4From the time humans first developed language, there have been stories. And since then, storytellers have used their words to entertain, warn, instruct, and amuse-but most of all, to connect with other people. The craft has evolved from tales spun around an open fire to a live performance art. Chicago's thriving storytelling community, for instance, shares their words via club shows, festivals, and podcasts. Chicago Storytellers from Stage to Page brings you twenty-five entertaining, personal stories, honed in performance by some of the city's most accomplished storytellers but now available in written form for the first time. Some will make you laugh out loud: a man seeking the sexiest way to deal with Chicago's notoriously bad winters, or a woman returning to ballet class only to find she has gravely misjudged her experience level. Other tales may bring a tear to your eye: a woman struggling to support her sister through a terminal illness, or a daughter dealing with her father's loss by taking care of his favorite cat. There are stories of lost buses and missed planes, workplace triumphs and family traditions, first love and final legacies. Together, Chicago Storytellers from Stage to Page provides ample evidence of the power of story to reveal what it means to be human.