Start the Week Storytelling: Jeanette Winterson, Rory Stewart and Soweto Kinch
Nov 3, 2025
Jeanette Winterson, an acclaimed novelist, discusses her new book exploring the transformative power of storytelling through Shahrazad's tales. She reflects on how narratives can serve as tools for liberation or propaganda. Former MP Rory Stewart shares insights from his collection on local democracy, revealing the broader truths found in rural life. He emphasizes the need for devolved power and community-led solutions. Musician Soweto Kinch presents his genre-blending album, reinterpreting apocalypse as an unveiling, highlighting storytelling's role in resisting AI's influence.
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Episode notes
Storytelling As Liberation
- Jeanette Winterson framed Shahrazad as using storytelling to replace the Sultan's madness with sanity.
- Stories show life is non-linear and offer exits from oppressive narratives.
AI Won't Replace Human Story Interest
- Winterson accepts AI will generate stories but insists human interest in ourselves matters most.
- She warns we must not let AI obliterate or enslave human imaginative agency.
Nonlinear Tales Emphasise Community
- Winterson argues Eastern tales move in and out, revisiting characters rather than a single hero.
- She says these stories prioritise encounters and community over lone heroic journeys.
