Author(s): Will Storr

Film Theory

'One of my absolute favourite writers' Decca Aitkenhead Who would we be without stories? Stories mould who we are, from our character to our cultural identity. They drive us to act out our dreams and ambitions, and shape our politics and beliefs. We use them to construct our relationships, to keep order in our law courts and governments, to make sense of the world in our newspapers and social media. Storytelling is an essential part of what makes us human. There have been many attempts to understand what makes a good story - from Joseph Campbell's well-worn theories about myth and archetype to recent attempts to crack the 'Bestseller Code'. But few have used a scientific approach. This is curious, for if we are to truly understand storytelling, we must first come to understand the ultimate storyteller - the human brain. In this original and surprising book, Will Storr demonstrates how master storytellers manipulate and compel us, leading us on a journey from the Hebrew scriptures to Mr Men, from Booker prize-winning literature to box set TV. Using dazzling psychological research and cutting-edge neuroscience, he shows how we can use these tools to tell better stories - and reveals the benefits this can have on everything from our creative endeavours and careers to our happiness and well-being.