Currently among the "Self Help" volumes among the new non-fiction 

at Merrick Library is 

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

by Carmine Gallo. 

The author, a well-known communications coach, addresses fears people have about speaking before an audience and/or their insecurities in being able to put across an effective presentation. As effective examples of how to deal with both situations Mr. Gallo points to talks given at various TED functions.

What is "TED?" Standing for "Technology, Entertainment, Design," TED is a non-profit series of conferences that since 1984 has sought to spread new ideas for addressing scientific, business, cultural, humanitarian and other global issues. The main conference for years held annually in British Columbia was hosted in 2014 in Long Beach, California. Since June 2006 users of TED.com have had free viewing of numerous presentations. Such access has been used one billion times in 100 different languages. 

Guest speakers to the TED conferences have included Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Bill and Melinda Gates, public radio newsman John Hockenberry, DNA co-discoverer James Watson, Colin Powell, poet Billy Collins, Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, physician Dean Ornish, novelists Isabel Allende and Tracy Chevalier, Virgin Airways head Richard Branson; and musicians Peter Gabriel,  Sting and John Legend.

In 2005, the Sapling Foundation which runs TED began awarding an annual Prize giving $100,000 to people with "a wish to change the world." Among past recipients are U2 frontman and activist Bono, writers Dave Eggers and Karen Armstrong, and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.

Now public radio listeners have an opportunity to get in on the work of the organization whose slogan is "Ideas Worth Spreading." The "TED Radio Hour" can be heard Sunday mornings at 7 on WNYC-AM (820 on the dial) and Sunday evenings at 6 on WNYC-FM (93.9).