Stories about Stories
In episode 10, I am telling you a story that I’ve been telling for at least ten years. I’m also telling you a story that I just discovered two weeks ago.
The most recent story is about Rob Walker and Joshua Glenn and their literary experiment that proves once and for all in a measurable way, the value that stories—even wholly fabricated stories—when applied to insignificant objects. Pictured below are a few of the objects that Rob and Josh actually sent to a group of writers with the request that they write something about these junk-drawer items that would “bestow significance” and this is exactly what they did. The rest is history and documented in great detail on their website.
Click HERE to learn more about the Insignificant Objects project.
One of my most favorite stories—which I have shared many times before—is of Peter Jennings and the team of journalists that worked with him to create and produce The Century, a 12 hour television mini-series broadcast in 1999. I watched this mini series and knew then what kind of memory keeper and scrapbooker I wanted to be. I have tried ever since to develop and practice the skills of a storyteller.
One reviewer of this series said this:
“One of the most thought-provoking documentaries of recent times. My only complaint is I wish it were longer! Peter Jennings has created what may be his finest work as a reporter, assembling an extraordinary montage of film and commentary on the history of the 20th century.”
And finally, trailers for the two movies my family watched last weekend:
I invite you and/or your family to watch these two movies. How are they the same? How are they different? How we tell stories will continue to evolve, but each story we tell has significance—each time we tell it or share it. Stories never get old.
Episode 10 thumbnail image is by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash
Looking for a transcript of this episode? Click here to download.
