Books, books and books - and Storytelling

I have read the first part of Greg Mortenson's book Stones into Schools and love it because it tells the story of Afghanistan. My son, 1LT Hill, is stationed there now and says the book is great way to learn about the people and places of Afghanistan. I'm looking forward to finishing it soon.

So why in the world am I buying more books? I had to buy The Autobiography of an Execution by David R. Dow after hearing him on NPR. (He will be in town Thursday - I hope to get his autograph and meet him in person!) His inside experience with death row and the Texas Defenders Service will help me better understand this complicated social issue. One of my MSW students in North Carolina was actively involved in advocating against the death penalty (just behind Texas in most executions) and taught me about the human-side of executions and the problems in our criminal justice system.

I love good books because I meet people and visit places I would otherwise be unavailable to me. I also learn about how a good story is told and hope to one day tell a story worthy of a book. Kathy Hansen's blog A Storied Career has been a wonderful addition to my collection of tools regarding storytelling and narative.

What are your favorite books and how do they help you tell your story?