From Homer to Harry Potter, Martin Puchner tells the story of literature through 16 foundational texts spanning 4,000 years. We meet Murasaki, a lady from 11th century Japan who wrote the first novel The Tale of Genji; follow the adventures of Miguel de Cervantes as he battles pirates; and watch Goethe discover world literature in Sicily. Puchner also journeys to speak with Nobel Laureates Derek Walcott in the Caribbean and Orhan Pamuk in Istanbul.