This book felt fresh apart from the evolutionary stuff that all science-based books lean on when nothing else suffices to explain a complexity in human capability, but I guess that can be forgiven for the value of the other more practical/philosophical framing the author sets his views on narrative within. Similar to a Jordan Peterson lecture in some ways, but less is derived from sacredness here, less from religious underpinnings, which if you're religious or not, i think you'll find this book's non-'religious' approach leaves somewhat of a vacuum of explanation and therefore an effect to the whole point. Science is merely science until it becomes human which I think is the thrust of the book, in a different way, when describing how to tell a good story: the plot only means something when it's driven by the people in it. So I guess trying to explain storytelling with science is a bit oxymoronic because story only exists in us, people, human beings. Story isn't science. All that being said, I still found a lot of value in this book, especially the historical stuff, which sort of stripped back the psychology of the greats we all know, and some of the contemporaries too. All in all, if you love reading and literature, and if you dabble in writing now and then, this one is worth your while.

As a writer I want frameworks that help me get into story and get past the hardest block; indulgent author-serving storytelling. The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr is fantastic at helping me separate my ego from the product. Part of the danger of writing is that it is gratifying. it can be so gratifying that i lose sight of the way story is actually a gift for the reader. its the thought that counts with gifts and Science of Storytelling is a refreshing reminder of what kind of gift a good story is, and how to write one thoughtfully for a diverse, complex and story savvy audience. 5 star book.

As someone who is starting to write, I found some great inspirations and insights for creating my narratives and characters.

for a book on story telling this is doing a very poor job at story telling and there is also pseudoscience going on. would not recommend listening to this..

Highly not recommended. boring and waste of money