BOOKS OF THE WEEK

Speeches that Changed the World by Alan J. Whiticker

ABOUT THE BOOK

Includes Speeches by • Mahatma Gandhi • Indira Gandhi • Adolf Hitler • Martin Luther King • Arundhati Roy and many more

A COLLECTION OF GREAT AND POWERFUL SPEECHES THAT AFFECTED THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT.

SPEECHES THAT CHANGED THE WORLD covers speeches about power and equality. These include recurring themes such as politics and diplomacy, war and peace, freedom and justice, civil rights and human rights. What they all have in common is the rhetoric: the power of persuasion.

The speeches reflect historic events of one of the most cataclysmic centuries as told by its heroes, villains, martyrs and monsters. Josef Stalin and Mahatma Gandhi speak side by side with Nelson Mandela, Joseph McCarthy, the Kennedy brothers and Fidel Castro. Speeches by George W. Bush and Arundhati Roy show conflicting views of our modern world.

These speeches carry the hopes and regrets of our modern world, and they have become even more powerful and poignant with the passage of time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOUR

ALAN J. WHITICKER was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1958 and attended St. Dominic’s College in Penrith. Alan has been a teacher for 25 years and is currently the assistant principal of a Western Sydney Catholic School. He lives in Penrith with his wife, Karen and their children, Timothy and Melanie.

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Validity and Reliability of Academic Assessments

Reading from What Did You Ask At School Today? by Kamala Mukunda

Fridays at EBD session on the 23rd of January 2026: Dedicated to examining assessment methodologies in education, drawing comparisons between the precision of a metal ruler and the dependability of academic evaluations. Participants, comprising educators and students, shared their insights on the efficacy and fairness of standardised testing. The group critically analysed the limitations of these assessments in accurately gauging a student's comprehension and intelligence, and considered whether assessments need to be as precise as a metal ruler. Discussions also encompassed the potential adverse effects of high-stakes testing on instructional quality and student learning outcomes, as well as the difficulties associated with the accurate interpretation of test scores. The session concluded with an invitation for ongoing reflection on assessment practices and a reminder of the forthcoming meeting scheduled for January 30th.

Since Forever

Certain people do not enter our bookstore, EBD, as customers alone. They return as familiar presences, carrying years, memories, and quiet loyalty. They have been coming here for decades. Time has moved on, the shelves have changed, faces behind the counter have changed, yet they continue to walk in with the same ease. Many of them are older now, but their connection to this place remains unchanged. Almost instinctively, they ask for the 10 per cent discount—something they were once offered without question, and that has become a small but meaningful symbol of trust.

This gesture was introduced by the late Snehlata Ma’am, whose presence shaped the bookstore’s shape. She is no longer with us; her influence continues to live on through those who remember her.

They share stories with us.

Stories of conversations she held, of books she recommended with care, of how this bookstore once felt like an extension of her own personality. To many, she was not just the person behind the counter; she was the heart of the space. When they speak of her, it becomes evident that her absence has not erased her presence.

Among these long-standing patrons is Ratna Manucha (author, columnist and someone whose association with the bookstore goes beyond routine visits). She has her own memories here in ebd and has also been part of our Brewing Knowledge Session, attending the meet-and-greet. Her continued involvement reflects what this space has always aimed to be—a place of reading, reflection, and relationships.

At EBD, relationships have never been transactional. People return not only for books, but for familiarity, recognition, and the comfort of a place that has grown alongside them.

So when someone who has been coming here for years asks for that small discount, it is never viewed as a request—it is understood as continuity. A reminder that some bonds are built quietly over time and are sustained through shared respect and memory.

This bookstore stands today not only for the books it holds, but also for the people who continue to return to it, carrying its history forward.

This photograph is from Ratna Manucha’s meetManucha’sat EBD. The gentleman seen here has also been part of EBD for a long time.

Sneha
Intern at The English Book Depot