Storyteller's Start-Up Book

I loved the sample stories at the end...very useful for us beginners. The reason it only gets 3 stars is because 25% of the book is bibliography/footnote, and because most of the good ideas in this book are available in more useful detail in "Creative Storytelling..." by Jack McGuire. McGuire's book is geared toward telling to children, but it contains a great deal of info on the processes behind storytelling. It gives you some great steps and ideas for creating, remembering, and telling your own stories.

MacDonald is a firm believer in the value of stories, not only on the performance level but also on the personal level -- in the home and in the workplace. Her book imparts confidence to the most timorous of beginners, and the tales she includes are likely to be new even to veterans.

This is an essential book on storytelling. It helps the novice with useful tips. The more experienced storyteller will still find interesting material in the selection of rich tales from different cultures. It is also a great book to read aloud for the children.

Margaret Read MacDonald has another winner in this book that is guaranteed to help the novice get up in front of a group--without book or script--and share the gift known as story. She takes the reader through the process of finding, learning and practicing a story. She shares a little background on the importance of story in history and world cultures. Best of all, she includes stories with telling instructions. Unlike many other books of this type, the stories she includes are not the well-known "beginner's stories," like "The Turnip," but interesting and fun to tell, ones you may never have heard before.

Turn off your television and open up whole new worlds by telling a story to your friends, family, students, co-workers. You will enjoy the power of a story shared with your listeners, and "The Storyteller's Start-Up" will be an excellent guide for the journey.

(Gwyn is a professional storyteller who has coached many middle school students in the telling of their first story).

Going into the teaching field, I was looking for some tips on telling stories. I found it in MacDonald's book. She gives techniques for learning and performing stories. She also gives ideas for incorporating storytelling into the classroom.

Each chapter is followed with a valuable list of books and authors for you to expand on the art of storytelling.

MacDonald's book is a great introduction into the world and tradition of storytelling. She even includes twelve tales to get you going. If you want to become a storyteller, this is a good place to start your quest.