Taffy Thomas founded the legendary ’70s folk theatre company Magic Lantern. After surviving a major stroke in 1985, he used oral storytelling as speech therapy, which led him to find a new career working as a storyteller.
One of the UK’s most loved storytellers, he was made an MBE in the 2000 New Year’s Honours List for services to storytelling and charity. In 2000-2011 he became the first laureate for storytelling, a role created to promote the power of stories.
Taffy is the artistic director of the Northern Centre for Storytelling in Grasmere and is ethe author of many History Press books.Learn more about Taffy →
"Taffy, the best storyteller I know"
—Hugh Jackman
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Folk Tales of the Land
Taffy Thomas MBE
Illustrated by Steven Gregg
From lakes holding ancient secrets and forests teeming with fairy folk to menacing marshlands and caves hiding elusive dragons, discover the tales resting beneath this ancient land. With captivating illustrations and trail maps to guide readers across our storyteller’s local area, this collection will reconnect readers to the land through story.
"We can’t look out for the land unless we love the land, and we can’t love the land unless we know its stories."
—Taffy Thomas MBE
"In both traditional ballads and in myths and legends, the connection to the natural world and the land that humanity has worked for thousands of years, is undeniable. Our history, artistry, imagination, spirituality, community all run through the soil, the water, the rock; a life force. Taffy embodies all of that with his mastery of storytelling."
