Tag Archives: J.K. Rowling

The 2021 Mythopoeic Awards Winners

Posted on October 18, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

At the virtual Mythcon 51 earlier in the fall, there was a good bit of buzz about the Mythopoeic Awards. As readers will know, I pay attention to the awards–so much so that this year they have stimulated a limited … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“The Once and Forgotten T.H. White: Lessons from Obscurity” by G. Connor Salter

Posted on August 12, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

Terence Hanbury White was one of the founding fathers of fantasy in the twentieth century, producing nearly twenty-five novels, including the beloved modern Arthurian retelling, The Once and Future King. Still, much of T.H. White’s life remains a mystery and … Continue reading →

Posted in Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

The Other Reasons I Became a C.S. Lewis Scholar

Posted on March 30, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

An intriguing, fun, and occasionally perverse part of being a scholar in areas where there is a lively fandom is that I am often asked to tell my “encounter” story. This can be a bit strange in that in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Thieves of Time and Waking Wonder: Writing as Discovery and the Stone-Carver’s Art

Posted on March 13, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

After weeks of too little sleep, I have had two terrible half-nights awake. These torturous midnight hours of hazy, half-insomniac puzzles and quandaries and obsessions, the darkness that infuses weariness into the bone-soul of life… I would purchase a single … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi, Owen Barfield, Language, Childlike Faith, Joy, and the Inklings

Posted on January 26, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

I have just begun reading Susanna Clarke’s weighty novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I mean “weighty” in the literal, physical sense: I am finding this 1,000-page wonder, a book I did not believe could be written in this century, … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

2020: My Year in Books: The Infographic

Posted on January 7, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

Happy New Year everyone! I will have some fun putting together the data in an upcoming post, including some new charts. I love charts. Meanwhile, I wanted to share the Goodreads “My Year in Books” infographic. I’m pleased to say … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Harry Potter at Home and at the British Library Online

Posted on April 9, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

Last week I talked about some Audible learning resources –including “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by Stephen Fry in English, but also in many other languages–and how J.K. Rowling opened up copyright restrictions for teachers and parents to help … Continue reading →

Posted in Fictional Worlds, News & Links | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

C.S. Lewis and Other Fantasy Books, Free Streaming in Audible

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

These are unusual times, and there is evidence that people are thinking in creative ways about how to live big in small spaces. J.K. Rowling, for example, has waived any licensing concerns that might arise by teachers reading her books … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The 100 Best Fantasy Books by Steve Hayes

Posted on July 19, 2019 by Brenton Dickieson

Originally posted on Notes from underground:
I saw this list of best fantasy books from Reddit. Top 100 Best Fantasy books: This is a list of the best fantasy books. If you want to find good fantasy books to read,…

Posted in Fictional Worlds, Guest Blogs | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments