Storytelling Creatures
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 12:39PM 
Geoff Mead
Last night I was at the London launch of Geoff Mead's new book 'Coming Home to Story'.
Geoff appeared on Photo-Dialogue a few weeks ago, telling stories of his amazing shoes, so it was great to see him in a different environment at the amazingly spooky Union Chapel in North London. Here he is with his book which, as a push-back to iPads and Kindles, is a lovely thing to have and hold.
In the opening pages, Geoff says:
"We humans are storytelling creatures. We spend most of our waking lives exchanging stories and anecdotes - at home, at work, at play. Telling stories is the primary way we make sense of our experience and give significance to our lives."
Indeed, the practice of storytelling is finding application across business coaching, leadership development, organisational change and academic inquiry. However, rather than outline the theory of this kind of intervention, Geoff's book takes us inside the experience of telling and listening to stories as well as his own personal oddyssey as a professional storyteller. It brings us fully into the visceral art and craft of his skilful and rather amazing process.
So, as the nights are drawing in... I'm looking forward to lighting the fire and settling down for a good read. Inside my copy of the book Geoff has written, "For Steve - Storyteller of the visual world..." which is giving me plentiful food for thought as I develop my own Photo-Dialogue story...
PS. Aspiring authors might want to check out the Vala Publishing Coop who are putting community and a clear set of progressive values at the heart of their work.
Geoff Mead, Story, book
Reader Comments (4)
lovely photo... and sounds like a great mentoring book
both illuminating
Thanks for your feedback;-)) Geoff is a thoughtful chap and I hope I've caught him in a way that tells a little of his own story. I think the book will be a really valuable resource...
Steve - this was my favourite picture of the ones you took as well. It has a lot of "Geoff-ness" to it
Thanks, Chris...:-) When I edited the shoot I wondered about this picture - most 'portraits' seem to require a more direct gaze but I had a felt sense that this was a significant 'moment'... Great to confirm that intuitive knowing triumphs over convention and 'technique'!