A Collection of Randomness to Kick Off Inklings Week 2019

(Welcome to Inklings Week 2019! You can find all the posts here. Hope you enjoy and thanks for stopping by!)

“Literary experience heals the wound, without undermining the privilege, of individuality. There are mass emotions which heal the wound; but they destroy the privilege. In them our separate selves are pooled and we sink back into sub-individuality. But in reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself. Like a night sky in the Greek poem, I see with a myriad eyes, but it is still I who see. Here, as in worship, in love, in moral action, and in knowing, I transcend myself; and am never more myself than when I do.”

C.S. Lewis penned these words in his essay, “An Experiment in Criticism.” Isn’t that one of the key reasons humanity is drawn to literature? We, for those moments we are reading the book, are transcending ourselves.

As you know, for myself, Tolkien and Lewis’ stories do just this. That’s why I love Inklings Week and the opportunity to celebrate them. To kick off Inklings Week, I thought I’d share a few fun finds about Tolkien and Lewis. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Also, we’ll have a giveaway throughout the week, so be sure to check it out!

Lewis was a spy. I repeat Lewis was a spy.

(Full story here)

Found in the archives: Tollers reading from The Hobbit.

How I wish there were audio versions with them reading their books! (You can hear it by clicking here or by clicking on the image below)

And here’s Jack reading from The Four Loves.

Can you imagine what it would have been like to have him as a Professor?

Finally, they both new how to party.

I found this thread on Twitter (via @SketchesbyBoze) and it’s time I finished this biography, because I’m missing out on some gems!

it’s Tuesday and maybe you need to be reminded that Lewis and Tolkien once attended a (non-costume) party dressed as polar bears, and that Tolkien used to chase neighbors down the street in a warrior costume, waving an axe.

— the library haunter 🦉🎄❄ (@SketchesbyBoze) March 19, 2019

From Humphrey Carpenter’s Tolkien biography

Thanks for joining the start of Inklings Week 2019!

Now it’s giveaway time! We’ll keep this open through Sunday, 5/12. US residents only. Void where prohibited by law. Enter here for your chance the new Del Rey collection of THE LORD OF THE RINGS (image below), “A Well Read Woman is Dangerous” sticker, and other fun surprises!