The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780544002340)

In this delightful and original book, Jonathan Gottschall offers the first unified theory of storytelling. Drawing on neuroscience and evolutionary biology, The Storytelling Animal explores what stories reveal about human nature, how we process information, and think about the world.
Humans live in landscapes of make-believe. We spin fantasies. We devour novels, films, and plays. Even sporting events and criminal trials unfold as narratives. Gottschall argues that stories help us navigate life's complex social problems -- just as flight simulators prepare pilots for difficult situations. Storytelling has evolved, like other behaviors, to ensure our survival. Gottschall tells us what it means to be a storytelling animal and explains how stories can change the world for the better.
We know we are master shapers of story. The Storytelling Animal finally reveals how stories shape us.
A NYTimes.com Editor's Choice
A Los Angeles Times Book Prizes Finalist
"A jaunty, insightful new book . . . [that] draws from disparate corners of history and science to celebrate our compulsion to storify everything around us."--The New York Times

Author: Jonathan Gottschall
ISBN-10: 0544002342
ISBN-13: 9780544002340
Publisher: Mariner Books
Language: English
Published: 04/23/2013
Pages: 272
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.48lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.40w x 0.90d

Review Citation(s):
New York Times Book Review 05/26/2013 pg. 24