Listening for the Crack of Dawn (American Storytelling) - Softcover

Davis, Donald

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0874836050 ISBN 13: 9780874836059

Publisher: August House, 2005

Synopsis

Winner of the Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award

The hills and hamlets of western North Carolina in the 1950's provide the setting for this nostalgic tour de force by Donald Davis, who has appeared in live performance at the World's Fair, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Storytelling Festival, and on National Public Radio. He relates his youth in a cycle of growing-up stories, beginning before he enters school and culminating with the loss of friends to the Vietnam War.

The characters are memorable: Miss Daisy―one of the six Boring sisters, teachers every one; Daff-Knee Garlic, owner of the Sulpher Springs Big-Screen Drive-In Theater; and Aunt Laura, who knows to listen for the crack of dawn. Developed in oral performance, Davis's stories resonate in the experiences of his listeners and readers. These stories will teach readers the importance of caring, fairness and respect.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

After ten years as a cult favorite, the award-winning stories of Donald Davis -- first collected in book form a decade ago -- are reason for celebration with every new reader

Audiences at storytelling festivals worldwide are passionate about Donald Davis and his deceptively soft-edged Appalachian stories. Developed in oral performance, Davis' stories resonate in the experiences of his listeners and readers.

The fourteen stories in this, his signature title, are so convincingly private as to be universal. The laughter, silent tears, and thunderous applause these stories elicit in live performance -- and the many repeat-buyers who give the book to friend after friend -- prompted us to commemorate them in this anniversary edition.

About the Author:

Donald Davis Bio:

Donald Davis was raised in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. He didn't realize it at the time, but he grew up in a family of gifted storytellers who passed their talent along to Donald. His legendary Uncle Frank was a front-porch storyteller of the first order and the source of many of Donald's tales. Young Davis was a capable student. He went to college and then to divinity school. For twenty years he served the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. Then came a day when he found that he would rather tell Uncle Frank's tall tales than give another sermon. He would rather recall two old-maid sisters who abused the party line than marry one more couple.


Fortunately, Davis had no trouble finding audiences: all of his former congregations lined up to book him to perform as a storyteller. He now tours the USA ten months a year, making about 300 storytelling presentations annually. He can be found in schools, at libraries, in front of conventions, and as a headliner at storytelling festivals. Davis has appeared on ABC News Nightline, and he has been a guest on National Public Radio and CNN.


His books and spoken word recordings have received critical acclaim and won many awards. Davis has written ten books and recorded twenty audio recordings with August House. When Donald isn't crisscrossing the country performing his stories, he comes home to Ocracoke Island, North Carolina where he lives with his wife, Merle.

About this edition

• Publisher: August House
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0874836050
• ISBN 13: 9780874836059
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 220