Storytellers

Image credit: simonandschuster.com.au

I am on a quest. A quest to read every book in mine and my partner’s personal library. I recall the moment that I decided I wanted to build a library; I had just finished reading the first book in the Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke. In that book there are many celebrated quotes from classic literature that set the tone for the upcoming chapter and I found this a lovely detail and it made me want to read all these canon classics. At this stage I would have been about 20 and while I read a fair amount as a child, I completely gave up during high school and it was only at the end of my adolescence that I decided to get back into reading. I have never looked back; so I have accrued a collection since then and it’s my quest to read them all… as well as all the books that my partner has brought into my life.

While this is a noble pursuit, I do often find it hard to stick to the path because, now that I am an avid reader, I have developed an addiction to buying new books, thus furthering myself from completing my quest by adding another brick to the road. And while culls have happened over the years, because all that glitters is not gold, I’ve still got a long way to go. Longer now because in the last 3 weeks I have treated myself to five new books. But I refuse to be mad at myself because I’m loving the new batch so far. I have started with Leigh Sales’ newest, Storytellers.

A collection of interviews from journalists, anchors, editors, photographers, camera operators, and producers, Storytellers is a really fascinating and down-to-earth exploration into journalism. It’s a book that seems very simple on the surface, but when you’re reading it, you discover that there are so many layers and so much more going on that you initially thought. It’s a look into the journalism and news entertainment industry, a peek into the world of broadcasting, a seminar on how to write for multiple mediums, and a guide on how to socially function in the world.

What’s really clever and fascinating about the book is that you actually see the craft of which Leigh and her interviewees are speaking being applied to the page. Throughout the book the same question is asked a lot of the time, but never in the same way. And each variation on the question that Leigh asks prompts fresh and unique answers from the guests. Then of course we have these wonderful stories and anecdotes from the guests themselves that are a great blend of funny and moving.

Image credit: penguin.com.au

While all writing has a structure, Storytellers is visually the most structured book I’ve read. It’s made up of bold questions and normal answers with factual introductions written in italics. The presence of so many paragraphs bordered by a good solid page gap before the next question doesn’t create a feeling of disjointedness that some nonfiction interview books can have, but rather it makes it all the more compelling and easier to just power through because they are such good markers to aim for when you’re reading in a timed bout, like a lunchbreak. You can get lost in this book when you have the time, but you can also easily reach a good stopping point so that you can get back to work.

I absolutely loved everything about this book and would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. It’s funny, fascinating, insightful, and inspiring. You might get some tips on how to be a better listener, or a good insight into how to land a job in journalism. It’s really a treasure trove of tidbits and there is something for everyone. Go out and get yourself a copy of Leigh Sales’ Storytellers!

Author: Leigh Sales, 2023

Published: Scribner, and imprint of Simon & Schuster, Australia, 2023