Category Archives: News & Links

“Sweet Quarantine” by Nicolas Riel (Single Launch)

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Brenton Dickieson

I’m pleased to announce that my son, Nicolas, is launching his new single today! With singer-songwriter wit in an indie rock performance, “Sweet Quarantine” was written out of the depths of Nicolas’ experience of our most recent apocalypse, the COVID … Continue reading →

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2022: My Year in Books: The Infographic

Posted on January 5, 2023 by Brenton Dickieson

Happy New Year, everyone! I am once again assembling the “reading nerd data” in an upcoming post. I love charts. And behind every chart is a great spreadsheet. I guess I just love spreadsheets. Meanwhile, as is my tradition, I … Continue reading →

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A Brace of Tolkien Posts for his 131st Birthday (#TolkienBirthdayToast)

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Brenton Dickieson

As J.R.R. Tolkien was born about 68,899,680 minutes ago, the Tolkien Society is once again raising a toast to the Professor on his birthday, 3 January 2022 (see here). After Bilbo left the Shire on his eleventy-first birthday in The … Continue reading →

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Thoughts on Classic and Contemporary SF vs. Fantasy Hugo Best Novel Award Winners while Failing to Write a Review of a Great Book that was not Nominated

Posted on December 14, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

Tamsyn Muir’s Locked Tomb Series is a discovery from my stint as a Hugo Award panellist in 2020 and 2021–the years that Gideon the Ninth (book 1) and Harrow the Ninth (book 2) were nominated. As much as I loved these books–and … Continue reading →

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“Merely 70: The Text and Legacy of Mere Christianity” by Michael Ward, hosted by Kirstin Jeffrey Johnson (C.S. Lewis & Kindred Spirits Connected Online Meeting, 12noon Eastern/5pm UK time today, Nov 17, 2022)

Posted on November 17, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

Hi folks, a late notice announcement. Michael Ward, author of Planet Narnia and After Humanity: A Guide to Lewis’ The Abolition of Man–is speaking on the topic of “Merely 70: The Text and Legacy of Mere Christianity.” This free online … Continue reading →

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J.R.R. Tolkien’s Texts on The (Down)Fall of Númenor

Posted on October 27, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

Because of the fire and storm digital conversation about the Amazon Prime series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, some may have missed a little bit of good Tolkien news. HarperCollins is releasing another Middle-earth legendarium book–an … Continue reading →

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The Idiosopher’s Razor: The Missing Element in Metacritical Analysis of Tolkien and Lewis Scholarship

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

It is intriguing what you might find on Twitter…. Last year I was in the midst of a large research project that was tilting forward toward a book. One of the first steps in research is taking a broad look … Continue reading →

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Jacob R. Schreiner Thesis Theatre, “The Logos of Faith: Sub-Creation through Speech-Acts in Tolkien’s Legendarium” (free online event Wednesday, June 1st, 12noon Eastern)

Posted on May 31, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

Following a successful event last week–a great conversation with Miriam Davidson on “nonviolence” in The Lord of the Rings–I wanted to send a quick update on the three Signum University Thesis Theatres on The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s … Continue reading →

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Miriam Davidson Thesis Theatre, “The Sword Not for its Sharpness: Nonviolent countercurrents in Tolkien’s Epic of War” (free online event Thurs, May 26th, 3pm ET)

Posted on May 25, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

I wanted to send a quick update on the three Signum University Thesis Theatres on The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s Legendarium that I announced last week. Our Signum University master’s students have the opportunity to write a thesis … Continue reading →

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3 Upcoming Signum University Thesis Theatres on The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s Legendarium

Posted on May 20, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

I’m pleased as the week closes to offer a rich set of opportunities to dive meaningfully into Tolkien’s imaginative worlds. There are three upcoming Signum University Thesis Theatres on The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s Legendarium (all times Eastern): … Continue reading →

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