Trip to the Moon

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 <i> The Genius Myth </i>

A masterpiece . . . genius - funny and wise and occasionally profound

Billy Ivory, writer, <i> Made in Dagenham </i>

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

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 <i> Master and Commander </i>

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 <i> The Guest </i>

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 <i> Joan </i>

Genuinely dazzling. Yorke’s panoptic understanding of narrative is peerless, and his ability to corral his breadth of knowledge into such a cohesive and readable whole is little short of a magic trick. Mischievous, profound, and thought provoking, it’s both a remarkable achievement and - as you’d expect for a master of storytelling - an incredibly enjoyable read

Justin Young, Head writer of <i> Sanditon </i>

A triumph... in this brilliant sequel to Into the Woods, John Yorke digs deeper than ever, unearthing how stories shape the way we think, feel and act in the world. Few writers think about narrative with such courage, curiosity, compassion and dazzling clarity

Simon Lancaster, speechwriter and author of <i> Connect </i>

A riveting and prescient account of how stories work, and why that matters now more than ever. It gripped me like a thriller. And left me desperate to sit down and write - no mean feat

Peter McKenna, writer and creator of <i> Kin </i>

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, <i> The Street </i> and <i> The Accused </i>

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 <i> Luther </i> and <i> The Iris Affair </i>

Few people can understand or explain so clearly the essence of drama and storytelling as John Yorke

Peter James, author of <i> The Hawk is Dead </i>