I just received notification of a new book, From Apes to Apps: How humans evolved as storytellers and why it matters, by anthropologist and a storyteller Trish Nicholson.
I haven’t read it, but it’s a low-risk investment since both Kindle and ebook versions are $2.99. I’m guessing it’s also very short since it’s part of a new “BiteSize Science” series.
From the book’s Web site: “One of the fascinations of science is the endless scope for reading between the lines to ask new questions and speculate on what might be – the ‘what if’ question beloved as much by scientists as story writers. This ebook draws on current research to pose an original perspective on the part played by stories in our human evolution. It casts storytelling in a dominant role in the development of our ancestors’ capacity to think, reason, imagine and relate to others – all the things that make us human. … From Apes to Apps reviews relevant research in psychology, archaeology, neuroscience, linguistics, and anthropology, to tell the tale of how we evolved with a brain function based on storytelling. And why does it matter? Because we are also primed to obey the stories we are told. This leaves us vulnerable in our new digital environment.”
And a bite-sized excerpt from the bite-sized book:
“In some respects, we are returning to the immediacy and malleability of oral traditions: stories mutated through different tellers and a plethora of listeners.
And yet, this freedom is more apparent – perhaps more virtual – than real. Larger presences making more noise with even better technology are also telling their stories, filling the air with narratives they want us to accept.”