The Moth Presents Occasional Magic

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From storytelling phenomenon and hit podcast The Moth—and featuring contributions from Meg Wolitzer, Adam Gopnik, Krista Tippett, Andrew Solomon, Rosanne Cash, Ophira Eisenberg, Wang Ping, and more—a new collection of unforgettable true stories about finding the strength to face the impossible, drawn from the very best ever told on its stages Carefully selected by the creative minds at storytelling phenomenon The Moth, and adapted to the page to preserve the raw energy of stories told live, onstage and without notes, Occasional Magic features voices familiar and new. Inside, storytellers from around the world share times when, in the face of seemingly impossible situations, they found moments of beauty, wonder, and clarity that shed light on their lives and helped them find a path forward. From a fifteen-year-old saving a life in Chicago to a mother of triplets trekking to the North Pole to a ninety-year-old Russian man recalling his standoff with the KGB, these storytellers attest to the variety and richness of the human experience, and the shared threads that connect us all. With honesty and humor, they stare down their fear, embrace uncertainty, and encourage us all to be more authentic, vulnerable, and alive.

50 extraordinary new stories from The Moth.

Before television and radio, people would gather on porches, on the steps outside their homes, and tell stories. Their bewitched listeners would sit and listen long into the night as moths flitted around overhead. Storytelling phenomenon The Moth recaptures this lost each week in cities across America, Britain, Australia and beyond, playing to packed crowds at sold-out live events. Occasional Magic is a selection of 50 of the finest Moth stories from recent shows, from storytellers who found the courage to face their deepest fears. The stories feature voices familiar and new. Alongside Neil Gaiman, Adam Gopnik, Andrew Solomon, Rosanne Cash, and Cristina Lamb, there are stories from around the world describing moments of strength, passion, courage and humour - and when a little magic happened. In finest Moth tradition, Occasional Magic encourages us all to be more open, vulnerable and alive.

An inspiring and entertaining collection of unforgettable true stories about finding unexpected beauty in life’s transitions—from Lin-Manuel Miranda, Elizabeth Gilbert, Quiara Alegría Hudes, and many more. “The Moth taught me how to be vulnerable, how to take my time, and how to listen to someone else’s story and share in their moments of triumph, laughter, or, yes, sometimes embarrassment with an open heart.”—Mike Birbiglia, from the Foreword An international rescue mission for Paddington Bear. A family matriarch running numbers in Detroit. An epic Lucha Libre showdown in Mexico City. A beach vacation spent looking for the Kennedys. Storytellers from around the world share times they found real beauty in the moments when their lives changed forever—for better or for worse. Carefully selected by the creative minds at The Moth and adapted to the page to preserve the raw energy of stories told live, on stage, and without notes, A Point of Beauty features voices familiar and new. This collection offers a shared message: If we look closely enough, we can find power in strengthening frayed bonds but also in having the courage to walk away from things that no longer feed our spirit. Through these storytellers’ passion and their hope, they teach us all about what’s worth holding on to: our relationships with those we love the most, our understanding of ourselves, and—of course—gathering together to tell and listen to our stories.

“Wonderful." —Michiko Kakutani, New York Times Celebrating the 20th anniversary of storytelling phenomenon The Moth, 45 unforgettable true stories about risk, courage, and facing the unknown, drawn from the best ever told on their stages Carefully selected by the creative minds at The Moth, and adapted to the page to preserve the raw energy of live storytelling, All These Wonders features voices both familiar and new. Alongside Meg Wolitzer, John Turturro, Tig Notaro, and Hasan Minhaj, readers will encounter: an astronomer gazing at the surface of Pluto for the first time, an Afghan refugee learning how much her father sacrificed to save their family, a hip-hop star coming to terms with being a “one-hit wonder,” a young female spy risking everything as part of Churchill’s “secret army” during World War II, and more. High-school student and neuroscientist alike, the storytellers share their ventures into uncharted territory—and how their lives were changed indelibly by what they discovered there. With passion, and humor, they encourage us all to be more open, vulnerable, and alive.

The first collection from celebrated storytelling phenomenon The Moth presents fifty spellbinding, soul-bearing stories selected from their extensive archive. With tales from writer Malcolm Gladwell's wedding toast gone horribly awry; legendary rapper Darryl "DMC" McDaniels' obsession with a Sarah McLachlan song; poker champion Annie Duke's two million-dollar hand; and A. E. Hotchner's death-defying stint in a bullring . . . with his friend Ernest Hemingway. Read about the panic of former Clinton Press Secretary Joe Lockhart when he misses Air Force One after a hard night of drinking in Moscow, and Dr. George Lombardi's fight to save Mother Teresa's life. Inspired by friends telling stories on a porch, The Moth was born in small-town Georgia, garnered a cult following in New York City, and then rose to national acclaim with the wildly popular podcast and Peabody Award-winning weekly public radio show The Moth Radio Hour. A beloved read for Moth enthusiasts and all who savor well-told, hilarious, and heartbreaking stories.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The definitive guide to telling an unforgettable story in any setting, drawing on twenty-five years of experience from the storytelling experts at The Moth “From toasts to eulogies, from job interviews to social events, this book will help you with ideas, structure, delivery and more.”—CNN LONGLISTED FOR THE PORCHLIGHT BUSINESS BOOK AWARD Over the past twenty-five years, the directors of The Moth have worked with people from all walks of life—including astronauts, hairdressers, rock stars, a retired pickpocket, high school students, and Nobel Prize winners—to develop true personal stories that have moved and delighted live audiences and listeners of The Moth’s Peabody Award–winning radio hour and podcast. A leader in the modern storytelling movement, The Moth inspires thousands of people around the globe to share their stories each year. Now, with How to Tell a Story, The Moth will help you learn how to uncover and craft your own unique stories, like Moth storytellers Mike Birbiglia, Rosanne Cash, Neil Gaiman, Elizabeth Gilbert, Padma Lakshmi, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Tig Notaro, Boots Riley, Betty Reid Soskin, John Turturro, and more. Whether your goal is to make it to the Moth stage, deliver the perfect wedding toast, wow clients at a business dinner, give a moving eulogy, ace a job interview, be a hit at parties, change the world, or simply connect more deeply to those around you, stories are essential. Sharing secrets of The Moth’s time-honed process and using examples from beloved storytellers, a team of Moth directors will show you how to • mine your memories for your best stories • explore structures that will boost the impact of your story • deliver your stories with confidence • tailor your stories for any occasion Filled with empowering, easy-to-follow tips for crafting stories that forge lasting bonds with friends, family, and colleagues alike, this book will help you connect authentically with the world around you and unleash the power of story in your life.

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 I was interviewing for a promotion from secretary to daytime casting coordinator at ABC in 1979. I was excited, but some felt that I wasn’t tough enough to manage a job like that. I was humiliated in front of a crowd of strangers by a strange man who harassed me because I was too nice. #2 The mime was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and he attacked any woman who made the mistake of stepping through the crowd. I waited for him to see me, and when he did, I lifted my can of pepper spray and sprayed him in the face. #3 I was walking down the street with my canister when I was attacked by a mime. I dropped my canister, and a larger mime came and picked it up. I turned around, and the two of us struggled to get to the canister. I got there first, and grabbed it. #4 I grew up in Israel in the 1980s, and my father’s mission in life was to make sure that I grew up to be a real man. He took me shooting every Saturday when I was four years old, and when I was six or seven years old, he took advantage of Israel’s surprisingly relaxed car-rental insurance policies and rented a car to take me on driving lessons.