Books can tell you what people have experienced. They can give you loads of information on all topics. But books can not make you experience and learn. It is you who have to make decisions and face the outcome, then again make decisions based on the results and the cycle continues You learn while you experience.
Degrees are not important at all. If a person is an expert in a particular field, he will be at a place he deserves to be in inspite of not having a degree. It is not the qualification but the knowledge and wisdom that matters. Degrees can give you knowledge but experience tells you how to use your knowledge. Today information can be had from varied sources. So it eliminates the need of having a degree. Degrees are more of a certificate that you studied this for so and so years. It is useful for companies in selection process for employees. But I have seen people excel in their career inspite of not having a degree or excelling in a field other than the field of their under-graduate degree.
But not all are experts. Degrees are necessary for the larger lot to have a common platform to judge average people. Extra-ordinary will excel anyway. Degrees dont matter.
