Episode 6: Beans fact sheet

Stories That Shape Us: Literature, Identity, and the Art of Being HumanIn this richly layered episode, we sit down with Michael Flavin — novelist, award-winning short-story writer, and Reader in Global Education at King’s College London — to explore why stories are the secret architecture of human meaning. From Hamlet’s existential murmurings to the living legacy of the Northern Irish Troubles, Michael guides us through the power of literature to keep history alive, to confront us with ourselves, and to reveal the truths we’d rather avoid.We discuss his acclaimed novel One Small Step, the influence of works like Hisham Matar’s In the Country of Men and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird on child narrators, and the enduring weight of books that mirror our own private confusions and contradictions. Expect detours into Boccaccio’s Decameron, Chaucer, Manzoni’s The Betrothed, Joyce’s Ulysses, and even the unsettling brilliance of Red Riding Hood — all in service of understanding why stories shape us more profoundly than instruction ever can.🔗 References & Further Reading:Michael Flavin – Profile at King’s College LondonTechnology Enhanced Learning and Higher EducationDisruptive Innovation and Technology Enhanced LearningUpcoming Book: Long is the wayOne small step - Amazon Purchase LinkIn the Country of Men – Hisham MatarThe Decameron – Giovanni BoccaccioThe Betrothed – Alessandro Manzoni