Reality and Other Stories: Exploring the life we long for through the tales we tell

by Peter Dray, Matt Lillicrap

Stories shape us and give us meaning - but is it coincidence that the same seven basic plots repeat over time and across the world? What if stories not only reveal something about human psychology, but also give us clues to the meaning of the reality we live in?

Discover how these archetypal stories - Overcoming the Monster , Rags to Riches , The Quest , Voyage and Return , Comedy , Tragedy and Rebirth - are not only universal, but also found in the story of Christ. What if Jesus' story is where myth becomes history and can give true meaning to all our lives?

Explore for yourself the explosive claim that the life of Jesus isn't just another story, but the true story that satisfies our deepest longings.

160 pages, Paperback

Published August 18, 2022

Reviews

[Matty Lavelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book - essential for every story lover to know why stories are so beautiful!

[Joel Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable, short book exploring how the seven types of story that have been repeated through history all point to the Great Story we all live in. “Stories resonate with us because, though they are fictional, they are telling the truth.”

Lots of references to movies, novels, fairy tales, and like, and lots of examples from the gospel of Luke too. Really enjoyable and it would be a great book to read with a friend to discuss over a drink after each chapter.

[Jonathan Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun and fascinating book. Looking at the seven different stories that seem to exist, the authors interpret various parts of the Gospel of Luke in their light.

This book can be enjoyed by Christians and not-yet-Christians

Well done gents 🙌

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my book of the year so far. Absolutely loved this.
For a while I've been fascinated by Booker's analysis of story and Dray and Lillicrap take each of the 7 stories that Booker speaks of and use it to make sense of the gospel.
Booker's 7 types of story are:
1. overcoming the monster
2.Rags to riches
3. The quest
4. Voyage and return
5. Tragedy
6. Comedy
7. Rebirth
Each chapter is well researched and applied and the reader is led carefully into seeing how the gospel is the fulfilment of each of these types.
I think this book, more than any other this year, will aid my preaching and communication. But that's not its intention. It is primarily to introduce people to Jesus and it does that well for a thinking, student level person.
2 minor criticisms - I felt the illustrations weighed towards the male side of things for the most part. And it feels quite cheaply produced. I get that makes it cheaper to buy but it felt like it deserved higher production values.
But in general, highly recommended.

[Nathanael Ayling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!
I had come across the idea that there are a few plot lines that are used in almost every film/novel, but this book gives real clarity to that concept looking at 7 plot lines that come up time and again. The authors take these plots from Christopher Booker.

But they then show how these same plot lines come up in Luke’s account of Jesus’ interactions with other characters. And they show how all these stories reveal that we all long for something more, our deepest desires that can only be fulfilled in Jesus.

I would recommend this book to any Christian interested in stories, or wanting to be better at connecting stories to Jesus and pointing friends to Jesus.
I also recommend this book to anyone who is not a Christian! This book is well written, easy to read and understand, and presents a compelling case for how stories reveal the longings of our hearts and that Jesus is the answer to what we’re all looking for.

[Kenny Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! Fresh, optimistic, comforting, hopeful. Helped me understand why stories affect us, why as humans we long for story, and how all reality is bound up in one true, better story. If you like stories, read this book! Highly recommend. Thanks Pete and Matt

[Thomas Creedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final read-through before it goes off to the printer - Pete and Matt have done a great job. How do stories point us beyond the everyday into the meaning of everything?

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good! I found all of the different plotlines considered to resonate with 'my story' - i.e. resonating with narratives which I see in the world around me, and longings which I experience. And I appreciate the pointers given to the fulfilment of these desires. There is much for me to continue to reflect on and learn from - I think really grasping the claims of this short book has the potential to be really life-changing.

* Watch out for an issue with the printing of the book - at least in the version I have. I found that the ending of the chapter on plotline 4 had been 'cut and pasted' onto the end of the chapter on plotline 5. It helped me that I had seen a comment explaining this, before I read the book. So I hope this helps others similarly.

[Cameron McCartney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book offered a unique and interesting approach to the Bible story, through the lenses of Booker’s 7 basic plots. The book had a strong conclusion but I personally found that the central chapters lacked focus. After reading, I’m still unsure if I would use the word “comedy” as a word to describe a biblical plot line. A thought-provoking read nonetheless.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced and fun to read. Particularly good final chapter, and winsome throughout, juxtaposing narratives from the Bible, literature, film and TV with a focus on the shapes and powers of stories, on existential questions, and how Jesus really is the answer.

I'll admit I got slightly distracted by reading elsewhere about the shortcomings of Christopher Booker's sevenfold (ninefold) schema, but regardless of its objective merits, it is a very useful tool for bringing certain stories together and having them shed light on each other, as this slim volume demonstrates.

[Bradley Endsor · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are all part of the great cosmic story that God is bringing about in his providence, in this short but great book the authors demonstrate how the basic structures of all stories reflect the grand story that God is writing and how as believers we can use these stories to help place people in the story that truly offers what all these stories claim to offer

[Shannan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ngl this book went a different direction than where I thought it’d go. My takeaway is what I actually wanted to read was Dorothy Sayers. This book does a good job of teaching Jesus’ parables though.

[George Heath-Whyte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant and beautiful book that gave me goosebumps on multiple occasions. I'm looking forward to recommending it to friends!

One small problem, however, is that what I assume is the conclusion to Chapter 4 seems to have been cut and pasted onto the end of Chapter 5, which leaves Ch 4 ending rather starkly, and left me quite confused at the end of 5 until I had worked out what had happened!

[Alexandra Medina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have long been fascinated by the way our storytelling points to God (whether we mean it to or not). Dray and Lillicrap break down the 7 major story types and explain how they point to Jesus and to a greater hope. I thought there could have been more clarity in the plotline chapters, but they did such a great job tying it all together in the conclusion that I can forgive them for that. I really enjoyed the ending. God is so creative. It's really amazing how all of creation, even what comes out of unbelieving minds, is full of blaring signs directing us toward His Truth.

[Ellelein Kirk]

It is an interesting book which explores the 7 different archetypal stories that you can follow when writing. (Overcoming the Monster, Rags to Riches, The Quest, Voyage and Return, Comedy, Tragedy and Rebirth) -But also see how they are present in the bible.

[Jenny Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book instantly because of the framework the authors hung it on … that is the 7 different plot lines researched by Booker.

The authors cleverly weave modern day films and stories connected to these plot lines with the story of Jesus.

Easy to read. Easy to grasp.

[Joanna Shillaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really helpful way to engage

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. Wonderful and fascinating introduction and conclusion!

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

an excellent and brief look into the stories we tell and how they are reflected in the Gospel narrative. very much enjoyed and would highly recommend.