Tag Archives: fantasy

Harold Bloom and “The Western Canon”: A Note on His Death

Posted on October 18, 2019 by

I received news this week that Harold Bloom has died. Bloom (1930-2019) was an avid reader, a rapid writer, and a penetrating critic whose essays and books on literature are breathtaking in scope and exemplary in their attention to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Original Research, Reviews, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

A Brief History of Fantastic Maps, A Story Map by Johnny Eaton (Friday Feature)

Posted on September 27, 2019 by

For today’s Friday Feature I wanted to share this gorgeous website, “A Brief History of Fantastic Maps, from Paleolithic Cave Drawings to the Futuristic Possibility of Immersive Geographies.” I have been curious about GIS utilities for reading fantasy literature, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature Friday, Fictional Worlds | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

O Foolish Writer: The Living Reality of an Author’s Work, with C.S. Lewis, Stephen King, and Ursula K. Le Guin (Throwback Thursday)

Posted on July 18, 2019 by

Throwback Thursdays are 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 might be an idea or book that is now relevant again, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Writing, Fictional Worlds, Memorable Quotes, Throwback Thursdays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

“Sometimes Fairy Stories May Say Best What’s to be Said” by C.S. Lewis (Throwback Thursday)

Posted on May 30, 2019 by

Last year I introduced an occasional feature I call “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 might be … Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Writing, Fictional Worlds, Lewis Biography, Memorable Quotes, News & Links, On Writing, Throwback Thursdays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 54 Comments

Affirming Creation in the Lord of the Rings #earthday

Posted on April 22, 2019 by

Perhaps it isn’t that surprising that J.R.R. Tolkien’s books are so environmentally sensitive. Like Sam Gamgee, Tolkien loved things that grow and good tilled earth. He loved walks–long walks beyond his garden through English towns and villages and vast, untouched … Continue reading →

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

C.S. Lewis’ 1st SciFi Fan Letters, from Evelyn Underhill and Roger Lancelyn Green

Posted on April 18, 2019 by

As part of an occasional feature I call “Throwback Thursday,” I want to roll back the calendar almost six years, to my early days as a blogger. “Throwback Thursday” is where I find a blog post from the past–raiding either … Continue reading →

Posted in Letters, Lewis Biography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

What does Philip Pullman’s Daemon Voices have to say about the Inklings? Guest Post by Wesley Schantz

Posted on March 19, 2019 by

For a long time, Philip Pullman’s been my favorite living writer. And for practically as long as I’ve loved his stories, particularly The Golden Compass, I’ve been aware of his harsh criticisms of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. (That’s actually … Continue reading →

Posted in Fictional Worlds, Guest Blogs, On Writing, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments