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The Art of Storytelling: From Parents to Professionals cover art

The Art of Storytelling: From Parents to Professionals

By: Hannah B. Harvey, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Hannah B. Harvey
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Editorial reviews

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

Publisher's Summary

An absolute treat for the heart and mind, these 24 lectures demonstrate how to master the art of storytelling, offering insight into the process of crafting and delivering a tale to enhancing the stories you tell everyday - to your children at bedtime, in your conversational anecdotes, and in your presentations at work. Teachers, lawyers, clergy, coaches, parents, and anyone who wants to understand the power of stories to capture hearts and minds will benefit from these lessons.

You'll discover practical methods for building dynamic tension and capturing - then maintaining - your audience's attention. You'll acquire tips and techniques for finding, selecting, and preparing stories, whether they're based on your own experiences, time-honored folk tales, or beloved family yarns. You'll also learn to choose expressive language, craft compelling characters, refine your narrator's point of view, shape your story's plot, structure, and emotional arc, use body language to connect with your audience, and more.

Part how-to workshop, part intellectual study of the history of narrative, these lectures feature exercises that literally get you moving to develop your stories and make them more enjoyable. Professor Harvey's interactive activities and "side coaching" sessions are designed to make you comfortable enough with your story to tell it naturally and make impromptu changes as needed. You'll even learn what to do if the unexpected occurs while telling a story to a roomful of kids or giving a presentation, and about the practical considerations of using props, PowerPoint, and microphones in various scenarios.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2012 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2012 The Great Courses

What listeners say about The Art of Storytelling: From Parents to Professionals

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    5 out of 5 stars

Great for film makers and other creatives

Where does The Art of Storytelling: From Parents to Professionals rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

As a film maker, this book was good to further my knowledge in story telling. This was a good book. Downside is that there are some interesting grunts, sniffs etc while reading, which can get annoying, but I don't think it takes away from what the book aims to do.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Art of Storytelling: From Parents to Professionals?

The most memorable moments were the story about her grandpa's hands. Such a simple story but a big lesson to be learned with how detailed or not detailed you need to be to focus on the story you are trying to tell.

Have you listened to any of Professor Hannah B. Harvey’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to any of the other performances.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book really did bring some emotions out when some of the stories were told. The way the stories were told really made you feel like you are there. That's where I want to be with my story telling, so it was good to be in that space.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Story telling review

This was a great book to listen to, easy to zone out and just listen to how she talks and adds in little stories and discusses them later.
Could have been shorter but I still enjoyed it all. Lots a great tips and being able to use this in your family to pass on history of others or make new memories it is such a great skill to have and definitely worth using in your life and with family and friends.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Content strong along with accent...

Good content agenda. Note the narrator has a strong SE American accent and manner. This may not be as relevant for your local context.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
  • Sam
  • 09-07-2018

Great Stories. Frustrating Delivery at Times.

Hannah is a very talented story teller, but the longer I listened the more I realised that she consistently talks up women, while putting down men. That kind of devision wore me down by about half way.

There is also a habitual fake ‘laugh’ that again works well at first, but becomes increasingly difficult to listen to.

If those things don’t bother you, then you’ll learn a lot from this course.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

The most irritating voice/accent on audible.com.

What would have made The Art of Storytelling: From Parents to Professionals better?

This is the MOST irritating voice on audible.com. If she said "Nair-ator" one more time, or read "Little Red Riding Hood' again - I was about to run off into the woods myself. I would have returned this book, except it took so long to listen to her long boring repetition.

Would you ever listen to anything by The Great Courses again?

The Great Courses are normally BRILLIANT! This one was a BIG let-down

Would you be willing to try another one of Professor Hannah B. Harvey’s performances?

NEVER.....ah that hideous voice.

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Nothing original. Irritating voice. HORRENDOUS southern accent sounded like she hadn't finished high school.

Any additional comments?

Very disappointed. I would have returned this if I could have. Not nearly the normal standard of "The Great Courses"

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3 people found this helpful

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