The animal the storyteller: How do stories make us human? , by: Jonathan Gotshel

Thousands of years ago, when the human mind was still young and our numbers were few, we used to tell stories to each other. And now, after tens of thousands of years, some of us still invent myths strongly about the origin of things, and we still feel excitement in front of the astonishing abundance of stories on paper, on stage, and on screens; stories of murder, sexual stories, conspiracy stories, true stories and false ones. We, as a species, are passionate about storytelling. And even when the body sleeps, the mind remains awake all night, telling stories to itself. It is an exciting display of a set of questions posed by amateurs and scholars about why we love reading, why we are submissive to stories, and the reason that sometimes makes the daily experience seem like an epic. San Francisco Chronicle It is an easy and charming mixture between story and science. Minneapolis Star Tribune Gutchel is a clever writer… presents his culture gracefully, revealing deep knowledge. Boston Globe Number of pages: 238