J.K. Rowling's - Harvard Commencement Address - 2008
J.K. Rowling's 2008 Harvard Commencement Address was a speech given by the renowned author at the Harvard University graduation ceremony. In her speech, Rowling talks about the importance of failure and imagination in shaping one's life. She begins by telling the graduates about her own experience with failure, noting that she had failed spectacularly before achieving her success as an author. She argues that failure is an essential part of life and encourages the graduates to embrace it, saying that "it is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all." Rowling goes on to discuss the importance of imagination, particularly in a world that can often be difficult and disappointing. She talks about the power of books and stories to help us empathize with others and imagine a better future. She encourages the graduates to use their imaginations to help solve the world's problems, saying tha...