Monthly Archives: January 2022

My Foolish Wisdom about Don Quixote, Urban Tuxedo Cat, and Edith Grossman’s Excellent Translation, with a Note from Harold Bloom Beyond the Grave

Posted on January 31, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

I have finally completed Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra’ The Ingenious Gentleman Sir Quixote of La Mancha. It is my first time completing this classic of Western literature, except for all of those other times I’ve read it. As I have … Continue reading →

Posted in Memorable Quotes, Reflections, Reviews | Tagged cat poetry, Cervantes, Don Quixote, Edith Grossman, Harold Bloom, Poetry, The Western Canon | 11 Comments

Thoughts from Different Angles on Joel Coen’s Macbeth with Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand, and Is This Why I Can’t Sleep?

Posted on January 27, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

I have no pretense of being a Shakespeare scholar, by any means. As I was educated primarily in Canadian public schools, my path of learning going into university had been embarrassingly narrow (so much so that I cannot spell the … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged C.S. Lewis, Denzel Washington, Dune, Frances McDormand, Ian McKellen, insomnia, Joel Coen, Judi Dench, Kathryn Hunter, Macbeth, Shakespeare, The Coen Brothers, The Merchant of Venice, The Taming of the Shrew | 22 Comments

The Rings of Power: The Lord of the Rings New Prime Video Series Title Announcement

Posted on January 20, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

In the teaseriest of teasers–though one step beyond the single landscape image released last year that sent the digital world of Tolkien lovers scurrying into Reddit arguments or making “everything you need to know about” videos (above)–Amazon Prime has finally … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links | Tagged Amazon Prime, C.S. Lewis, Dune, film adaptation, J.R.R. Tolkien, Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings, The Rings of Power | 13 Comments

2021: A Year of Reading: The Nerd Bit, with Charts

Posted on January 17, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

“… in reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself. Like the night sky in the Greek poem, I see with a myriad eyes, but it is still I who see. Here, as in worship, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Original Research, Reflections | Tagged C.S. Lewis, Goodreads, Hugo Awards, J.R.R. Tolkien, L.M. Montgomery, Marilynne Robinson, N.K. Jemisin, Narnia, Reading, Stephen King, Susanna Clarke, Ursula K. Le Guin | 1 Comment

“Stuff We Liked in 2021” by the Rabbit Room (Friday Feature)

Posted on January 14, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

I have mentioned before that I am a fan of the good folks at The Rabbit Room, including songwriter and storytelling brothers Andrew and Pete Peterson. Last fall they Hutchmoot: Homebound online, a digital conference of thoughtful speakers, sesssions, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature Friday | Tagged A.R. Peterson, Andrew Osenga, Andrew Peterson, Austin M. Farrer, Brandi Carlile, Bruce Hornsby, Dallas Willard, Dorothy L. Sayers, Frank Herbert, Hannah Hubin, Hutchmoot, James K. A. Smith, JJ Heller, Jon Foreman, Lana del Rey, Loren Wilkinson, Marilynne Robinson, Mary Doria Russell, Mythgard Academy, Needtobreathe, Olivia Rodrigo, Pedro the Lion, Piranesi, Robert Farrar Capon, Spiderman, Steve Guthrie, Steve Taylor, Sufjan Stevens, Susanna Clarke, Taylor Swift, The Beatles, The Gray Havens, The Green Knight, The Killers, the Rabbit Room, The War On Drugs, Wendell Berry | Leave a comment

L.M. Montgomery’s After Many Years, and Thoughts on Reading Montgomery’s Short Stories

Posted on January 13, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

As L.M. Montgomery was a consummate storyteller, it is lovely when we get the occasional pleasure of a new L.M. Montgomery story collection. We must admit to an embarrassment of riches when it comes to access to Montgomery’s short stories. … Continue reading →

Posted in L.M. Montgomery | Tagged After Many Years, Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Green Gables: The Original Manuscript, Benjamin Lefebvre, Chronicles of Avonlea, L.M. Montgomery, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Short Stories, The Blythes Are Quoted | 9 Comments

Inkling Folk Fellowship Conversation about Nightmare Alley (Free Online Event Friday, Jan 7, 2022 at 4pm Eastern) (Nightmare Alley Series)

Posted on January 7, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

At A Pilgrim in Narnia, we are in the midst of the “Nightmare Alley Series,” inspired by Guillermo del Toro’s new film starring Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Willem Dafoe, and Toni Colette. Moving back from visually stunning film … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged Bill Gresham, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, cultural criticism, film adaptation, film criticism, Helen Walker, Joy Davidman, Mark Osteen, Nightmare Alley: Film Noir and the American Dream, Nightmare Alley, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Greater Trumps, The Shape of Water, Tyrone Power, William Lindsay Gresham | 6 Comments

Nightmare Alley by William Lindsay Gresham, book review by G. Connor Salter (Nightmare Alley Series)

Posted on January 7, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

Originally posted on Power Book Review:
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Perfect for classic crime noir fans, and for readers seeking a well-developed psychological thriller. 🖋 🖋🖋🖋🖋 The author creates an almost cinematic style with strong images, tight plotting and careful…