“Brent Dykes is the king of data storytelling; he’s probably thought about this more than anyone else on the planet. No matter how good your data and analysis are, they won’t have much impact unless they are embedded in a good story. Read this book to find out how to do that.”

“Numbers and data visualizations are powerful means to reveal insights and communicate them in business environments, but they are often more effective and persuasive when arranged into narrative structures. Brent Dykes teaches us how to ideate data-driven stories and bring them to fruition while walking us through several fascinating historical and modern examples. Data never speaks for itself; it must be interrogated and compelled to speak. This book explains how."

"Dykes does a masterful job of making the vague concept of 'data storytelling' tangible and actionable. With real-world examples from history and from the present, which he deconstructs using the concepts that are the core of the book, he hits the sweet spot of being an engaging read that is also specific and tactical."

"The first to bring together the importance of data, visuals, and narrative, this seminal work on telling stories with data is chock-full of examples founded on principles from Aristotle to story guru, Robert McKee. I can't wait to share Brent's book with my graduate students and colleagues!"

"If you're tasked with presenting analytical results, then this book is a must read. Brent discusses a wide range of research on how people communicate in general and then ties that research to specific actions you can take to put together an effective story in an analytics setting. The book does a great job of making the case that we often approach analytics presentations poorly and then showing us how to improve."

Brent Dykes has done an outstanding job in creating a practical and engaging book that will help to improve your data storytelling skills. You will learn how to take the key ingredients of data, narratives, and visuals to help explain, enlighten and engage people so that it leads to better decision-making and initiates change.