The Perfect gift for someone who needs a lift. (Don’t we all?) A book about the best of us. Stories of seemingly ordinary people who have found solutions to problems we all face.
Get your autographed copy of my New York Times Best Seller for just $20.
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You’ll be helping maintain the American Story archive at Syracuse University.
I’m donating the proceeds to keep the storytelling flame burning.
Want me to write a personal note with the autographed copy?
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Thanks for keeping the storytelling flame burning!
Bob Dotson
Recently Posted American Stories
Cave Rescue
“Shadows chase shadows. Now and then a whisper of sliding rope. The anxious, uneven breathing of 60 people lugging one of their own to safety.” I keep an Ideas notebook. When something prompts an idea, I type it into my cellphone. These thoughts may not always fit the story I’ve been assigned, but I don’t throw them away. The next time I’m pressed for an opening line, I scroll through those thoughts. Two words “Darkness” and “Friendship” inspired that opening narration.
Make it Memorable
The shortest distance between two people is a good story. I learned that lesson back when the earth was cooling. When my hair was still red and I started telling stories of seemingly ordinary people who did extraordinary things.
The technique of memorable storytelling hasn’t changed since the first cave man painted pictures on a wall. Technology comes and goes. How to tell a memorable story is the same.
Not Just a Commune with Haircuts
Imagine a place where folks care as much for each other as they do their lawn. At Muir Commons in Davis, California, working parents don’t have to rush home to cook dinner. Neighbors do it for them. Each small town house is privately owned, but families also get day care, a dining hall and rooms for visiting grandparents.
This is not just a commune with hair cuts. At its heart is an attempt to create an old fashioned neighborhood where folks come together to shoulder the stress of modern living.
“These are remarkable and poignant stories that need to be told.”
-
KEN BURNS
“Those of us who know and work with Bob Dotson stand in awe of his gifts as a writer. Like the work so many viewers have come to love on NBC, this collection of stories captivates and inspires.”
- SAVANNAH GUTHRIE
“Throughout his remarkable career Bob Dotson has searched for the real essence of America – not by interviewing the so-called famous but by seeking out those unnoticed people we pass by every day. Dotson is a national treasure for caring enough to listen.”
- MEREDITH VIERA
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Contact Bob
bob@myamerianstories.com
