Tag Archives: books

The Effect of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Mythopoeia

Posted on May 21, 2013 by

I am often asked what brought me into the worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. While I do love the books, it wasn’t Narnia that first captured my imagination as a thinker. It wasn’t even the world of Middle … Continue reading →

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What Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress Teaches us about English and Education

Posted on May 15, 2013 by

One of my first posts on A Pilgrim in Narnia was the confession that I had not really ever read John Bunyan’s classic The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678). I’m pretty sure I had pretended to read it. I had played the … Continue reading →

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On the Shoulders of Giants: C.S. Lewis’ Preface to “The Allegory of Love” (1935)

Posted on May 3, 2013 by

I’ve talked before about the value of reading the prefaces and introductions to books. It’s amazing how much we miss when we skip them. I’m a big fan of the fore-matter. C.S. Lewis’ preface to The Allegory of Love (1936) … Continue reading →

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WIP Wednesday: Hildamay at the Market

Posted on March 20, 2013 by

I thought I would add my piece to the growing Work In Progress Wednesday digital tradition. This is an excerpt from Hildamay Humphrey’s Incredibly Boring Life, a children’s story that I am editing in preparation to pitch this summer. The … Continue reading →

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A Read-Aloud Post for World Read Aloud Day: Reading the Hobbit

Posted on March 6, 2013 by

March 6th is World Read Aloud Day! I wrote a read-aloud post last fall for the Hobbit Read-Along, a merry fellowship of nine writers.  When I began the blog project, I didn’t account for the fact that I would be reading … Continue reading →

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Be Careful What You Read… C.S. Lewis’ Literary Encounter with George MacDonald

Posted on March 4, 2013 by

Perhaps one of C.S. Lewis’ more famous—or infamous—quotations is this: “A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading” (Surprised by Joy, 182). Hidden in this 20th century tweet is the idea … Continue reading →

Posted in Lewis Biography, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My Secret Hierarchy of Writing

Posted on February 26, 2013 by

             I have, I must admit, a sort of strange, secret hierarchy of writing. I don’t mean to. I believe the essence of good writing is not popularity or an elusive sense of the high brow. If I can put … Continue reading →

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But I am reading…

Posted on February 22, 2013 by

Alas, I have not been writing. I am in the midst of an incredibly heavy marking season, facing dozens–hundreds, actually–of assignments on this two-dimensional backlit screen. The thought of carving out mental space to pour my heart out onto this … Continue reading →

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A Review of the Hobbit by Nicolas, Age 8

Posted on February 6, 2013 by

My dad and I just finished reading The Hobbit and since he didn’t let me watch the movie I decided to write a blog. This book is about a hobbit named Bilbo who comes from a family who hates adventures. … Continue reading →

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Teaching Screwtape for a New Generation: My Conference Talk

Posted on February 4, 2013 by

Anyone who follows A Pilgrim in Narnia knows of my interest in The Screwtape Letters. I have written reviews, asked questions about influences, looked at Screwtape copycats–including the first by mystery writer, Dorothy Sayers–thought about Screwtape`s anti-spirituality in popular culture, … Continue reading →

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