Intimidated?: The lecture I never gave

by Dr Suranga Nanayakkara, Hanjun Wu

246 pages, Hardcover

Published October 10, 2025

Reviews

[Prasanth Sasikumar]

Intimidated? is a deeply inspiring read, especially for university students facing uncertainty and self-doubt. Nanayakkara candidly shares his journey from modest beginnings to establishing a vibrant research community, proving that passion and persistence can overcome even the most daunting obstacles. The book speaks directly to anyone who’s ever felt out of place in academia or questioned their ability to succeed in science, technology, or entrepreneurship. Its greatest strength lies in its actionable insights which are clear, concise, and grounded in real experience - making complex challenges feel manageable. The narrative is engaging and honest, blending personal anecdotes with practical advice in a way that feels both relatable and motivating. Intimidated? doesn’t just reassure readers that they’re not alone, it equips them with the mindset and tools to move forward with confidence. A must-read for aspiring researchers, innovators, and anyone navigating the intimidating terrain of higher education and beyond.

[Ayanga Kalupahana]

Every life has an interesting story to convey. But some have exceptionally interesting stories that can motivate and encourage others to achieve something great and impactful. The book "Intimidated? " has such story of Prof . Suranga Nanayakkara who became a successful international profile in the STEM domain. The book nicely reveals many relatable stories regarding how he used his learning ability as the weapon to acquire his childhood needs and desires, the way he took calculated risks and ended up with highly successful achievements, how important to have a great vision , how to grab opportunities to grow, gut feeling to select right people, being grateful and enjoy life . I highly recommend this book as a book to be read by every kid and adult who wishes to achieve high success in their lives with purpose.

[Kevin Antony]

This book is inspiring story for anyone who feels intimated by anything life throws at you. Book is well written for easy understanding and grasping the lessons.

[Dilina]

Intimidated was a really honest and inspiring read. From Professor Suranga’s humble beginnings and the challenges he faced, to everything he’s gone on to achieve while still giving back to society.

What stood out most was how real and personal the journey felt. You really see the struggles, persistence, and sacrifices behind every milestone.

It’s the kind of book that reminds you what’s possible when hard work meets purpose.

I’d recommend it to anyone building a startup, pursuing higher education, or trying to balance both. It’s one of those reads that stays with you even after you’ve finished it :)

[Ravindu Gamage]

Intimidated? - The lecture I never gave by Dr. Suranga Nanayakkara is one of the most interesting memoirs I've ever read. His story is one of resilience, consistency and perseverance – an inspiration to those who are in academia, as well as to those of us who are not. This is a well-written book that kept me engaged throughout, and a quick read that only took me three moderately busy days to finish. There were instances where the book became more repetitive than I would've liked, but I assume the reiteration and reminders about certain things was a conscious decision to keep those with low attention spans engaged – personally, I'm not a fan.

It was quite reassuring to see some of the ethos I adhere to and things I believe in shared by someone as accomplished as Dr. Suranga. And the glimpse into his code for success was quite fascinating, too. Even though uncertainty is not something I've had to extensively deal with, the insights that are meant to help in dealing with and overcoming uncertainty were intriguing nonetheless. In this book, Dr. Suranga references a few interesting speeches and books that I ended up adding to my watchlist and TBR, respectively. I also encountered a number of fascinating concepts, products and startups that Dr. Suranga has either come across, or been involved in throughout his career. All in all, a healthy amount of topics and subjects for me to research in the weeks to come.

There were, of course, certain areas that didn't align with my worldview or the way I see life and people, but even in those areas, it was refreshing to see Dr. Suranga's perspective, especially because he doesn't sell anything in this book as the holy grail, but rather as what has worked for him.

4.5/5 stars! Would've been 5/5 (in fact, I am going to round it up to 5/5 for Goodreads) if not for the repetitive over-explained nature—a choice I understand, but nevertheless found a bit tedious. Excellent book that I am definitely going to be referring to and reflecting on throughout the rest of my life.

PS. The fact that he had to explain what 'Viber' is to the readers made me feel so old! I am not ready to accept that a generation who grew up not knowing what it is, is old enough to be reading this book.

[Alaeddin Nassani]

I was fortunate to work with Suranga for a few years and always admired his leadership. He has a rare ability to create a "work hard, play hard" environment where people feel safe to speak their minds. I always wanted to understand how he built such a vibrant lab culture and how he consistently found and connected with such talented people.

Reading "Intimidated?" gave me those answers and so much more. It is an inspiring look at his journey, overcoming a difficult upbringing and navigating his path in academia and life. It’s amazing to see how these struggles shaped the success he sees today.

What stood out to me is the stories of his 11 PhD students: reading about their unique characters and achievements showed me how Suranga guides his team based on gut feeling and integrity.

This book gave me a completely new perspective on his background and thoughts. It is a must-read for anyone building a team or navigating academia. I hope to apply this wisdom as I build my own research lab.

[Soundarya Ramesh]

This book shows how someone can slowly build the life they want — career, personal goals, everything — just by getting clear on what matters and taking small steps towards it everyday. It's also a nice reminder to stay grateful for the people who support us and to not stop having fun even while working very hard.

I loved how simple the writing was. No fancy language, just straightforward and honest thoughts. The short chapters made it easy to follow and each one had a clear point, which I really appreciated!

Overall, it's a great read for anyone looking for some inspiration on how to shape their own future.

[Melani Jayasuriya]

Suranga Nanayakkara's book, Intimidated?: The lecture I never gave, highlights its ability to inspire readers from diverse backgrounds to overcome self-doubt and resource limitations through funny anecdotes and real-life experiences. It includes themes such as overcoming imposter syndrome, the power of personal stories, empathy in leadership, and redefining success. Therefore, I can conclude that this book is a must-have for readers feeling uncertain about their future to encourage them to pursue their goals with persistence.