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English Plus Podcast

The Story of the Alphabet | The Human Odyssey Series

26 Aug 2025

Description

Imagine a world without writing. A world where a story can only travel as far as a voice can carry, and a memory is only as durable as the mind that holds it. In this episode of The Human Odyssey, we embark on a sprawling adventure to discover how humanity bridged the chasm between fleeting sound and enduring symbol. We'll journey back to the age of monumental hieroglyphs, when the written word belonged only to priests and kings. We’ll follow a band of nomadic traders in the ancient Middle East who, out of pure ingenuity and a need for speed, stumbled upon the most revolutionary idea in history. We’ll sail with the Greeks as they perfect this new invention, giving us the tools for philosophy and poetry. And we'll witness the dramatic moment when a printing press and a handful of lead letters changed the course of everything, liberating knowledge from the hands of the few and sparking a revolution that continues today. This isn’t a story about grammar and spelling; it’s a story about the relentless human drive to remember, to share, and to shape our reality—all with just 26 simple letters. To unlock full access to all our episodes, consider becoming a premium subscriber on Apple Podcasts or Patreon. And don’t forget to visit englishpluspodcast.com for even more content, including articles, in-depth studies, and our brand-new audio series and courses now available in our Patreon Shop!

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