Why are we drawn to things that challenge our intellect and our conception of the world? Why are stories like Inception and Interstellar so successful? Well, I think, simply put, the answer is wonder. But it's deeper than that. It's wonder at the storytelling. Wonder at the plot twists. Wonder at the cinematography. At the... Continue Reading →
I read Ivanhoe two summers ago as part of a binge through British literature – that is, literature written by actual Brits, and literature about the Brits written by others. My literature course for the school year took a plunge into the Kings of Britain and the legends of Arthur, so I thought it... Continue Reading →
I know many of my current subscribers are teens or young adults. You probably love writing, or at least reading, given that you put up with the highly-specific material I publish. Maybe you too grew up reading ravenously and can point to the books that marked your childhood -- the Chronicles of Narnia, 100 Cupboards,... Continue Reading →
“The first business of a story is to be a good story. When Our Lord made a wheel in the carpenter shop, depend upon it: It was first and foremost a good wheel. Don’t try to ‘bring in’ specifically Christian bits: if God wants you to serve him in that way (He may not: there... Continue Reading →
Today I have a classic for you. A good classic. Now, when I recommend this to people, usually the first objection I hear was that the show traumatized them. But this is nothing like the show. Perfect for fans of The Wind in the Willows, Redwall, the Mistmantle Chronicles, or The Green Ember, Watership Down... Continue Reading →
In July of 2000, The Onion magazine released a fake satirical article about the Harry Potter series leading to a rise in Satanism among children. Unfortunately, some people thought it was real, leading to a small wildfire of panic and condemnation toward J.K. Rowling. It was a simple mistake -- but people believed it. Many... Continue Reading →
“A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest.” ― C.S. Lewis I was driven to reflect on the veracity of this quote early last autumn, whereupon, after having spent a summer binging on everything British I could get my hands on, I returned to... Continue Reading →
