In a time of drought in the Kingdom of Morocco, a storyteller and a boy weave a tale to thwart a Djinn and his sandstorm from destroying their city.

This remarkable and monumental book at last provides a comprehensive answer to the age-old riddle of whether there are only a small number of 'basic stories' in the world. Using a wealth of examples, from ancient myths and folk tales via the plays and novels of great literature to the popular movies and TV soap operas of today, it shows that there are seven archetypal themes which recur throughout every kind of storytelling. But this is only the prelude to an investigation into how and why we are 'programmed' to imagine stories in these ways, and how they relate to the inmost patterns of human psychology. Drawing on a vast array of examples, from Proust to detective stories, from the Marquis de Sade to E.T., Christopher Booker then leads us through the extraordinary changes in the nature of storytelling over the past 200 years, and why so many stories have 'lost the plot' by losing touch with their underlying archetypal purpose. Booker analyses why evolution has given us the need to tell stories and illustrates how storytelling has provided a uniquely revealing mirror to mankind's psychological development over the past 5000 years. This seminal book opens up in an entirely new way our understanding of the real purpose storytelling plays in our lives, and will be a talking point for years to come.

The Preacher as Storyteller takes a skills-development approach to its timely homiletics topic. In short, author Austin B. Tucker reasons that “You can greatly improve your preaching by sharpening storytelling skills . . . A story can touch the latch spring of the heart to let the life-changing gospel come in.” To that end, he focuses upon the art of narrative and how it is used in the Bible (particularly by Jesus) and profiles great preachers throughout history and into today who have displayed a great gift for effective storytelling in their ministry.

Raconteur—The Storyteller’s Collection, a multi-award-winning quilt, is your next take-anywhere project. Sew a collection of miniature pieced hexagons from Cinzia White’s storytelling sampler. Make the king-size quilt your next long-term project, or pick and choose from 359 block designs to make a project of any size! A mix of hand-stitched and machine-pieced 2 ¼” blocks are organized in 59 collections. Full-size foundation paper patterns are included when possible, with some helpful notes on English paper piecing. It’s perfect for traditional quilters, fans of Dear Jane, and scrap addicts!

How did a Venice Beach T-shirt vendor become television's most successful producer? How did an entrepreneur who started in a garage create the most iconic product launches in business history? How did a timid pastor's son overcome a paralyzing fear of public speaking to captivate sold-out crowds at Yankee Stadium, twice? How did a human rights attorney earn TED's longest standing ovation, and how did a Facebook executive launch a movement to encourage millions of women to "lean in"? They told brilliant stories. In The Storyteller's Secret: From TED Speakers to Business Legends, Why Some Ideas Catch on and Others Don't, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and communication expert Carmine Gallo reveals the keys to telling powerful stories that inspire, motivate, educate, build brands, launch movements, and change lives. The New York Times has called a well-told story "a strategic tool with irresistible power" - the proof lies in the success stories of 50 icons, leaders, and legends featured in The Storyteller's Secret: entrepreneurs like Richard Branson, Sara Blakely, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, and Sheryl Sandberg; spellbinding speakers like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Bryan Stevenson, and Malala Yousafzai; and business leaders behind famous brands such as Starbucks, Southwest Airlines, Wynn Resorts, Whole Foods, and Pixar. Whether your goal is to educate, fundraise, inspire teams, build an award-winning culture, or to deliver memorable presentations, a story is your most valuable asset and your competitive advantage. In The Storyteller's Secret, Gallo explains why the brain is hardwired to love stories - especially rags-to-riches stories - and how the latest science can help you craft a persuasive narrative that wins hearts and minds. "The art of storytelling can be used to drive change," says billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson. And since the next decade will see the most change our civilization has ever known, your story will radically transform your business, your life, and the lives of those you touch. Ideas that catch on are wrapped in story. Your story can change the world. Isn't it time you shared yours?

Through arresting narratives we meet a woman aiding refugees in sub-Saharan Africa, facing the chaos of a meaningless society and a doctor trying to stay alive during Mao's cultural revolution - individuals challenged by their societies and caught up in existential moral experiences that define what it means to be human.

With the mystery of Maureen Johnson and Brittany Cavallaro and the historical intrigue of Romanov, this genre-bending YA will pull readers into one girl’s journey of discovering the impossible tale of a long-lost aunt—and through her, the importance of being true to yourself. It’s not every day you discover you might be related to Anastasia…or that the tragic princess actually survived her assassination attempt and has been living as the woman you know as Aunt Anna. For Jess Morgan, who is growing tired of living her life to please everyone else, discovering her late aunt’s diaries shows her she’s not the only one struggling to hide who she really is. But was her aunt truly a Romanov princess? Or is this some elaborate hoax? With the help of a supremely dorky but undeniably cute local college student named Evan, Jess digs into the century-old mystery. But soon Jess realizes there’s another, bigger truth waiting to be revealed: Jess Morgan. Because if she’s learned anything from Aunt Anna, it’s that only you can write your own story.

Once Upon a Time, Storytelling Met Instructional Design From children to adults, everybody likes a good story. Stories are memorable, actionable, and emotional. We are constantly making sense of the world by forming stories, and that makes them perfect for instructional design. Instructional Story Design is a practical guide to writing and developing stories for training. It takes what you already know about a story’s power to connect with people and offers a clear methodology for the otherwise daunting process of creating a compelling story. Master story designer Rance Greene shares his powerful yet familiar process to discover, design, and deliver instructional stories. He presents the two essential elements that must be present to tell a story for training: relatable characters and strong conflict. These elements create a desire for resolution and grab learners’ attention. This book offers advice for unearthing the root of the performance problem, creating action lists for learners, and convincing stakeholders about the effectiveness of stories. Case studies from household companies such as Pizza Hut, Southwest Airlines, and PepsiCo show story design in action. Job aids and resources include an audience profile questionnaire, character description worksheet, storyboard template, and tips for developing stories using graphics, audio, and video. With this book, you’ll: Sharpen your analysis skills to discover potential training stories. Design relatable stories that concretely connect with learning objectives. Easily develop captivating stories with tools you already own. Plan your next steps to implement your instructional story.

The Essential R.K. Narayan. Forty Essays, Travel Pieces, Character Sketches And Short Stories From India S Greatest Living Novelist, The Majority Collected Here For The First Time. The Three Sections Of The Book- The Fiction-Writer , Short Essays And Malgudi Sketches And Stories -Provide A Rare Glimpse Into R.K. Narayan S Beginnings As A Writer And His Evolution Into A World-Renowned Novelist. More Importantly, Each Essay And Story Is In Itself A Triumph Of Narayan S Genius As A Close And Perceptive Observer Of The Small And Ordinary Things Of Life. Finally, Taken Together, The Pieces In This Collection (On Crowds, Films, Restaurants, Clothes, Cats, The English Language And School-Children Among Others) Give The Reader Fresh Insights Into The Distinctive Aspects Of The Indian South Which Finally Achieved Immortality In The Fictional World Of Malgudi. With An Introduction By Syd Harrex

(Book). Human beings are natural storytellers, and it's never been easier to access digital technologies that allow anyone, anywhere to share their story with the world. More stories are being produced and consumed now than at any other time in our species' history yet, for some reason, it's never been more difficult to cut it as a creative. Consumers are paying less (if anything) for all forms of entertainment, traditional media companies are tanking, and the advertising realm has been turned on its head. Although operating budgets have increased in every sector, storytellers are making less than ever before, as the lion's share of new revenues cyclically feed mechanisms for distribution and monetization. Our media landscape is, in short, unsustainable and in the midst of a crisis. What went wrong? How can we fix it? Although he presides over Avid, the leading provider of audio and video technology for creatives and media professionals, Louis Hernandez Jr. isn't your typical multinational CEO. In his two previous books, Too Small to Fail: How the Financial Industry Crisis Changed the World's Perceptions and Saving the American Dream: Main Street's Last Stand , he chartered his vision of an egalitarian America structured around the communities that compose its very foundation. He brings the same mindset the same notion of countless small actors with unlimited potential to the tumultuous world of media with his third book, The Storyteller's Dilemma: Overcoming the Challenges in the Digital Media Age . In The Storyteller's Dilemma , Hernandez puts forth another comprehensive vision for our future that aims to advantage all while disadvantaging none. This book is neither a diatribe against economic elites nor a postmortem analysis of the ills of digital distribution. Instead, it proposes a new approach with the potential to benefit all involved parties an approach that at once embraces the intensifying power of storytelling and eschews the notion that disruption and instability must greet an industry hand-in-hand. Rather than favoring any given group over another, Hernandez imagines a streamlined world of shared platforms and common standards that empower storytellers, developers, and deliverers alike. By dispensing of business models that have proved unviable in the digital age, we can turn higher profits while more equitably compensating creatives and creative endeavors. In today's networked world, the economics of storytelling matters to everybody. It's time we all got onboard.