The Inklings... and George Macdonald

[Child.of.God.1989]

Hey there, forum members! I'm sure since these are classical British authors with various levels of acclamation, you'll have much to tell me about their books. According to the Mythopoeic Society, the three main Inklings are C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, and Charles Williams. I haven't heard of Charles Williams before. I added George Macdonald on here because he was an influential contemporary of Tolkein and Lewis. I really want to discuss his heartwarming, thought-provoking (he was a Scottish pastor and sometimes put sermon excerpts in his adult stories!) books with you all.

 

If you Google "The Inklings," you'll find there were many minor Inklings as well. I would love to go back in time, enter a tavern, and listen to Tolkein, Lewis, and Williams's discussions!

[Child.of.God.1989]

I'll start. I have a little bit of gushing to do, and one question to ask.

 

If there were some way I didn't have to sleep or eat (I would give up one), I would read The Hobbit for the third time. I become excited when I hear about people as young as twelve going through Bilbo and the dwarves' adventures with them. My favorite part was when they were in Mirkwood Forest, because the hopelessness they felt in there was so evident.

 

Did anyone read Sir Gibbie, At the Back of North Wind, or any fairytales like The Princess and the Goblin when they were kids? I actually haven't read The Princess and the Goblin, but I would love to read the first two of Macdonald's works again now that I can understand them better. It seems that Sir Gibbie is especially good for people who are easily moved to empathy and compassion because of little Gibbie's hardships.

 

What are some good books by Charles Williams? I probably learned a little about him in British Literature, and of course I could look him up, but it's nice to have your experienced opinion(s). Is there a lighter title to start on?

[~Andrea~]

I've never heard of Charles Williams but I love the other two, especially Lewis. G K Chesterton was apparently influential on C S Lewis. Have you read anything by him? I think his writing reminds me of Lewis a lot actually.

[Child.of.God.1989]

I've never heard of Charles Williams but I love the other two, especially Lewis. G K Chesterton was apparently influential on C S Lewis. Have you read anything by him? I think his writing reminds me of Lewis a lot actually.

Hi there, FishandChips! Thanks for the reply. I actually haven't read anything by Chesterton before. I heard of his influence on C.S. Lewis, one of my favorite authors, in his frank, interesting book Surprised by Joy.

 

After looking Chesterton up, I am excited to brave the heavier language for some good ideas. I hope to bump into my former English teacher tomorrow night at the Christmas program my younger brother is in. Perhaps she - and all of you - can help me decide among Orthodoxy; Charles Dickens; and Graybeards at Play (the poems, like the one on this site, sound very clever!).

 

Thanks again for the input, Andrea! Tell me, what book of C.S. Lewis's do you like the best? Are there any quotations you vividly remember?

[~Andrea~]

Oh Orthodoxy is a book I keep meaning to read. But I have only read The man who was Thursday (absolutely fantastic book IMO) and I can't comment on the others, which I haven't heard of.

 

As for C S Lewis, I love Out of the Silent Planet and Voyage to Venus/Perelandra (That book has two names for some reason)

I found The Screwtape letters very hard going. It's a great book, but not a light read.

 

Also the Narnia stories, especially the Magicians Nephew and the Lion the witch and the wardrobe.

 

I would really like to read The Great Divorce one day as well.

 

As for quotes, hmm there must be lots but I will have to get back to you on that one.

[Child.of.God.1989]

Guys, if you've never read C.S. Lewis's works before, you're missing out on some beautiful (and, at times, amusing) insights! Certainly he isn't the be-all, end-all of example of character and writing, but he's still really intelligent and humble. Here are a few of my favorite quotations from him:

 

 

* I made that for a close reading buddy. She has read much more C.S. Lewis books - well, much more books period - than I have!

* I love pretty much everything he has to say about his dad and his grandpa, "The Great Knock," in Surprised By Joy. His dad bought every book he ever read; that's where Clive Staples's love for reading came. When Lewis went to study and live with his eccentric grandfather, they went on a walk in the big park his grandpa owned. Lewis, a young man trained in English propriety at boarding school, started to make small-talk remarks and questions about the trees and weather. His grandpa abruptly responded with something like, "What are you dithering on about? Talk about things that matter."

* Here is another excerpt, along with my thoughts, from Surprised By Joy that anyone who has gone to school will appreciate.

* This post on my blog with beautiful moments from Narnia is pretty old. I may have had a little trouble being cohesive than - even more than now, anyway:D. C'mon, what were your guys' favorite moments from The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings? Those are by Inkling authors.

[Child.of.God.1989]

Oh Orthodoxy is a book I keep meaning to read. But I have only read The man who was Thursday (absolutely fantastic book IMO) and I can't comment on the others, which I haven't heard of.

 

Cool! Orthodoxy it is, unless I can find The Man Who Was Thursday. I feel smarter already:blush:. That was such a relief hearing his style is more like Lewis's! I thought it would be really heavy. Thanks for the push, Fishy.