The explosion in storytelling festivals and one-person shows demonstrate that Americans are growing disenchanted with the mass media and returning to the simple pleasures of a well-told story. Here is a survey of great contemporary monologues, including excerpts from: Spalding Gray's Monster in a Box; Lynda Barry's "I Remember Mike" from The Lynda Barry Experience; Tom Bodett's "Crying" from Exploded; Marion Winik's "Women Who Love Men Who Don't Pay Their Parking Tickets"; Peter Matthiessen's "In Nepal"; and many more.