Episode · How I Write · 2025-04-23
Books mentioned on Learn Storytelling in 72 Minutes — Will Storr
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a beloved 1843 novella by Charles Dickens that tells the transformative story of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge after he is visited by spectral warnings on Christmas Eve.
Discussed“So, if you think about um Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, I'm only safe if I have keep all the money and love to myself. That's that's his theory of control.”
Where to get it
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Death of a Salesman
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller is a classic theatrical play examining the dark side of the American dream through the tragic downfall of traveling salesman Willy Loman.
Discussed“Um Willie Lman in the death of a salesman is something about um success is all that matters. You know, success in the world. that's all that matters. so, so he's he's he's obsessed with the idea of success both for for him and his sons.”
Where to get it
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The Remains of the Day
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro is a masterclass in psychological fiction, following an aging English butler named Stevens as he reflects on his career of dedicated service and his unrequited love amid the shifting political landscape of post-World War II Britain.
Discussed“I mean so you know another one again is is Scrooge. I mean, nobody calls Scrooge a simplistic character, right? But but but he is there as a kind of test of this very interesting idea about greed and selfishness.”
Where to get it
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The Seven Basic Plots
The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker is an exhaustive literary study that examines storytelling through recurring archetypal narratives and fundamental human experiences.
Discussed“And that's basically Jaws as has been documented by Christopher Booker in the seven basic plots. He begins his book by by saying bear wolf is Jaws but a thousand years ago.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (1) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“And so in the science of storytelling, the book I've written about all this, I I I I go in detail at the book The Remains of the Day by Kazu Ishiguru, you know, hugely respected literary author.”