. . . Telling Stories . . .

I believe in the power of words: to enlighten, to educate, to entertain. Through words we give form to our deepest thoughts and dreams — we have been doing it for thousands of years in story and song.

Hi. I’m Paul Robert Walker and I tell stories. Most of the stories I tell are found in my books, and you can check those out by clicking the link, My Books — but you already knew that.

I've had more than thirty books published on subjects from the Italian Renaissance, the Civil Rights Movement, and the American West to folklore, baseball, and miracles. I write some books for adults, some for younger readers, and I walk both sides of the fine line between fiction and nonfiction. For me every book is a journey into story, and every story has power.

I also tell stories on stage in a show called Tall Tale America, and you can check that out by clicking on Tall Tale America. It's a fun show that brings the American frontier to life through tall tales, historical anecdotes, and traditional songs. Audiences love it, and I love doing it.

I tell stories as a professional writer and performer, but I also tell stories as a human being. We tell stories every day — you and I and everyone we know — stories true, not true, and everywhere in between. Telling stories is part of what makes us human.

This website is dedicated to stories — mine to begin with, maybe yours down the road. I invite you to explore it and to explore the stories within and around you. Good reading . . . listening . . . telling.

Two Danish Storytellers
My first memories of storytelling are from my mother, the daughter of Danish immigrants, who told me how her father, Paul Hoff Kunst — a writer, editor, and storyteller who was honored by the King of Denmark — made her cry by telling her "The Little Matchgirl" by Hans Christian Andersen, one of the greatest storytellers of the western world. I thought then, as I still think now, that a story that could make my mother cry must be very powerful. This photo was taken by my daughter, Dariel, in June 2011 when we visited Solvang, a strange and magical Danish town in the golden hills of Central California.

Paul Robert Walker was born in Oak Park, Illinois —just like Ernest Hemingway, only later. He studied acting at Boston University School of Fine Arts and graduated magna cum laude & Phi Beta Kappa in Anglo-American literature from Occidental College.

A former high school English teacher, journalist, and rock musician, Walker has been honored by the American Library Association, the National Council for the Social Studies, the Children’s Book Council, the American Folklore Society, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, the Arkansas Library Association, School Library Journal, and Storytelling World.

Mr. Walker is a member of the Authors Guild, American Mensa, the Epilepsy Foundation, and the NAACP. He lives in Escondido, California.

For more biographical information, click Author Bio.

Selected Books

American History
The 1957 desegregation crisis at Little Rock Central High School, told through eyewitness accounts and contemporary photographs.
The story of the battle in the context of the Texas Revolution, told through eyewitness accounts and powerful historical images.
The compelling story of the battle told though eyewitness accounts and striking historical images.
Ten true stories of the American western experience written in an appealing narrative style.
Narrative Nonfiction
The story of two brilliant artists whose lifelong conflict jumpstarted the Renaissance in Quattrocento Florence.
Biography
The inspiring story of a Hall of Famer who rose from poverty in Puerto Rico to set new standards of excellence and integrity on and off the field.
The amazing story of the world-famous angel artist, illustrated with full-color reproductions of his inspiring art.
Find Authors