"Playful, profound, and unforgettable-Philip J. Bradbury is a master of the modern fable." "A collection to savour: one story will make you laugh, the next will move you to tears." "These whispering teachers remind us that truth often wears the mask of fiction." "Each tale is a mirror, showing us our follies, our hopes, and our capacity for kindness." "Bradbury's words arrive like a warm breeze-gentle, surprising, and full of light."
In My Whispering Teachers, Philip J. Bradbury invites readers into a world where stories are not just entertainment but gentle instructors, arriving on the midnight wind to whisper wisdom, laughter, and wonder. Blending humour, poignancy, satire, and profound insight, this collection of short tales reminds us that fiction often carries truths deeper than fact.
From the whimsical to the deeply human, each story stirs the imagination and nudges the heart. A lost story drifts through the universe searching for a willing pen; a man is burdened by his golden belly-button and journeys the globe to rid himself of it; a shy librarian learns to see her beauty through the eyes of love; a spoilt daughter is taught the gift of giving; and an apocalyptic reimagining of Australia and New Zealand paints a future both absurd and sobering.
Bradbury's storytelling is playful yet sharp, blending fables with modern parables. In one tale, a company collapses under the tyranny of a leader who prizes being "right" above love or reason. In another, a refugee's prison-cell reflections shine with unexpected peace and faith. Satirical twists on fairy tales-such as Snow White and the Seven Paper Hangers or Greedylocks-sit alongside tender explorations of vulnerability, love, and human resilience.
Threaded through all is the presence of the "Whispering Teachers"-those unseen zephyrs of creativity and truth that visit the author in the night. They remind us that stories are not mere diversions, but vessels carrying the timeless wisdom of the heart. Whether comical, surreal, or soul-stirring, each piece leaves the reader smiling, reflecting, and smiling again.
My Whispering Teachers is both entertainment and meditation, a book to savour by the fire or in a quiet moment of pause.
Bradbury's style-wry, lyrical, and compassionate-encourages us to look beyond "facts" and to listen to the deeper truths hidden in stories. These tales are mirrors, showing us our follies, our fears, our laughter, and our capacity for kindness. At once light-hearted and profound, this collection demonstrates Bradbury's gift for sculpting words that amuse, unsettle, and inspire. In a world full of noise, these whispering teachers call us back to ourselves, to wonder, and to the joy of story
