Guest storyteller: James P. Leary
Storytellers from different cultures representing communities in Dane County will perform one hour programs at eight different library locations and entertain attendees by sharing their stories and traditions. Storytelling is the preservation of history and a vehicle for sharing wisdom, serving as a source of comfort while providing means of entertainment. Storytelling allows us to reflect on not only who we are but also upon whom we’ve been and what we can be, both as individuals and a collective humanity. It spans generations, exists across culture and is as old as humanity itself.
James P. Leary, the author of So Ole Says to Lena: Folk Humor in the Upper Midwest, draws on fieldwork with diverse joke tellers from around the state, together with insights into Wisconsin's unique cultural history. He will be sharing jokes and anecdotes that thrive in Wisconsin about the misadventures of Native peoples, immigrant and ethnic groups, workers, hunters and fishers, Packer fans, and more.
