The Art of the Story-Teller

This 1910 treatise makes a passionate case for storytelling as a living art form, not merely a pedagogical tool. Marie L. Shedlock, a celebrated narrator who performed on both sides of the Atlantic, draws on decades of real audiences to argue that the story-teller must be equal parts performer, psychologist, and artist. Sheavigously defends the craft against those who would reduce it to simple entertainment or mere instruction, insisting that true storytelling demands imagination, preparation, and an almost intuitive understanding of what listeners need. The book offers concrete guidance on selecting tales, reading aloud with purpose, and maintaining the delicate tension that keeps an audience captive across a 45-minute narrative. Yet Shedlock is no sentimentalist: she frankly discusses what goes wrong, from dull pacing to the storyteller who cannot resist showing off. Though written for teachers and librarians, its wisdom extends to anyone who has ever wanted to hold a room spellbound.