Monthly Archives: May 2015

Frodo Shows What the Gift of Laughter can Teach Us by @mail_winter

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Brenton Dickieson

Originally posted on Wisdom from The Lord of the Rings:
Frodo has come at last to the Morannon, the Black Gate of Mordor, with its mighty watch-towers. “Stony-faced they were, with dark window-holes staring north and east and west, and…

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From The Hobbit to Harry Potter, From Fairy Tale to Epic

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Brenton Dickieson

In his Cinderella Story essay, “On Stories”—an essay that was passed over when it was first published but now known by anyone who thinks about Fantasy literature—C.S. Lewis defends Fantasy literature by placing it on a higher shelf of literatures. … Continue reading →

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A Review of “The Chapel of the Thorn,” a lost Charles Williams play by Sørina Higgins

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Brenton Dickieson

Libraries are sacred spaces. I have had the opportunity to make pilgrimage to some of these storied cathedrals. I sat in contemplation at the Edwin W. Brown Collection at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, not even sure what I would … Continue reading →

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The Place of the Lion in C.S. Lewis’ Fiction

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Brenton Dickieson

A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of being a guest blogger for The Oddest Inkling in a series on Charles Williams’ The Place of the Lion. This was the first Williams book that C.S. Lewis had ever encountered, … Continue reading →

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That Time C.S. Lewis Made Fun of Benedict Cumberbatch

Posted on May 18, 2015 by Brenton Dickieson

Well, not quite. Benedict Cumberbatch had the audacity to be born 15 years after C.S. Lewis died. But Lewis would have mocked him, and mocked him hard, had he the chance. After the death of Charles Williams, Lewis was gathering a … Continue reading →

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On the Deaths of Charles Williams and Harold Ladoo

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Brenton Dickieson

On this day, 70 years ago, Charles Williams passed away in hospital. His death came as a shock to his family, his closest friends, and his many followers. This enigmatic figure had a galvanizing effect, attracting so many to his … Continue reading →

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There Will Be No More Pints with Charles: An Astonishing Eulogy by Warren Lewis

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Brenton Dickieson

On Friday, the 70th anniversary of Charles Williams’ death, I will explore C.S. Lewis’ tribute in poetry. Williams was powerfully influential to C.S. Lewis, but he was also an important member of the Inklings. This ad hoc literary club—really a … Continue reading →

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The Loss of Atmosphere: A Literary Conspiracy by Larry Niven & C.S. Lewis?

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Brenton Dickieson

Perhaps the essay that C.S. Lewis took the longest to write is “On Stories.” It began as an Oxford talk in 1940 called, “The Kappa Element in Romance.” After Charles Williams’ death 70 years ago this week in 1945, Lewis … Continue reading →

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May Artifact of the Month: Charles Williams’s Honorary Master’s Degree

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Brenton Dickieson

Originally posted on Off the Shelf:
Museum display at the Wade Center featuring Charles Williams’s honorary Master of Arts degree from Oxford University, and the mortar board he wore during the ceremony. With graduation season beginning, we thought it appropriate…

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Age of Ultron: Mythic Mess or the Absurd Man?

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Brenton Dickieson

Joss Whedon is a smart filmmaker. Buffy was genius, and The Avengers was an intelligent, funny, moving, high-action, hyper-effects superhero movie—a package I wasn’t sure was possible. I like how Whedon delves into big stories with what many will assume … Continue reading →

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