Monthly Archives: April 2016

12 Reasons not to Write Lord of the Rings, or an Ode Against the Muses

Posted on April 18, 2016 by Brenton Dickieson

I’ve never understood images of the Muses as seducers. Perhaps I am not truly inspired, but I get the same cold, clammy response from the Muses as I did from girls when I was in Junior High School. Fortunately, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged art, C.S. Lewis, Frank McCourt, J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, Leo Tolstoy, literature, Lord of the Rings, mythology, Out of the Silent Planet, Stephen King, Steven Pressfield, The Hobbit, the muses, The Silmarillion, The War of Art, writing | 31 Comments

500 Posts!

Posted on April 15, 2016 by Brenton Dickieson

Dear Reader, On Wednesday, in a rather inane reaction to David Foster Wallace’s impossible book, Infinite Jest, I hit 500 posts. I have talked about blogging here and here, so I won’t completely rehash the delights and difficulties of blogging. For … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | 5 Comments

Thoughts on reading Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace: #InfiniteWinter Midterm Update

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Brenton Dickieson

This book is long. I mean, the “infinite” in Infinite Jest is approaching a new kind of literal meaning for me. My copy has 1079 pages. These are thick, full pages. Infinite Jest is a bestseller as well as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged 1Q84, aliens, Canada, David Foster Wallace, Harold Bloom, Infinite Jest, Infinite Winter, Superman | 27 Comments

Annie Dillard, An American Childhood

Posted on April 11, 2016 by Brenton Dickieson

Can I come to you as a literary evangelist for a moment? Actually, I’m always doing that, aren’t I? I have worked to remind a world much different than the original about The Screwtape Letters, and argued that The Great Divorce is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, An American Childhood, Annie Dillard, books, Frederick Buechner, letters, literature, Marilynne Robinson, Poetry, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters | 18 Comments

A Tolkien Book Collection

Posted on April 8, 2016 by Brenton Dickieson

Because it coincided with Holy Week and family commitments, I missed Tolkien Reading Day. I am reading Return of the King to my son, and have begun Tolkien’s letters. I thought it would be fun to end the week with a Tolkien reader’s treat. My … Continue reading →