Monthly Archives: December 2018

Bethlehem as the Hingepoint of History: C.S. Lewis’ Christmas Revolution Poem

Posted on December 25, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

It is difficult to see this poem in the Christmases that most of us are subjected to. I think that’s why C.S. Lewis became a bit of a Christmas curmudgeon in his latter days. But in the midst of his … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” Roundtable Video (Feature Friday)

Posted on December 21, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

I loved my experience with the Mythgard Movie Club panel last Thursday night. A couple of years ago we hosted a “One Fantastic Rogue Beast” panel to let two popular films clash in conversation: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them … Continue reading →

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Peace on Earth, Nargle Vaccines, and a Christmas Vacation

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

I have had a flu shot for the first time since the last public health panic. I think it was swine flu or bird flu or nargle flu or something, but it was not an experience that engendered my trust … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

What Counts as a Classic? A Conversation with C.S. Lewis and Goodreads

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a little post called “Reading and the Cultural Moment, with C.S. Lewis.” Though I now think I could have said it even clearer, I was sharing once again C.S. Lewis’ critical idea that … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 47 Comments

C.S. Lewis’ Unicorn Song

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

I have talked before about my love of Shel Silverstein’s poetry. Most people don’t know that he is the poet behind the Irish Rover’s international hit, “The Unicorn Song.” It’s hard to resist the Celtic charm of this lilting classic, … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , | 23 Comments

“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” Roundtable Thursday

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

I’m pleased to announce that I am part of a Mythgard Movie Club panel on Thursday night. A couple of years ago we hosted a “One Fantastic Rogue Beast” panel to let two popular films clash in conversation: Fantastic Beasts and … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

“(Re)Considering the Planet Narnia Thesis”: My Article in An Unexpected Journal

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

Popular readers of C.S. Lewis and A Pilgrim in Narnia may be surprised that I have not been won over by Michael Ward’s thesis in Planet Narnia. It is an elegant, sophisticated, symmetrical, and well-argued idea about how C.S. Lewis constructed … Continue reading →

Posted in Original Research, Reviews, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , | 50 Comments

The Story of Kullervo by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Verlyn Flieger (Goodreads Review)

Posted on December 6, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

The Story of Kullervo by J.R.R. Tolkien My rating: 5 of 5 stars I am thrilled to have J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Story of Kullervo in print, which includes Tolkien’s own reworking of a Kalevala tale, a couple of lectures on … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

Reading and the Cultural Moment, with C.S. Lewis

Posted on December 4, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

So much of C.S. Lewis’ uniqueness comes down to his sheer love of diversity. He loved variability, colour, the exchange, the alienation of encounter and unity with others. His weird dystopia That Hideous Strength was, in many ways, a protest against … Continue reading →

Posted in Original Research, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 49 Comments