TED: My year reading a book from every country in the world | Ann Morgan

The speaker realized their reading habits were limited to British and North American authors, prompting them to embark on a project to read a book from every country in the world. They faced challenges in sourcing translated works but received help from a global community. This journey opened their eyes to diverse cultures and the power of literature to connect people across divides. The project highlighted the need for more translated works and the potential for books to foster global understanding.

What prompted the speaker to start a global reading journey?

• A school assignment

• A desire to learn new languages

• A realization of a cultural blind spot in their reading

• A recommendation from a friend

What was one of the main challenges the speaker faced in their project?

• Getting support from publishers

• Understanding different languages

• Locating books from every country in English

• Finding time to read

How did the speaker initially seek help for their project?

• By contacting publishers

• By starting a blog and asking for recommendations

• By attending international book fairs

• By visiting libraries

What was the role of Rafidah in the speaker's project?

• She provided financial support

• She hosted the speaker in Kuala Lumpur

• She translated a book for the speaker

• She sent books from Malaysia and Singapore

How did the speaker obtain a book from Panama?

• By visiting Panama

• Through a local bookstore

• Through a Panamanian friend

• Via a conversation with the Panama Canal on Twitter

What unique solution did the speaker find for obtaining a book from Sao Tome and Principe?

• They visited the country

• They found a translated version online

• They learned Portuguese

• They organized a translation project with volunteers

What did the speaker learn from their global reading experience?

• The narrowness of their previous reading habits

• That all cultures have the same values

• The importance of reading only English literature

• That reading is not important

What does the speaker hope will happen if more people read globally?

• More books will be written

• Reading will become less popular

• There will be less need for translations

• Publishers will be encouraged to translate more books

What does the speaker believe books have the power to do?

• Limit cultural understanding

• Connect people across various divides

• Reduce the need for travel

• Make people more isolated

What is the speaker's view on the role of the internet in their project?

• It made the project more difficult

• It was only useful for research

• It was irrelevant to the project

• It facilitated global connections and sharing