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I found The Truth About Stories interesting both in its topic and in the way it was written. I could appreciate the conversational tone the author took on, unlike some of my peers, I did not feel as if the author was accusing me of some of the discrimination he experienced but rather trying to make me feel what he felt by bringing me (the reader) into the story with him. I also appreciated the repetition of the beginning and end of every chapter and found it gave the stories captivating transitions. Finally, I liked the way the author broke up his stories and mixed them in with factual information regarding Native American treatment in the United States. I found this was an effective way of keeping the reader interested, or motivated if, like me, he/she found the historical sections harder to get through. Meanwhile, I was conflicted about the actual information presented in the book. Because of the way the stories about the author’s life were presented, in such a way that the reader felt connected through emotions and feelings, I believe it made it easier to get bored with the emotion-less sections that had little to offer besides a history lesson and a bitter taste in my mouth at the evident unfairness the Native American tribes (among others) suffered.

In response to the author’s claim that “the truth about stories is that’s all we are”, I would have to agree with his idea because I feel that stories can deeply affect our lives by eliciting feelings and thoughts we may not have previously had. Our lives are made up of feelings, ideas, and experiences and the need to share these experiences with others is part of being human and essential to our evolution. The incorporation of technology to share stories, for example Facebook and YouTube, have made sharing stories more efficient and effective. Perhaps a time will come in the near future when we will master the art of storytelling and the human race collectively will be able to evolve at the maximum speed.