"Let me tell you a story." What sentence draws us in with more magnetism? In his book, Rocking Chair Tales, author John William Smith seeks to draw in readers with a collection of short stories intended to light up the imagination and spark conversation. Stories short enough to be read aloud will cause the reader to recall fond memories and perhaps share his or her own stories. Smith's tales, mostly drawn from his childhood, are true, yet they serve as parables because "they give truth flavor by attaching names, faces, and geographical locations to abstract notions and emotional realities." His recollections serve as a powerful tool to recapture those magical moments which lay hidden within our cluttered lives.