About the Book

I Wish I Could Tell You invites readers of all ages to travel into their imaginations, to cultivate a sense of wonder, and to embrace life’s ambiguities. The threads of a graduation speech by Bob Tryanski, one of America’s most popular speakers and storytellers, are woven together with the stunning imagery of Dottie Moore’s quilts to create an inspirational tapestry that challenges readers of all ages to discover a mindful, intentional and significant life path.

The result is a one-of-a-kind storybook to be treasured by graduates, new students, those embarking on a new career, people beginning new relationships… and just about anyone standing face-to-face with new possibilities and choices.

Praise for I Wish I Could Tell You

"I Wish I Could Tell You invites us to take a beautiful walk past inspiring images and thoughtful questions that help us to realize our place in this world. It's a book to read, to reflect upon, and to share. Take the walk. It will open your mind, help you to discover your gifts and give you hope to find your own path."

Mark Scharenbroich
Author, Nice Bike, Making Connections Along the Road of Life

"This is one of those picture books that encourages the reader to contemplate beyond the words and the borders of the illustrations. Do this for fun: put it on your coffee table or in the hands of someone you love. Make sure that person has the proper time to spend. Watch them run their fingers over the printed page so as to "feel" the texture of the quilted pictures."

Andy Offutt Irwin
Storyteller, Humorist Songwriter and Singer

"This is a visually stunning book with a powerful life-changing, path-shaping message that will profoundly impact people from nine to ninety. In tones reminiscent of Dr. Seuss, it urges readers to think new thoughts to solve old problems, to not accept limitations imposed by other people and to understand that the key to unlocking the power and potential in your life is through the act of giving. This is heady stuff and yet it is delivered in a deliciously quirky, humorous way alongside illustrations of quilts that mirror the text and are breath-holdingly beautiful in their own right.

Bob Tryanski doesn't just say these things—he lives this message. His passion, wisdom, and indeed his own quirkiness, come out on every page of this book—making it into an instant classic."

Geraldine Buckley
Storyteller

Bob presents I Wish I Could Tell You live during the Illumination program at the National Association of Student Councils' 2012 national conference.

"Tomorrow’s another unwritten blank page, a new tale to be told, a new story to stage. Start from the beginning; give what you can give; you’ll discover the life you’ve been given to live."

"I wish I could tell you, I’m glad that I can’t, for I’m sure you’ll discover your own personal slant on this perplexing question that’s puzzled us all, 'Where did Adam go wrong? What’s the source of the fall?'"

"It all had to begin sometime. It had to have begun. I only wish I had been there to witness the birth of the sun."