A masterclass in telling stories - and how they shape our world - from the internationally renowned narrative expert

To command narrative is to control a sometimes frightening power. What is it that turbocharges some tales, and how is it possible to harness that potency?

John Yorke has revolutionised our understanding of story structure. In this new book he delves deeper – into how to put that structure to work in the world. Trip to the Moon takes us on a journey not just through drama and fiction but through politics, religion and non-western narrative, to seek out the role of story in all our lives, examining how to utilise its lessons to create life-changing tales – and, in a world aflame with conspiracy theories, to guard ourselves against their darker purpose too.

Revealing the artful symmetry and underlying principles that connect Summer beach reads to Classical Chinese poetry, superhero flicks to Russian arthouse, and classical rhetoric to state propaganda, Yorke makes dazzling connections that show how stories have the power to transfigure the chaos of our existence into a new equilibrium, and make the world anew.

His analysis in this instance soars precisely because it escapes into the real world… gleaning joy from unlikely but convincing connections... Yorke's dismantling of how these stories work on us as citizens feels like a public service, granting literacy at a moment of bewildering global rupture -- Basia Cummings * Observer *
In this invaluable book, John Yorke uncovers the narratives that help us make sense of the world – and offers an antidote to paint-by-numbers screenwriting manuals. You'll learn something new on every page -- Helen Lewis author of The Genius Myth
A masterpiece . . . genius - funny and wise and occasionally profound -- Billy Ivory, writer, Made in Dagenham
Truly excellent, and the best book on "story" that I have ever read. I love the places it took me to. It is a tremendous achievement -- Jimmy McGovern, screenwriter, The Street and The Accused
It’s a dazzling rocket of a book that launches you on a headlong journey through time and space in pursuit of incredible, surprising truths showing how story shapes our worlds and our lives -- Rob Williams, screenwriter for Killing Eve & The Man in the High Castle
We’re all made of stories — and made by them. No one understands this more deeply than John Yorke — and no one writes about it with greater insight and urgency, or more entertainingly. This is a wonderful book -- Neil Cross, creator of Luther and The Iris Affair
Brilliant and Illuminating... John Yorke's Into the Woods is the second best book I know on theories of narrative structure. The best is John Yorke’s latest Trip to the Moon -- John Collee, screenwriter of Master and Commander
I loved this... an endlessly fascinating exploration of how story and structure shape not only the television and films we consume, but also our lives... I feel immeasurably more intelligent having read it! -- Matthew Barry, screenwriter of The Guest
As a fellow story geek, I was captivated... It’s a properly impressive piece of scholarship, and above all, a highly compelling read. A real page turner -- Anna Symon, showrunner on Joan
Few people can understand or explain so clearly the essence of drama and storytelling as John Yorke -- Peter James, author of The Hawk is Dead

John Yorke is a producer, consultant and lecturer on all forms of narrative – from speech writing and advertising to drama – and the author of Into the Woods. As former Head of Channel Four Drama, Controller of BBC Drama Production and MD of Company Pictures, John has tested his theories during an extensive production career working on some of the world’s most lucrative, widely reviewed and critically acclaimed TV dramas, from EastEnders to Shameless, Life on Mars and Wolf Hall.