Monthly Archives: September 2020

Thesis Theater: Jens Hieber, “Negotiated Symbiosis: Power, Identity, and Community in the Works of Octavia E. Butler” (Oct 2nd, 7pm Eastern)

Posted on September 30, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

I am pleased to announce that Signum University MA student Jens Hieber will present his thesis “Negotiated Symbiosis: Power, Identity, and Community in the Works of Octavia E. Butler,” and respond to questions from the audience in an interactive Thesis … Continue reading →

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

“The Cosmic Preface,” Guest Skype Session on “Pints with Jack” about the Ransom-Screwtape Preface

Posted on September 29, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

I’m pleased to announce that I recently joined David Bates on the Pints with Jack podcast. I love doing this show–not just because I get to talk about great books, but because the hosts have managed to produce a great … Continue reading →

Posted in Fictional Worlds, Original Research | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Tolkien’s “I am in fact a Hobbit (in all but size)” in Context: A Note on Books and Their Authors (#hobbitday)

Posted on September 22, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

I don’t know that there is any more famous J.R.R. Tolkien quote than his claim to, in fact, be a hobbit. It’s really quite a delightful statement and worth quoting more fully: I am in fact a Hobbit (in all … Continue reading →

Posted in Memorable Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

Smiles and Laughs from Anne’s Marking Pile, a Quote from L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Avonlea

Posted on September 21, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

Though fans of L.M. Montgomery will usually take whatever they can get from her, critics are not always satisfied by the Anne of Green Gables sequel, Anne of Avonlea (1909). Montgomery herself was not terribly satisfied, distressed that she was … Continue reading →

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

The Great Commandments Which All Vampires Must Obey, by Anne Rice

Posted on September 15, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

Richard Matheson’s 1954 novella, I Am Legend–a brilliant story that I am rereading now–is an important vampire tale that follows the great classic film interpretations, but it really is the earnest literary beginning of the zombie genre. And there are … Continue reading →

Posted in Memorable Quotes, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

1,000,000 Hits on A Pilgrim in Narnia!

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

A Pilgrim in Narnia has just now had its 1,000,000th hit! A million page views is right, according to WordPress analytics. After passing our 9th Anniversary last month, after 1,057 posts (this is number 1,058), this little sandbox of literary … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

George Orwell’s Review of C.S. Lewis’ “That Hideous Strength” (Throwback Thursday)

Posted on September 10, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

At A Pilgrim in Narnia we have an occasional feature called “Throwback Thursday.” This is where I find a blog post from the past–raiding either my own blog-hoard or someone else’s–and throw it back out into the digital world. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, Throwback Thursdays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 66 Comments

Coleridge’s “Christabel,” Keats’ “La Belle Dame sans Merci,” and Early English Vampire Poems

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

I am preparing for my next discussion in “Folkloric Transformations: Vampires and Big Bad Wolves” at Signum University, and we have assigned Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s turn-of-the-century poem, “Christabel” (1797-1800). This 677-line poem comes out of Coleridge’s attempts to re-stage English … Continue reading →

Posted in Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments