Sharing our stories: tales of resilience and renewal
Why Listen To This Book?
Sharing Our Stories covers the arc of our lives: Childhood, Adulthood, and Elderhood through insightful and dramatic interviews with a wide range of both famous and everyday people. They share stories of resilience and renewal.
Content: Through the struggles and successes of their lives, the stars of this book take you on the journeys they have survived. Their stories are funny, poignant, insightful, and deeply moving… but most of all, true, and unforgettable. This is not fiction.
People: Along with ordinary people, interviewees include well-known people from fields as diverse as jazz, politics and drag racing: Chris Brubeck, Daniel Ellsberg, Big Daddy Don Garlits, Gloria Steinem, and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo.
Topics: We throw out a wide net; sex, religion, politics, childhood, mentors, risk-taking, business, medical challenges, humor, old age, and what it all means.
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About the Author
Rick grew up in Berkeley in the 50s and 60s. He graduated from SF State and The Saybrook Institute. He went on to have a rewarding career in psychology, and positions as a corporate training manager in Silicon Valley. To further his love of speaking and training, Rick became active in Toastmasters and served as president of the Northern California Chapter of the National Speakers Association. Then, in 1985, he founded his own training company, PowerSpeaking, Inc. with the goal of helping businesspeople build their confidence, and their careers. Rick retired in 2016 after thirty fulfilling years. He has published four books, and one audiobook, plus hundreds of articles. He is married to Mary McGlynn, and father of Katy McGlynn-Gilbert.
Rick captivates audiences with his no-holds barred, provocative storytelling. He is energetic, emotional, and straight to the point. His style of writing and interviewing will take you on a journey that will make you think, make you laugh, and maybe even make you cry. Just when you think Rick has explored all the angles, he will take you to a deeper level that may give you a different perspective on life’s big questions.
What People Are Saying…
Inspiring, Entertaining, and Educational
This book is a captivating listen, a unique vision, and a truly wonderful contribution to us all. I love the letter to the Pope. Stunning that you heard the Pope say it is not necessary to believe in God. The ironworkers’ interviews were perhaps the most astonishing and enlightening and memorable.
You will meet famous people, people with unusual professions and lives. You will hear stories that you will never forget, and that you may find yourself repeating to friends. Rick Gilbert went through life with his camera and his recorder to capture unusual, inspiring, entertaining, and educational slices of life.
Always a fun ride!
I found the book to be a sometimes jarring, sometimes touching, and sometimes surprising, but always fun ride about the foibles of living in our time. I love how you bring us your unique perspective as well as the life lessons of others through a remarkable collection of interviews of well- and less-known contemporaries. I thought that the interviews with Gloria Steinem and the street vendor selling crochet caps encapsulates the uniqueness of your audio book. Those chapters give a beautiful contrast of a book that captures heartfelt insights and reflections from our heroes and as well as from people we too often keep on the sidelines of our everyday life. I highly recommend this audio book. You’ll have a blast!
This type of storytelling is rare and you won’t want to miss any of the chapters.
So here you have a master storyteller and talented interviewer who has sought out people from all walks of life with rich, provocative, funny, and most importantly insightful stories about their lives – all of which bring light to issues that impact all of our lives. It is master craft on Rick Gilbert’s part . This type of storytelling is rare and you won’t want to miss any of the chapters. In fact you will want to listen to them many times over.
Meaningful and Entertaining
You have created something very special and unique.
You explored not only your own life, but also many others. You put together a piece that is meaningful and entertaining, but which offers so much direction toward experiencing a more fulfilling life.
I will be recommending this book to friends and family.
Good work, maestro!
The way you weave music in and out is very effective. Good work, maestro!
A Passionate Piece of Work
Absolute perfection. This is so polished and flows so well. Rich, captivating, and professionally done. A passionate piece of work. What a gift it is for all who listen.
Masterful Storytelling
Gets listeners to think beyond the day-to-day — to think about what’s meaningful in their lives — what stories they want to leave with loved ones.
Your masterful storytelling, interviewing, and clear narration honor your subjects’ lives, experiences, and lessons that you’re sharing with the rest of us.
Wonderful Audio…
I believe most of your wonderful audio is striking similar resonant chords in all of us who stop and listen; the common experiences are the note and key carried by all of us. But the total musical effect in each character’s song differs by the unique environmental and genetic factors for that individual.
You never had to play an instrument, Rick. By ultimately following “ Your Bliss”, you have become a fine interpreter for the music emitting from our universal human soul. A musicologist, you are in fact.
Captures Your Undivided Attention
Rick is a master storyteller capturing the essence of each arc in life’s journey. The rhythm of the book woven with the melodic notes of Rick’s voice captures your undivided attention and sways you into a reflective trance of the patterns and stories of your own life. Take the time to listen to these stories, to immerse yourself in your own story and your legacy. As James McMurtry sang in “Just Us Kids,” “It’s a damn short movie, how did we ever get here.”
My PowerSpeaking chapter is one of my most memorable and it was an honor to be one of your associates.
Usually I prefer to read stories, but not in this case.
Your curiosity and warmth with your interviewees are what drives it all along. Your audio delivery is really good. Usually I prefer to read stories, but not in this case.
Check Out Rick’s Other Published Books
Mister, THIS is Going on Your Permanent Record
Confessions of a Smartass in the Slow Reading Group
Jazz, Rock and Roll, and the Revolution in Psychotherapy, 1950-1975
Speaking Up
Surviving Executive Presentations
PowerSpeaking
How Ordinary People Can Make Extraordinary Presentations