Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War: How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship, and Heroism in the Cataclysm of 1914-1918 - Softcover

Loconte, Joseph

Softcover

ISBN 10: 071807923X ISBN 13: 9780718079239

Publisher: Nelson, 2015

Synopsis

The untold story of how the First World War shaped the lives, faith, and writings of J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis

The First World War laid waste to a continent and permanently altered the political and religious landscape of the West. For a generation of men and women, it brought the end of innocence-and the end of faith. Yet for J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, the Great War deepened their spiritual quest. Both men served as soldiers on the Western Front, survived the trenches, and used the experience of that conflict to ignite their Christian imagination. Had there been no Great War, there would have been noHobbit, no Lord of the Rings, no Narnia, and perhaps no conversion to Christianity by C. S. Lewis.

Unlike a generation of young writers who lost faith in the God of the Bible, Tolkien and Lewis produced epic stories infused with the themes of guilt and grace, sorrow and consolation. Giving an unabashedly Christian vision of hope in a world tortured by doubt and disillusionment, the two writers created works that changed the course of literature and shaped the faith of millions. This is the first book to explore their work in light of the spiritual crisis sparked by the conflict.

About this title

About the Author

Joseph Loconte is a Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer in Politics at The King's College in New York City, where he teaches Western Civilization and U.S. foreign policy and writes widely about the importance of religious freedom in strengthening democracy, human rights, and civil society.

Edition details

• Publisher: Nelson
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 071807923X
• ISBN 13: 9780718079239
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272