Tag Archives: Surprised by Joy

C.S. Lewis’ Pretty Awful and Peculiarly Interesting Letter on Writing

Posted on May 1, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

How many times have you heard of the struggling writer providentially bumping into an established author or writing a letter? And then that writer on the edge of hopelessness becomes the recipient of a little piece of advice or encouragement … Continue reading →

Posted in Lewis Biography, Memorable Quotes, On Writing | Tagged Arthur C. Clarke, books, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Joy Davidman, letters, Letters to an America Lady, Letters to Children, On Writing, Perelandra, Roger Lancelyn Green, Surprised by Joy, writing | 18 Comments

“Thor: Ragnarok and C.S. Lewis’ Mythic Passions” by Josiah Peterson

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

We discovered on Monday that Lewis mocked his best friend for comparing works that are as different as the Old English epic with the late Middle English romance by Malory. He then went on to do this very thing: set … Continue reading →

Posted in Guest Blogs, Inklings and Arthur, Reviews | Tagged Arthuriana, C.S. Lewis, Inklings, Inklings and Arthur, Inklings and King Arthur, Malory, Marvel, Morte Darthur, mythology, Narnia, Norse Mythology, northernness, Ragnarök, Surprised by Joy, Thor | 91 Comments

“Arthurian Literature and the Old Everyman’s Library” by Dale Nelson

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

The young future Inklings were among the first – though by no means the last – generation of readers to be able to take advantage of, and benefit immensely from, the inexpensive Everyman’s Library. This series of classic volumes shaped … Continue reading →

Posted in Guest Blogs, Inklings and Arthur | Tagged Arthuriana, Boswell, Dale Nelson, Everyman Library, Inklings and Arthur, J.R.R. Tolkien, Life of Samuel Johnson, Morte Darthur, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Surprised by Joy, The Return of Arthur | 52 Comments

Leatherhead and Literary Coincidence, with C.S. Lewis and H.G. Wells

Posted on February 19, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

I encountered the town of Leatherhead first in H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds (1897). It is one of a dozen or so English place names that meant nothing to me as a young reader. As an adult, armed with an … Continue reading →

Posted in Lewis Biography, Original Research | Tagged George MacDonald, George Tomkyns Chesney, H.G. Wells, intertextuality, Leatherhead, Phantastes, Science Fiction, SF, Surprised by Joy, Surrey, The Battle of Dorking, The Quest of Bleheris, The War of the Worlds | 26 Comments

What is the Significance of Worc(h)ester in C.S. Lewis’ Ransom Cycle?

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

This is an honest question that I hope readers can help me with, and a proposal I would like to test out. C.S. Lewis’ second space travel adventure, Perelandra, begins like this: “As I left the railway station at Worchester….” … Continue reading →