The Written World: The Power of Stories to Shape People, History, and Civilization

FEATURING MARTIN PUCHNER – We tend to think of literature as part of art, reflecting on history rather than making it. But, a new book called “The Written Word,” explores in great detail how literature and writing have actually themselves shaped world history. As the technology to put words down on paper and in print have evolved, so has the impact of the written word on our political landscape, from writing, printing, mass publication, and digital storytelling.

For more information about the book visit www.martinpuchner.com and follow the author on Tweeter @Martin_Puchner.

Martin Puchner, Byron and Anita Wien Professor of Drama and of English and Comparative Literature at Harvard University. His new book is called The Written World: The Power of Stories to Shape People, History, and Civilization. He has written the bestselling six-volume Norton Anthology of World Literature among other works.

**This interview was originally broadcast on January 16, 2018.