How Books Save Us

Introduction

• Speaker: Mohammad Udacity Yonder
• School: 11 States Senior High School, Surabaya
• Theme: The transformative power of reading books.

Imagination and Possibilities

• Imagines a world full of wizards, dragons, aliens, and adventures.
• Emphasizes that while these ideas seem impossible in reality, they can come true through reading books.

Personal Journey with Books

• Childhood Struggles:
  • Did not enjoy reading as a child.
  • Felt lonely and lacked friends.
  • Books became a loyal companion.
• Guidance through Books:
  • Books helped find a proper path in life.
  • Influenced career choices and emotional development.

The Importance of Reading

• Reading is special and invigorating.
• Comparison of reading to a sport:
  • Requires time, practice, and dedication.
• Knowledge Acquisition:
  • Essential for evolution of mind, body, and soul.
  • To learn about the world, one must read.

Engaging the Audience

• Questions directed towards the audience about their reading habits:
  • Have you read a book today?
  • Do you only read when prompted by parents or teachers?

Personal Anecdotes

• Influential Teacher:
  • Miss Thornton Berg (Miss Dottie) taught him reading and phonetics.
  • Phonetics helped with spelling and pronunciation.
• Library Experience:
  • Encounter with a librarian over a book about attracting girls.
  • Highlights the adolescent focus on appearances and relationships.
  • This book was pivotal in combating loneliness.

Conclusion

• Acknowledges imperfections in his speech.
• Reflects on the idea that overcoming challenges makes one stronger.
• Thanks the audience for their attention.