Monthly Archives: May 2018

The Peculiar Background to L.M. Montgomery’s “The Alpine Path” (L.M. Montgomery Series)

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

One of the more poignant aspects of Montgomery’s work for readers is how she charts her path as a writer in Emily of New Moon. Universally recognized as the book that most encoded her personality, it is also the one that … Continue reading →

Posted in L.M. Montgomery | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Panel on C.S. Lewis’ “The Quest of Bleheris” at the C.S. Lewis and Friends Colloquium

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

I am currently working in the Marion E. Wade Center–the premier C.S. Lewis archival research space on the continent and a lovely little spot that houses materials by and about the British authors that are the primary focus on this … Continue reading →

Posted in L.M. Montgomery, News & Links, Original Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

“Stay in the Valley if You’re Wise”: Advice on Writing in Emily of New Moon (L.M. Montgomery Series)

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

While L.M. Montgomery could be viewed as a writer’s writer for her prose, imaginative vim, and her shaping of characters, her novel Emily of New Moon is almost a textbook on the writer’s life. A friend tipped me off to the … Continue reading →

Posted in L.M. Montgomery, Memorable Quotes, On Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 38 Comments

L.M. Montgomery’s Schoolmarm Visit to the Archibald MacKay Mansion (L.M. Montgomery Series)

Posted on May 17, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

I have recently been enjoying L.M. Montgomery’s romantic and hilarious 1936 novel, Anne of Windy Poplars (Anne of Windy Willows outside of North America). I was interested in the book because it is one of Montgomery’s few attempts at epistolary … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian literature, L.M. Montgomery | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

A Weekend of Reading to Change Your Literary Life

Posted on May 15, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

If you are like me, you have spent much of your adult life as a reader catching up on a severe lack of education. It is common that I am out with friends and when the topic of books comes … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

Phil Keaggy on C.S. Lewis, “In the Corner Back by the Woodpile” Podcast (Friday Feature)

Posted on May 11, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

Part of my conversion to Christianity as a young adult was a strange period of renegotiating my past. Our family was pretty poor, with painted chipboard floors, 3rd gen hand-me-down clothes, and glassware stolen from A&W. Despite our poverty, my … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature Friday, News & Links | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Sehnsucht, Faërie, and the Flash: My Paper Abstracts on L.M. Montgomery (L.M. Montgomery Series) #LMMI2018

Posted on May 10, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

In reading through L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables books last year, I began to sense some trends in her work–subtle currents of thought and image that began to come into focus for me. One of the beautiful parts of being a … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian literature, L.M. Montgomery, News & Links | Tagged , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Good Political Leadership According to Narnia

Posted on May 8, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

I made the statement almost by accident to some of my grad students: Narnia has a pretty sophisticated political philosophy, especially when you consider it is written for children. As soon as I said it, I knew it to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Original Research, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 76 Comments

Why Did Star Wars Stick? #MayThe4thBeWithYou #StarWarsDay

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

It’s an interesting question. Cheesy lines, over-the-top acting, zippers up the back of the monster’s costume–how many films just like it have found their way into the Betamax bins of history? Yet, Star Wars lives–not only lives, but thrives, growing … Continue reading →

Posted in Fictional Worlds, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

CSL:LMM, C.S. Lewis and L.M. Montgomery (L.M. Montgomery Series)

Posted on May 3, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

Leading up to the L.M. Montgomery Institute’s 13th Biennial Conference here in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, I thought that I would do a short series on Montgomery. Throughout May and June, each Thursday will feature a post on Montgomery and … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian literature, L.M. Montgomery, Lewis Biography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 65 Comments