Interpretive Theme Writer's Field Guide

Jon Kohl has worked as an interpretive trainer, professor, writer, planner, and theorist. He has taught interpretation at the University of Costa Rica and founded the PUP Collaboratory. His publications include a Spanish university textbook with Dr. Marisol Mayorga, a book on holistic heritage planning with Dr. Stephen McCool, and nearly 300 articles. He's done editorial work for NAI’s Legacy, Journal of Interpretation Research, and Interpreting World Heritage. He lives in Costa Rica and has degrees from Yale and Dartmouth.

• ContentsForeword by Sam Ham: “Why I agreed to support this Field Guide”Pre-Tour Warmup: This Field Guide Originates in the 1990sNatural-Cultural History of the Second EditionAcknowledgments Trailhead: This Is How You Use This Field Guide Stop 1: The Theme that Lurks Behind Thematic InterpretationStop 2: We Write Themes for Primary and Secondary AudiencesStop 3: Strong Interpretive Themes Embody Big Ideas and Vehicles to Deliver ThemStop 4: Interpreters Must Ignite Their Inspiration for the Big Idea, Not Just Write ItStop 5: The Big Idea Develops within the Audience’s Mind via a VehicleStop 6: Themes Are Written for and by People Growing UpStop 7: Construction of a Presentation Structure Begins with a ThemeStop 8: Theme Writing Can be Individual, Team-, or Community-BasedStop 9: Interpretive Frameworks Leverage the Power of Community for InterpretationStop 10: To Be with or Not to Be with AI Theme Writing Generators, That Is the QuestionField NotesSuggested Answers to Exercises Verbs for Stronger Themes and More Engaging Commentaries Field Inventory of Strong Themes in this Field Guide Themes of Best-selling Novels of All Time Interpretive Theme Writer’s Worksheet Critique of Themes from Real Webinar ParticipantsOh, My Box! Field Guidelines for Interpretive Theme WritingReferences Quote Sources Glossary Index Voices from the Field1 Floating the Tigris: Harnessing the Light of Thematic Interpretation by Shelton Johnson 2 Crafting Themes Guided by Indigenous and Traditional Culturales by Kylie Christian and Leanne Redpath 3 Voices from the Field by Thorsten Ludwig 4 I Want to Create Brilliant Big Ideas and Compelling Themes but… by Judy Fort Brenneman 5 A Grand Theme Doesn’t Ensure a Great Program—or Even a Good One by Don Enright6 Themes Contribute to Traveler Transformation atop Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs by Colby Brokvist7 Thematic Zone of Tolerance in a Theater Setting by Angela Pfenniger8 Tablets of Stone or Statements of Accord by Michael Hamish Glen9 Colombia Is the First Country to Adopt the Interpretive Framework by Clara Osorio and Carlos Rosero10 Theme Writing: A Trail that Never Ends by Ted CableTheme SpotlightsTheme Spotlight Pre-Tour Warmup. Message vs. ThemeTheme Spotlight Natural-Cultural History of the Second Edition: Why Evolution Permeates this Field GuideTheme Spotlight Trailhead: Themes of ThemesTheme Spotlight 2.1: Secondary Themes vs. Sub-ThemesTheme Spotlight 3.1. Theme = Object + Big IdeaTheme Spotlight 3.2. Big Idea vs. Interpretive ThemeTheme Spotlight 4.1. Connecting Unlike Points to Cast New LightTheme Spotlight 4.2. Themes Should Present an ArgumentTheme Spotlight 5.1. Can a Theme Have More than One Sentence?Theme Spotlight 5.2. Transformative Themes Tap Deep TruthsTheme Spotlight 5.3. Adding Humanity to Non-Human PhenomenaTheme Spotlight 8.1. All Three Levels Can InteractTheme Spotlight 9.1. Historical Scan Supports Theme Identification

With this impressive volume, Jon Kohl has extended thirty years of my research and practice to new and promising places… he has illuminated the potential of thematic interpretation, if delivered at a high level of competency, to achieve its most fundamental outcome—to provoke audience thinking and to make a purposeful difference in support of heritage preservation. I could not be more pleased. May heritage interpreters across the world magnify their impact by following his sound advice.