The Power of Personal Storytelling: Spinning Tales to Connect with Others

This book is an excellent tool for any storyteller or would be storyteller. It leaves no stone unturned. Every type of storytelling is explored and wonderful examples are given, as well as a wealth of quotes from authors and storytellers, and more. It has been my major reference when encouraging others to tell their own personal stories and enrich the lives of their children in the telling process.

Good approach: listen first, find your stories, present them, etc. The book is easy to read and full of stimulating material and examples.

By reading this book and doing the activities suggested at the end of each chapter, the reader will have at least one personal story to tell. And Jack Maguire comes across as very understanding and encouraging in the way he leads the reader through the whole process of personal story-making.Maguire begins with the ideas, "Why tell personal stories?" and "Reclaiming your storyloving self." Then he moves on to ways for coming up with story ideas. That done, he helps the reader with actually putting together a story. Next comes discussion about what Maguire calls "embodying the story," an alternative to "memorizing the story." In chapters 20-23, he talks about how storytelling can be used at home, at work and in the community. And he's only finished after encouraging the reader to "take the telling leap."This is a great book for learning to tell our own stories.

Jack Maguire has a well organized approach to storytelling that provides resources for an individual wishing to tell his or her own story, for storytellers who want to develop some personal stories in their repetoire, and for those working in therapeutic settings. His selection of quotations about story are set clearly in wide margins and are unusually diverse and concrete. The book is chock full of ideas for finding your own story and for ways of helping others do the same. He interwines his personal experiences in ahelpful way to encourage the storyteller at anylevel.