"Stories are what connect us, and remind us that hope is always possible" - the words of Heather Morris, bestselling author and extraordinary storyteller of tales about survival, resilience and hope. Working in a public hospital in Melbourne in 2003, she was introduced to Lale Sokolov, an elderly gentleman whose life would be the basis for her novel The Tattooist of Auschwitz which has sold six million copies. This is a companion to that beloved book, a series of accounts from remarkable people she has met, whether that is the section about listening to the wisdom of our elders, to that of Lale, to our children, or to ourselves. Transport yourself with Morris to her gramps' memories, travelling across South Africa with Field Marshal Kitchener as a 16-year-old boy. She shares heartening stories such as one encounter when, at the hospital where she worked, she learned that a teenage boy with a terminal illness had completed every level on his games, so she rang the company who sent a young man - a game designer - to deliver them which ended with the two becoming profound friends. Learn more about Cilka Klein, a figure in Lale Sokolov's history, who Morris then wrote about in her second book: Cilka's Journey, and how Morris sought all the details she could (including her birth record) in the town hall of Sabnov in Slovakia. Glimpse the mind of Ian (Morris' brother) who left the Navy, listening to his gut instinct, and spurned the idea of becoming a local friendly police officer in favour of carving out his own life which included living in several countries, a successful business career and a family. The end of each chapter also includes tips on how readers can be active listeners for different people, whether that is using a physical stimulus, simple questions or the ritual of a cup of tea to encourage elders to open up, or learning that the secret to listening to a child is time, giving them the time to speak so they know how important they are. For the eager reader of Morris' other work, there is also insight into how she constructed Lale's story through the sharing of a table she used when writing Lale's anecdotes up, with columns dedicated to what she did, how she felt, what Lale said and how Lale felt. This is an intimate and touching behind the scenes look at how stories are forged, celebrated and made immortal through sharing them. Signed by the author, black and white illustrations, 314pp.
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