This Week's Theme: Literature and Us

Have you ever considered that the stories we read are not just entertainment, but essential tools for understanding ourselves, each other, and the world around us? In an age of endless data streams and automation, the human connection offered by literature is more vital than ever. This week, we are diving deep into the theme of “Literature and Us,” exploring why stories matter, how they are constructed, and the incredible impact they have on our lives.

We have a full week of content designed to connect you with the power of the written word, whether you’re a lifelong book lover or just getting curious.

New on the English Plus Podcast

Our main podcast series will guide you through the core of what makes literature so powerful:

Why Literature Still Matters in the Age of AI: We’ll kick things off by exploring how literature uniquely builds empathy and critical thinking in ways algorithms can’t.
The Universal Elements of Storytelling: This episode breaks down the building blocks of any great story, like character archetypes and narrative structures, showing you that you already intuitively understand the “rules” of literature.
Speak the Language of Literature: Gain the confidence to discuss books like a pro! We’ll equip you with practical vocabulary to talk about genre, theme, and character development in a non-academic way.
A Journey Through World Literature: Our Global Mosaic: Take a tour across continents and centuries as we celebrate the diversity and shared human desires found in world literature.
The Story of Literature: From Gilgamesh to the Digital Age: In our finale, we trace the grand history of literature, from the earliest epics to today’s interactive digital formats.

A Moment for Reflection with “Thinking Out Loud”

Our shorter, reflective series, “Thinking Out Loud”, invites you to look inward:

Your Stories Matter: An encouraging episode about recognizing the literary value in your own life and experiences.
Beyond the Plot: We’ll explore how great stories challenge our assumptions and inspire personal growth.
The Narrative Thread: This reflection connects literature to life’s big philosophical questions, like free will, morality, and the search for meaning.
Rewriting Reality: A thought experiment on how speculative fiction has inspired real-world innovation and can fuel our own creative problem-solving.

Magazine Articles: Extending the Conversation

For those who love to read, we have five new articles delving into fascinating topics:

The Pen as a Lever: How Literature Changes the World: Discover how books have acted as powerful catalysts for social and political change throughout history.
Reading Between the Lines of Your Own Life: Learn about the science of reading and how it improves brain connectivity and problem-solving skills.
Beyond the Bound Book: We’ll explore where to find powerful storytelling in the 21st century, from graphic novels to prestige TV and cinematic video games.
The Ghost in the Machine: Can AI Truly Write Literature? A deep dive into the intersection of AI and creativity, and what makes the human author unique.
The Author’s Shadow: Explore how an author’s personal history can add profound new layers of meaning to their masterpieces.

Test Your Knowledge with Fun Quizzes (Within the New Magazine Articles)

Get interactive with our five new quizzes:

Match dystopian novels to their social commentary.
Discover your personal “Reader Archetype”.
Identify classic literary tropes in modern movies and TV shows.
See if you can spot an AI-generated paragraph from a real one.
Guess the famous author from their bizarre former day job.

Sharpen Your Listening Skills

We have five new listening comprehension practices set in the world of words, including a university lecture on Magical Realism , a passionate book review , an author’s personal reflection , a librarian’s practical advice , and a modern fable about technology.

And a Major Announcement: A New 10-Episode Series!

We are thrilled to launch “The Story of Literature: A Global Journey”! This epic 10-episode odyssey will transport you through time and across cultures, from the first tales etched on clay tablets to the global voices of the 21st century. Prepare to journey from the Epic of Gilgamesh to the magical realism of Latin America and beyond. It’s an exploration of how stories connect us all through our shared human experience.

We can’t wait for you to join us this week to celebrate the incredible world of literature.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

English Plus

Author

English Plus Podcast is dedicated to bring you the most interesting, engaging and informative daily dose of English and knowledge. So, if you want to take your English and knowledge to the next level, you're in the right place.

Critical Thinking | Theme of the Week Overview

by English Plus | Oct 6, 2025

Feeling overwhelmed by information? Join the English Plus Podcast for Critical Thinking Week. Learn to spot fallacies, challenge biases, and get a practical toolkit to sharpen your mind.

Theme of the Week: Peace — Why It Matters and How You Can Explore It with English Plus

by English Plus | Sep 22, 2025

Discover English Plus’ Theme of the Week: Peace. From inspiring podcasts and in-depth magazine articles to interactive quizzes and thought-provoking reflections, join us in exploring why peace is more than a dream—it’s the only way forward.

Welcome to Infodemic Week: Your Ultimate Survival Guide to the Modern World of Information

by English Plus | Sep 16, 2025

Dive into English Plus Podcast’s “Infodemic Week,” a comprehensive series designed to arm you against misinformation. Featuring a 5-part podcast journey, in-depth magazine articles on the misinformation economy and AI deepfakes, and five interactive quizzes to sharpen your critical thinking skills.

When the Bells Stop Ringing 9 | The Longest Ring

Dec 8, 2025 | English Plus Podcast, When the Bells Stop Ringing

In Stockholm, the winter darkness arrives just after lunch, settling over the city like a heavy blanket. Astrid sits by her window, watching a candle burn down—a silent, stubborn signal to a son she hasn’t spoken to in two years. She calls it ‘waiting,’ but deep down, she knows it is pride. The candle is fading, and the silence of the phone is deafening. Tonight, Astrid faces the hardest journey of all: the distance between her hand and the receiver. A story for anyone who is waiting for the other person to blink first.

The Empty Chair and the Orange Crate: Why We Must Break the Seal

Dec 5, 2025 | English Plus Podcast, Thinking Out Loud, When the Bells Stop Ringing

In this episode, we explore the danger of hoarding our grief and our joy. Through stories set in Dublin, Beirut, Hokkaido, and Berlin, we ask: What happens when we invite a stranger to the table, and why must we “break the seal” before the moment rots?

When the Bells Stop Ringing 8 | The Spice of Memory

Dec 4, 2025 | English Plus Podcast, When the Bells Stop Ringing

Berlin in December is gray, damp, and smells of wet wool. For Fatima, a refugee from Aleppo, the city feels impossibly cold and distant. Desperate for a sense of home on Christmas Eve, she opens a jar of seven-spice and begins to cook Maqluba, filling her apartment building with the rich, loud scents of the Levant. But when a sharp knock comes at the door, Fatima fears the worst. On the other side stands her stern German neighbor, Frau Weber. What follows is a story about the flavors that divide us, and the unexpected tastes that bring us together.

When the Bells Stop Ringing 7 | The Snowbound Station

Dec 3, 2025 | English Plus Podcast, When the Bells Stop Ringing

A blizzard has erased the highways of Hokkaido, trapping a diverse group of travelers in a roadside station on Christmas Eve. There is a businessman with a deadline, a crying toddler, and a truck driver named Kenji hauling a perishable cargo of sunshine—mandarin oranges. As the power flickers and the vending machines die, the tension in the room rises. With the road closed and hunger setting in, Kenji looks at his sealed cargo and faces a choice: follow the rules of the logbook, or break the seal to feed the strangers stranded with him.

When The Bells Stop Ringing 6 | The Candle Carrier

Dec 2, 2025 | English Plus Podcast, When the Bells Stop Ringing

In Beirut, the darkness doesn’t fall gently; it seizes the city. On Christmas Eve, the power grid fails, leaving twelve-year-old Nour and her neighbors in a suffocating blackout. In a building where iron doors are usually triple-locked and neighbors rarely speak, the silence is heavy. But Nour remembers her grandmother’s beeswax candles and makes a choice. Instead of huddling in her own apartment, she heads for the dark stairwell. This is a tale about what happens when the lights go out, and we are forced to become the light for one another.

When the Bells Stop Ringing 5 | The Pub On the Corner

Dec 1, 2025 | English Plus Podcast, When the Bells Stop Ringing

In Dublin, the rain drifts rather than falls, turning the streetlights of Temple Bar into blurred halos. Cillian sits alone in a pub, avoiding the deafening silence of his own home—a house that has been too quiet since his wife, Siobhan, passed away. He has set a place at the table out of habit, a monument to his loss. But when a soaking wet traveler stumbles into the pub with a backpack and a ruined plan, Cillian is forced to decide whether to guard his grief or open the door. Join us for a story about the ’empty chair’ and the courage it takes to fill it.

« Older Entries

This Week’s Theme: Literature and Us