Angus Fletcher is a Professor of Story Science at Ohio States Project Narrative, the world’s leading academic think-tank for the study of stories. He has dual degrees in neuroscience and literature and received his Ph.D. from Yale. He also taught Shakespeare at Stanford and has published several books and dozens of peer-reviewed articles on the scientific workings of novels, poetry, film, and theater.  

In this episode, Eric and Angus discuss his book, WonderWorks: The 25 Most Powerful Inventions in the History of Literature, and how we can use literature to bring wisdom, love, courage, creativity, and curiosity into your life.

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In This Interview, Angus Fletcher and I discuss Inventions in Literature and…

• His book, WonderWorks: The 25 Most Powerful Inventions in the History of Literature
• His unique and opposing view to parables
• Life is about learning to be more skilled at being who we are
• How literature affects the brain
• His definition of invention in reference to literature
• Literature is the first technology for spirituality
• How reading in school lean into our primary responses from literature
• His inspiration and hero, Mayou Angelou 
• The dilemma of sharing our wisdom with children 
• Affirming the underlying emotions and values in our livesGrowth in life is changing the external things
• Our life is like a plant that grows into its place in the sun, the garden of life
• Commitment is an act of courage
• Feelings aren’t what define usHow being human is really hard
• How literature can help with regulating emotions
• A story is a journey that we don’t need to know where we’re going
• How literature is the most important thing ever invented
• Life is about an organic process of growth
• Feeling ironic about and laughing at yourself brings you out of yourself
• The default mode network and how it’s a place of spontaneous creativity

Angus Fletcher Links:

Angus’s Website

Facebook

Twitter

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If you enjoyed this conversation with Angus Fletcher on Inventions in Literature, you might also enjoy these other episodes:

A Big History of Everything with David Christian

Living Between Worlds with James Hollis

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