Burning Brightly is the first full-length book treatment of professional storytelling in North America today. For some years there has been a major storytelling revival throughout the continent, with hundreds of local groups and centres springing up, and with storytelling becoming an important part of the professional training for librarians.

In the book, Stone explores storytelling through storytellers themselves, while providing enlightening commentary from her own background as a storyteller. Included in her analysis are informative discussions of organized storytelling communities, individual tellers, and tales. Issues such as the modern recontextualization of old tales and the role of women in folktales are linked to individual storytelling accounts. Texts of eight stories that exemplify the approaches of the various storytellers are also included.

Burning Brightly will be compelling reading for storytellers—and for everyone who loves storytelling.

Kay Stone, retired professor of oral literature (folklore and storytelling) at the University of Winnipeg, has been telling and writing about stories and storytelling for two decades. As a dedicated dreamer, she brings her academic and artistic training into the dreamworld. Her previous book, Burning Brightly: New Lights on Old Tales Told Today, explored contemporary professional storytelling.

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“This is a lively, well balanced and insightful book. Boldly combining the perspective of an “inquisitive folklorist,” the voice of a purposeful storyteller, and the fire of the “curious girl” of many a wondertale, Kay Stone’s book is a bright light guiding us down the contemporary Canadian and American river of stories. Readers of fairytale, teachers, storytellers, folklorists, librarians, and students of oral narratives and performance can all benefit from Stone’s careful and unpretentious analysis as well as the stories she lovingly presents.” — Christina Cacchilega, University of Hawaii-Manoa

“Scholarly yet accessible.” — The Globe and Mail

“Stone is uniquely qualified to write a study of the history, development, current status, and future trends of the storytelling movement. Readers … will want to add this important book to their bookshelves.” — The Story Bag