Read Hear See
Grabbing Life by the Tale
From a series called “ARTISTS & ACTIVISTS: Making Culture in New York’s Capital Region,” this is based on the article “Grabbing Life by the Tale: Troy’s Pleasant DeSpain has made a career telling stories,” published in the Times Union Newspaper on Sunday, August 31, 2003, written by Joseph Dalton with a forward by Marion Roach.
Single with a Purpose Video
Interview with Pleasant DeSpain: writer, author, storyteller, solo traveller and meditator. In this interview, he shares about his past lives, his relationships (while being a 74-year-old gay man), his career as a writer and as “one of the 12 people who created storytelling as a profession”, and the spiritual reasons behind his choice of remaining single until the day he dies. (Interview by Honeybloom on May 3, 2018: “We are lovers, best friends, partners, polyamorous digital nomads traveling the world, working together on exciting projects and connecting with other humans.”)
A Pleasant Interview
“Pleasant DeSpain has never been afraid of adventure. He spends over half his year living in Thailand and much of the rest traveling the world to ‘discover’ fresh folktales that he can share with a wider audience. We had the opportunity recently to talk with Pleasant about his development as a writer and storyteller, and he took us on a global journey. Enjoy!” (From a phone interview conducted by Emilie from August House, Inc., the publisher of eighteen of Pleasant’s books.)
The Magic Pot: An Animated Tale
“The Magic Pot is a folktale from China about a hardworking woodcutter and his wife. The story, retold by Pleasant DeSpain, describes how the poor woodcutter stumbles upon a magic pot lying by the side of the road. It’s a beautiful pot that could be useful for the woodcutter so he places his axe inside the pot and then straps it on his back to take home from the forest. When he arrives home, his wife discovers that the magic pot can duplicate anything placed inside it and they become overwhelmed with joy over their good fortune. This magical Chinese folktale will teach readers the importance of caring and sharing. Award-winning author, Pleasant DeSpain is well known for his colorful retelling of folktales from around the globe while preserving the drama, wisdom, and integrity of the story.” (Goodreads)
