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Gather: Richard Van Camp on the Joy of Storytelling
Master storyteller and bestselling author Richard Van Camp on how to tell a good story
Gathering around a campfire, or the dinner table, we humans have always told stories. Through the stories we tell, we define our own identities and shape our understanding of the world. Master storyteller and bestselling author Richard Van Camp writes of the power of storytelling and its potential to transform both the speaker and the audience in Gather . Describing the elements required to make a story, he offers insights into how to read a room, how to capture the attention of listeners, how to create community through storytelling, and how to banish loneliness. A member of the Tlicho Dene First Nation, Van Camp includes stories from Elders whose wisdom influenced him.
Gathering around a campfire, or the dinner table, we humans have always told stories. Through the stories we tell, we define our own identities and shape our understanding of the world. Master storyteller and bestselling author Richard Van Camp writes of the power of storytelling and its potential to transform both the speaker and the audience in Gather . Describing the elements required to make a story, he offers insights into how to read a room, how to capture the attention of listeners, how to create community through storytelling, and how to banish loneliness. A member of the Tlicho Dene First Nation, Van Camp includes stories from Elders whose wisdom influenced him.
194 pages, Paperback
Published May 14, 2021
15 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Richard Van Camp
54 books312 followersA Dogrib (Tlicho) Dene from Fort Smith, NWT, Richard Van Camp is an internationally renowned storyteller and best-selling author. He is the author of the novel, The Lesser Blessed, a collection of short stories, Angel Wing Splash Pattern, and two children’s books with Cree artist, George Littlechild. His new baby book: Welcome Song for Baby: A Lullaby for Newborns is the official selection of the Books for BC Babies program and is being given to every newborn baby in British Columbia in 2008. His new novel, Blessing Wendy, will be released in the fall of 2009 through Orca Book Publishers. Richard was awarded Storyteller of the Year for both Canada and the US by the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers. You can visit Richard at his website: www.richardvancamp.org.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 7, 2021
Here are my takeaways from this wonderful book!
We are all here for a purpose. We are all here because it's our time here. When we're called, we're called Home. -Elder Maria Brown
The description of story telling giving a "soul sigh" - soooo so accurate!
The calendar for Richards Hometown of Fort Smith was so interesting to read! All those connections. So cool!
The story of the residential school told by Richards mother, Rosa Wah-Shee is heartbreaking.
I enjoyed the storytelling tips!
In talking about how two people were related ... "Your dog is the son of my dog!" Oh my gosh did I ever laugh at this! So good!!
The Spirit Story of The Little People - WOW!
Don't wait to live.
Don't wait to love.
Don't wait to gather in a good way and share your stories.
Such an enjoyable read and one I would recommend. Thanks so much to ZGSTORIES and University Of Regina Press!
We are all here for a purpose. We are all here because it's our time here. When we're called, we're called Home. -Elder Maria Brown
The description of story telling giving a "soul sigh" - soooo so accurate!
The calendar for Richards Hometown of Fort Smith was so interesting to read! All those connections. So cool!
The story of the residential school told by Richards mother, Rosa Wah-Shee is heartbreaking.
I enjoyed the storytelling tips!
In talking about how two people were related ... "Your dog is the son of my dog!" Oh my gosh did I ever laugh at this! So good!!
The Spirit Story of The Little People - WOW!
Don't wait to live.
Don't wait to love.
Don't wait to gather in a good way and share your stories.
Such an enjoyable read and one I would recommend. Thanks so much to ZGSTORIES and University Of Regina Press!
June 26, 2021
This book was a warm hug. Full review to come!
September 5, 2022
Won this book through an Indigenous book club at work. This book definitely grew on me. I think it’s hard to translate the power of a good story into written word, especially when you’re trying to stay true to someone else’s story, so not all of the stories spoke to me. The book felt casual, like the book was how Richard would share his advice about storytelling in person. Which made it feel personal, but also sometimes repetitive. The best story was of Pauline and Barrie, an amazing story. I also appreciated the notes on how to treat an elder storyteller, so I’m going to keep this book for reference in the future.
May 20, 2021
This Indigenous author shares his reflections on the art of story telling in addition to sharing stories he enjoys, that have been shared with him. His writing demonstrates great respect for his community and for how stories of all kinds are a balm and a gift but I was not as invested as I'd hoped and found the stories just okay.
September 7, 2021
“Storytelling = connection = community = joy and comfort = health and survival.”
Gather - Richard Van Camp on the Joy of Storytelling is a tribute to the storytellers in Van Camp’s life, a meditation on the art of storytelling, and an invitation to storytellers everywhere.
Van Camp’s narration style is warm and welcoming. It feels like you are sitting at his table or around the fire listening to his treasured stories – both personal and from a collective of friends and Elders. I am curious as to whether or not he recorded himself because his writing feels so wonderfully conversational. Page after page, Van Camp shares nuggets of wisdom, memorable stories, and invites the storyteller within all of us to take a seat at the table.
Throughout the book Van Camp pays homage to his Elders’ stories and his Indigenous culture, “Stories are my fuel. Stories are my medicine. Stories are my way of honouring my Elders and the stories that they’ve shared with me because those Elders and those stories have helped guide my life.”
Here are some wisdom nuggets I gleaned from Van Camp’s Gather:
This book is a reminder.
It reminds us to slow down, disconnect from our phones, and (re)prioritize what is important.
It reminds us to connect with family, friends, acquaintances, and our communities.
It reminds us to listen with our whole heart, and to cherish and value our storytellers and their stories.
It reminds us to share our stories freely, to pass stories down from generation to generation, and to always give the gift of story.
Sometimes books have a way of being exactly what you need to read at a particular moment in your life. I have been contemplating recording my parents’ stories, and as with many things, haven’t gotten around to doing it.
“Imagine hearing the laughter and stories of your Ancestors and being able to pass these along forever. What a divine gift.”
This book was my reminder.
Mahsi cho, Richard.
Gather - Richard Van Camp on the Joy of Storytelling is a tribute to the storytellers in Van Camp’s life, a meditation on the art of storytelling, and an invitation to storytellers everywhere.
Van Camp’s narration style is warm and welcoming. It feels like you are sitting at his table or around the fire listening to his treasured stories – both personal and from a collective of friends and Elders. I am curious as to whether or not he recorded himself because his writing feels so wonderfully conversational. Page after page, Van Camp shares nuggets of wisdom, memorable stories, and invites the storyteller within all of us to take a seat at the table.
Throughout the book Van Camp pays homage to his Elders’ stories and his Indigenous culture, “Stories are my fuel. Stories are my medicine. Stories are my way of honouring my Elders and the stories that they’ve shared with me because those Elders and those stories have helped guide my life.”
Here are some wisdom nuggets I gleaned from Van Camp’s Gather:
This book is a reminder.
It reminds us to slow down, disconnect from our phones, and (re)prioritize what is important.
It reminds us to connect with family, friends, acquaintances, and our communities.
It reminds us to listen with our whole heart, and to cherish and value our storytellers and their stories.
It reminds us to share our stories freely, to pass stories down from generation to generation, and to always give the gift of story.
Sometimes books have a way of being exactly what you need to read at a particular moment in your life. I have been contemplating recording my parents’ stories, and as with many things, haven’t gotten around to doing it.
“Imagine hearing the laughter and stories of your Ancestors and being able to pass these along forever. What a divine gift.”
This book was my reminder.
Mahsi cho, Richard.
July 3, 2021
Having met Richard Van Camp a few times and seen him speak and tell stories I was delighted to hear his voice in this book. He’s so funny and friendly and it makes me want to hear a story from him again. This book is lovely.
May 4, 2022
Such a joyful, joyous book with a lot of great tips on being a good storyteller and cherished neighbour! I felt love and gratitude overflowing between the lines. Never thought I would think GATHER is such a beautiful word. What a wonderful world this could be!
Read
July 30, 2021I will read this book again when I am ready. I think I expected a book on writing craft and instead this is a book about the craft of storytelling (those are different things!!), and I think my expectations interfered with my appreciation for the lessons. There is much in here about community and responsibility that I wasn't ready for, and I feel a little bit silly for bringing false expectations with me.
I would recommend this book to those who are natural and gregarious storytellers (not shy would-be novelists like me), and I will certainly re-read this book again when I feel ready to absorb its lessons properly. I think this is a good book to keep at the ready, to give to a young person who always seems to end up at the centre of a gathering, and is looking for the tools they will need for life as a storyteller.
I would recommend this book to those who are natural and gregarious storytellers (not shy would-be novelists like me), and I will certainly re-read this book again when I feel ready to absorb its lessons properly. I think this is a good book to keep at the ready, to give to a young person who always seems to end up at the centre of a gathering, and is looking for the tools they will need for life as a storyteller.
November 6, 2023
I thought this was a book about storytelling, and it is; but it included a lot more advice about storytelling than I expected. Some of it felt relevant (stories are a huge part of what it means to be human), but some didn't (I have no expectation of ever speaking to a room of thousands - or hundreds). Van Camp's tone is very warm and friendly. Some of it was a bit too relevant to Covid times, which dated it a bit (already!). I may have stopped reading it, but it was with me at a couple of the kids' sports practices, so it was a nice way to pass the time.
June 20, 2023
I was hesitant about the first half of this book because it seemed like the advice was very haphazard. But, by the end I thought it was quite well-rounded and the advice/perspective was very good. I took lots of notes and I loved the suggestions and vision for bringing stories out of elderly and family members. Great resource for bringing stories out of people, rather than just straight telling tales.
August 11, 2023
This book 100% reads like a conversation with Richard Van Camp. There's some excellent stories, some good advice for storytellers to be, and information about Elder protocol, which I think is really good to have as reference, not just for storytellers but for schools and organizations inviting Elders in as storytellers. I think this is exactly the version of this book that it was trying to be, so it gets 5 stars from me.
September 16, 2024
I devour anything Richard Van Camp ever since reading "The Lesser Blessed" as a teen and this was no exception. Read at Blachford Lake Lodge (keeping tradition as I read Moccasin Square Gardens the last time I was there!). I need a copy of this one though, it deserves its own space on our shelves. Mahsi Cho Richard.
July 18, 2021
A lot of great ideas and moving stories. I found his writing style somewhat simplistic and overly optimistic in the book.
July 19, 2021
Great recommendations for how to be an engaging speaker and how to be a good host interspersed with a number of tales.
August 25, 2021
A lovely book.
December 31, 2021
A nice read on storytelling and the sometimes forgotten courtesies one should extend to hosts and those providing the entertainment. Always offer to help with the dishes!
February 3, 2022
A conversational chat about the wonders, miracles, joys, and griefs of storytelling. I will definitely reread this.
August 21, 2022
Delightful and timely
December 15, 2022
A book of positivity
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews