of the 9 points come with examples of great talks. We may never get the chance to wow an audience by releasing mosquitos to prove a point like Bill Gates did, but using the tools Gallo offers, we may awe our next audience.
I would recommend this to anyone who has to get in front of an audience. Even if you are just giving a Power Point presentation, you will learn a trick or two from Gallo.

This book provides a great introduction to public speaking, and the audio version provides a smooth narration from the author interspersed with audio from actual presentations from some of the people he used as examples. There's nothing mind-blowing about the content, but it is a concise and handy guide so especially if you haven't read other books on public speaking this is a great one to start with.

Have ever marveled at the ability of a TED Talk speaker to deliver an amazing speech that leaves a lasting impression with the audience? Have you ever wondered the secret to their success? If you want or need to deliver public speeches that really connect with your audience then this is a must have resource.

Carmine Gallo, the author of Talk Like TED, has written an easy to read but highly informative guide that will take you through the "9 public-speaking secrets of the world's top minds." As the sub-title implies, there are nine major topics that are covered by Mr. Gallo.

These topics are broken down in to three major categories. The first is emotional, your speech needs to cover a topic in such a way that it will touch the audience in an emotional way. Next, your speech should present the information in a novel way, "teach me something new". And finally, you must cover it in a memorable way, present the content in ways the audience will not forget.

Under each major category are three separate chapters devoted to subtopics within the broader category. What makes this book so special is that the author illustrates each point by referring to a specific TED talk. So you as a reader will be able to go to YOUTUBE.COM and see the actual TED Talk that illustrates the idea in action. I believe this will give you an extraordinary learning experience - having the theory fully explained and then being able to see the theory in execution by a world-class speaker will give you a depth of understanding that is extremely difficult to get.

If case you are not familiar with some of the TED Talk speakers, this book will introduce you to some of the best there is: Brené Brown, Aimee Mullins, Daniel Pink, Sir Richard Branson, Tony Robbins, Bryan Stevenson, Dan Ariely, Ken Robinson and Susan Cain just to name a few. There are literally references to dozens of additional TED talks that are highly informative and entertaining on their own and also serve to teach the points outlined in this book.

Mr. Gallo is a well know and highly acclaimed coach who writes with authority. He also writes from a depth of experience working with world class executives and speakers helping them to master effective communication. This book is an accumulation of his knowledge and experience and is delivered in a very easy to understand format.

What makes this book exceptionally unique is the combination of the theory and the reference to numerous TED Talks that the reader can view to get a real world experience of the theory in action.

For any person that wants to be more effective as a speaker, this is a real treasure.

To be clear, I like this book. It delivers on the promise in the title: the author includes lots of examples of Ted talks and describes the techniques each speaker used. Anyone interested in public speaking will learn something.

Why not five stars? The book wanders. Right now I am thinking about a great anecdote mentioned in the book, about a Bill Gates Ted talk. The problem is, I can't find it. The book wanders across too many topics, with no logic that I can discern. Is the Bill Gates anecdote in the Emotional, Novel or Memorable section? It was clearly memorable: Gates released mosquitoes from a jar before a talk about Malaria. So I flipped through the Memorable section...not there. Eventually I recognized Bill's photo on page 137 in the Novel section. It is this indecipherable organization that caused me to lower my rating to 3.5 stars. the store made me choose between 3 and 4 stars, and the book deserves better than 3, so the final score is 4 stars.

Summary: A solid book, hindered by lack of an index or better organization. Many solid techniques for public speakers. Four stars.

Carmine summarizes the 9 secrets of public speaking very well, from telling a story to a 18 minutes segment for a speech. A good book for any presenters. He had cleverly use many famous TED speeches as examples to strengthen his points of view, such as Bill Gates & Bono.
What I find a bit lacking is more examples on how to make business presentations more TED like. He has given a few examples of how CEO has done but I thought that it would be more powerful if he can give more practical examples of product pitches or presentation of results especially the content is more data driven.
Nonetheless good read and refresher for every presenter

As a professor, I found this book to be full of helpful reminders of how to educate your audience and I am thankful I took the time to read/listen to it. I was familiar with most, but not all, of the TED talks Gallo refers to in his examples. This helped me follow along with his analysis of what these speakers did right. 'Master the art of storytelling' is the second point Gallo makes, and since I finished the book last week, I've been attempting to tell more stories relating to class material. Anything that is personally relevant to the speaker is something that the audience can hold on to. I also found 'Deliver jaw dropping moments' to be helpful as well. This is difficult to do every single class session, but I am challenged to try after reading this book. Some of the material Gallo covers will feel very familiar, but hopefully you can read it with fresh eyes because he is using the TED speakers as his examples. I listened to the audio version, which was very clearly communicated, so I feel comfortable recommending it.

Bestselling author ("Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs," "Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs," and "The Apple Experience") and communications expert, Carmine Gallo, has switched his focus from the "secrets" of Steve Jobs and Apple to the presentation secrets of TED's (technology, education, and design) exceptional speakers. TED talks which began as a one-time event in 1984 are now viewed daily on TED.com by over 1.5 million people from all over the world.

"Talk Like TED" is based on the author's scientific analysis of hundreds of presentations, direct interviews with TED's most popular speakers, and personal insights gleaned from years of coaching inspiring leaders. From this, Gallo has identified the nine secrets common to all who are exceptionally good at presenting their ideas. They are grouped under three major headings - the presenter touches my heart, the presenter teaches me something new, and he/she presents content in ways I'll never forget.

Subtopics include:
1. Unleashing the master within
2. Mastering the art of storytelling
3. Having a conversation
4. Teaching something new
5. Delivering jaw-dropping moments
6. Lightening up
7. Sticking to the 18 minute rule
8. Painting a mental picture with multisensory experiences
9. Staying in your lane

Each chapter explores the science behind the featured secret, and features a specific technique shared by the most popular Ted speakers. Examples, web sites, and interviews with the speakers are also included.

The roles played by passion, authenticity, memorability, novelty, and shock (and more) are thoroughly discussed and are provided in a "how to" format will help anyone seeking to become "Ted-like" - a speaker with perceived confidence and authority. Specific sub-topics include: what makes your heart sing?; passion why it works; the secrets of an infectious personality; the ideal pace of public speaking; debunking body language myths; three easy fixes for common body language problems; pictures, images, and videos; and, the rule of three.

Gallo notes that we are a much more capable than we can imagine, but we can only reach our potential if we believe in ourselves and in our ability to inform and inspire. He cautions us all to remember that ideas are the currency of the 21st century. "Ideas can change the direction of your life and potentially change the world. Don't let anything stand in your way."

This book provides a great tool kit for anyone who delivers or wants to succeed in presenting, selling products and services, or leading and inspiring people.

As Carmine Gallo explains, Richard Saul Wurman created the TED conference in 1984 as a onetime event. (TED refers to Technology, Education, and Design.) It became a four-day conference six years later. Chris Anderson purchased TED in 2001. Until 2005, it remained a once-a-year conference: four days of programs, 50 speakers, and 18-minute presentations. Anderson added TEDGlobal to reach an international audience. TED.com was launched in 2006. Thus far, the website has attracted more than one [begin] billion [end] views, averaging about two million day.

The video programs have been translated into more than 90 languages. There are no charges to access any of the TED programs. After attending the 2006 conference, documentary filmmaker Daphne Zuniga described it as "Cirque Du Soleil for the mind." Oprah Winfrey later observed, "TED is where brilliant people go to hear other brilliant people."

Those who have already read Carmine Gallo's previously published works, notably The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience, will be especially interested in what he shares in his latest book because the "secrets" to which its subtitle refers are provided by a remarkably diverse group of thought leaders. They include Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie, Brené Brown, David Christian, Amy Cuddy, David Gallo, Bjarke Ingels, Sarah Kay, Johnny Lee, Sir Ken Robinson, Hans Rosling, and Bryan Stevenson. All of them have made one or more presentations under the TED auspices.

Those invited to make a TED presentation receive a copy of a Guide and of these "Commandments":

1. Thou Shalt Not Simply Trot Out thy Usual Shtick.
2. Thou Shalt Dream a Great Dream, or Show Forth a Wondrous New Thing, Or Share Something Thou Hast Never Shared Before.
3. Thou Shalt Reveal thy Curiosity and thy Passion.
4. Thou Shalt Tell a Story.
5. Thou Shalt Freely Comment on the Utterances of Other Speakers for the Sake of Blessed Connection and Exquisite Controversy.
6. Thou Shalt Not Flaunt Thine Ego. Be Thou Vulnerable. Speak of thy Failure as well as thy Success.
7. Thou Shalt Not Sell from the Stage: Neither thy Company, thy Goods, thy Writings, nor thy Desperate need for Funding; Lest Thou be Cast Aside into Outer Darkness.
8. Thou Shalt Remember all the while: Laughter is Good.
9. Thou Shalt Not Read thy Speech.
10. Thou Shalt Not Steal the Time of Them.

The dozens of videos available at no cost bring the stated and implied advice on this list to life and can also be of substantial value to anyone else who is preparing a presentation, whatever its nature and extent may be. Gallo is thoroughly qualified to explain HOW to do it, based on vast experience that includes but is by no means limited to Steve Jobs and others who have made TED presentations.

In fact, one of his book's greatest strengths is that it creates a context, a frame of reference, for each of the nine "secrets" that are actually guidelines. My strong recommendation is to proceed from one chapter to the next, pausing to visit the TED website and check out the speakers to whom Gallo refers, then re-read the relevant portion in the book's narrative. With rare exception, body language and tone of voice have much greater impact than what is actually said. It is therefore important to experience first-hand what Gallo explains so adroitly.

I was intrigued by the book's premise as I've been impressed with many TED talks. Talk Like Ted seems targeted not so much to potential TED speakers but to ordinary people who want to improve their speaking and really engage passionately with an audience.

The recommendations are predictable. The biggest message is, "Tell stories!" Gallo also advises us to be brief, use humor ( but not jokes) and include elements of surprise and novelty. This advice is good, but you need to start with your passion. You need to find a way to personalize your message. Consider pacing and pauses.

Great advice - but the TED speakers already have an inspiring, novel message. You don't get on Ted unless you're extraordinary. TED speakers tend to come across as spontaneous rather than polished and they're usually clear and engaging. You can certainly study them (as the author and his wife did) to understand what makes them work so well. Apart from the 18-minute limit, they're no different from other kinds of talks.

I've done some open mic comedy recently and the advice of gotten is actually quite similar. Use your personality. Practice till you don't have to think about what you're saying. Find a way to relate to the audience.

The best part of the book comes from references to some of the top TED speakers and their stories. Gallo also refers often to Tony Robbins and Ken Robinson but he includes many others. If nothing else, you'll appreciate these talks even more. But unless you've had zero training in speaking, this book won't hold surprises.

Carmine Gallo, consultant and coach to Steve Jobs and others who give presentations in which the stakes are very high, has dissected the best TED talks to lay out the distinguishing characteristics that make them successful.

You must, for example, have passion, authenticity, a compelling story, and conviction and you must be able to package your presentation, typically in three 6-minute units, to maximize effectiveness. And this maximum effectiveness is defined as being emotional, novel, and memorable.

One of my favorite messages in this book is that a TED talk should not spring from ambition or the wish to be successful, but the conviction that you have something that will better humanity, a passion so great that it "makes your heart sing." And to do this you must have both a strong message and a strong delivery of your ideas.

Gallo makes a good case, as he begins, that "ideas are the currency of the twenty-first century." This is no doubt true more than ever with TED and podcasts and YouTube, etc.

By citing from dozens of successful examples, Gallo shows you the techniques you'll need and helps you build confidence to assert your ideas in a public platform. High recommended.

There is really nothing new here; however, the author does ask you to pause and reflect more than most do when it comes to presenting. This appears to be born out of the source material: TED talks. After all, these speakers have to get you and get you quickly. Then they have to keep you and convince you in a short amount of time. For this reason, this book has lots of useful tips and reflections for the experienced public speaker. It lacks MUCH for the beginner. Other books will be required for that material.

There's no doubt that Carmine Gallo has ample experience on the topics of public speaking and business communications. He had lots of solid advice backed by research. Still, I think the book could have been shorter and I still would have understood the key points. I'd recommend trying it out. If you get a couple chapters in and aren't hooked, I'd still read a summary for great tips that will make you a better speaker and communicator.

I could not access the product. The Aubible platform forces users to engage with customer service. Unacceptable! Canceling my free trial. I wasted an hour of my life on this counterintuitive platform.

Please don't buy this book. You will be more content donating to a poor man.
I write this because I had too much of expectations from this book. I bought this book because the store 'prompted" me to buy this book after placing it 2nd in the list for best books on public speaking. I bought this book because as a Sales Executive, I thought it would help me immensely. Just the opposite.

First of all the book should not be named as "TALK LIKE TED" rather it should be re-named as "WHAT TED SPEAKERS SPEAK". It says that great TED speakers have excellent body language, tone, etc etc without thoughts and words on how to improve it. It more feels like a "guide book" for TED talks than anything else.My Highlighter pen has remain un-employed because I am unable to find any words of wisdom which can be implemented.!

Dear Author- We have seen what TED speakers speak and how persuasive and influential they are. We also want to learn those tricks and trade not something which I can easily read in a Dale Carnegie book in fraction of a cost.

the store 'compels" me to give your book a "star".. so take it.

In Talk Like Ted, Carmine Gallo gives us "A GPS for great presentations." It is hands-down the most comprehensive and informative book on presentations, possibly ever compiled. Carmine is amazing in his detail and supporting documentation for every single point. I heartily recommend this book for everyone interested in becoming a great presenter.

John G. Holstein, Director
Zotec Partners

What a load of rubbish! You get a whole CD that tells you over and over to "Be Passionate." How profound. Another whole CD is "Use Visuals." Just astounding. The author makes sure he hits all of today's fashionable name-dropping (in his mind) like "Oprah" and "Bono" and as many leftists as he can mention. Big deal. Ninety-nine percent of it told me absolutely NOTHING that could be used to craft and perform a public speech. Much of it is way off-topic and irrelevant; sounds like (boring) filler; perhaps as Mark Twain said, "a good cure for insomnia."

Transforming your presentations from a boring lecture in which you literally read your power point to the audience to one that is exciting, passionate and memorable. If you want to excel Gallo's books are the inspiration that just might break you out of your shell.

Very practical tactics as well as broader and deeper inspiration. Thank you for sharing Carmine! Also, I appreciate your responsiveness on Twitter. Looking forward to future books, and may check out some of the others before this.

Carmine Gallo did a fantastic job researching what makes top Ted Talks most successful and sharing. I found this very applicable if you are looking to improve your presentation skills (even if you never actually give a Ted Talk) for a job, school or any other speaking opportunity. It's a great listen on audio read by the author.

First, I'm a professional speaker and sales trainer who reads anything I can use to give me an edge.

I had to pick this up, since I read Gallo's Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs and felt it was the best book on speaking ever written. Sorry Jerry Weissman of Power Presentations, he inched you out.

Here Gallo reveals the research he's done after reviewing over 500 TED presentations, as well as interviewing some of these experts in their field.

The magical formula is here, in 9 parts. Fascinating and fun reading.

But I'd net the highest value down to one key element - EMOTION.

Create emotional context and you have the audience in your hands.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book and MOST highly recommend it!!!

Talk Like Ted is one of those books that really makes you think about how we all communicate in public forums. I took a great deal from Talk Like Ted in terms of formulating tight speeches and presentations that will resonate with participants. Great book!

There once was Rotary and Carnegie and other sources for encouraging well-developed speakers and their speech. The 21st century gives us TED talks and this easy to read book provides writers and speakers today an excellent concise resource for preparing memorable idea-laden talks. Divided into three sections - emotional, novel and memorable - this is a worthy investment for speakers, pastors, teachers and authors alike; if you are in front of 10 or 10,000, this is a worthy purchase.

Provides a better understanding of the technical side to public speaking and touches on relavent topics
in ones day to day challenges when communicating change initiatives or new concepts.
I consider this a must have for anyone in a leadership role.