Maturing Minds

Issue #2

Welcome to Issue #2 of the Inklings Info newsletter!

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In this issue . . .

The launching of Inklings Studies
New podcast focuses on upcoming Hobbit film
The C.S. Lewis Summer Institute
Tolkien Estate in copyright battle with novelists

Inklings Inspire New Scholarly Journal

Apparently, the two U.S.-based academic journals devoted to the Inklings (Mythlore andVII) aren’t enough to satisfy the demand for scholarly writing on these authors, so this month another journal will launch in the United Kingdon. The Journal of Inklings Studies, which is a collaboration of the Oxford University C.S. Lewis Society, the Charles Williams Society, and the Owen Barfield Estate, is edited by Dr. Judith Wolfe of Wolfson College, Oxford. It will be published semi-annually. Information regarding subscriptions and submissions is available on the journal’s website.

**“Secrets of The Hobbit” Explores Upcoming Film**

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world!”

Tolkien fans who agree with Thorin Oakenshield can find that same spirit in the latest offering from the SQPN “Secrets” podcast line: “The Secrets of the Hobbit.” Started in February 2011 and hosted by veteran SQPN podcasters and rabid Tolkien fans Fr. Roderick Vonhögen and Dave Kale, “The Secrets of the Hobbit” taps into the Tolkien fandom’s growing excitement over the upcoming films by Peter Jackson. Each week Fr. Roderick and Dave bring the latest Hobbit news and rumors to their listeners. In the podcast’s first month alone, it has covered topics as diverse as casting announcements, rumors about the script, the multiple delays to production, and the earthquake in New Zealand. The hosts do not limit themselves to news, however, as their discussions range far and wide over a variety of topics of interest to Tolkien fans. They are, in fact, preparing a brand new segment in which they will discuss the novel one chapter at a time, sharing with listeners their thoughts about how the films will interpret this beloved book.

As a member of the Inklings Info team, Dave will be providing readers of this newsletter regular updates on the status of the films, but for those wanting more in-depth exploration are advised to check out “The Secrets of the Hobbit.” You can access the first episode by clicking here.

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Oxbridge Hosts C.S. Lewis Summer Institute

The C.S. Lewis Foundation has announced that the 2011 C.S. Lewis Summer Institute will take place on the campuses of Oxford and Cambridge Universities from July 26 to August 3.

The Summer Institute was begun in 1988 and has been held every three years since then, bringing together students, professionals, and academics from many fields who share an interest in Lewis’s writings. The theme of this year’s Institute is “Paradigms of Hope: Transcending Chaos and Transforming Culture.” Speakers will include George Marsden, Joseph Pearce, and David Lyle Jeffrey.

For more information on this conference, please visit the Lewis Foundation’s website.

Tolkien Estate in Copyright Battle with Novelists

Anyone familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien’s estate knows that it is vigorous in pursuing any hint of copyright infringement of Tolkien’s works. In the last month two authors have drawn its attention and may be in for a legal battle.

First, a new English translation of a 1999 Russian novel titled The Last Ringbearer appeared on the web in February. This novel reworks the story of The Lord of the Rings, telling it from the perspective of Mordor. The author, Kirill Yeskov, never sought permission from the Tolkien Estate to publish his work, but copyright is difficult to enforce in Russia. Now that The Last Ringbearer has appeared in English, the Tolkien Estate may take action, even though the novel’s translator is giving his work away for free. For more information, see here and here.

Also, the Tolkien Estate is pursuing legal action against a new novel titled Mirkwood: A Novel about J.R.R. Tolkien, in which the protagonist discovers documents given to her grandfather by Tolkien. The Tolkien Estate claims that the prominent featuring of J.R.R. Tolkien in Mirkwood constitutes a violation of copyright. Steve Hillard, the author of the self-published novel, says he has presented a respectful portrait of Tolkien, and that the use of historical figures in fiction falls under the “fair use” doctrine. You can find out more about this legal battle here.

That’s all for this issue. We’ll be in touch soon with more Inklings news. Until then, keep reading!

Issue #1

In this issue . . .

Long-awaited Hobbit film to begin filming in March
C.S. Lewis vs. Sigmund Freud in New York City
New Inklings novel published by IHS Press
“Tolkien Professor” Corey Olsen profiled in the Washington Post

Producers of The Hobbit Announce the Start of Principal Photography

For the last couple of years, it has seemed like the long-promised big-screen adaptation of The Hobbit was not fated to be. Financial difficulties at MGM, the haggling over production budgets, the departure of director Guillermo del Toro, and, most recently, new director Peter Jackson’s health problems led many observers to conclude that the film was jinxed.

However, 3Foot7 Ltd, the film’s production company, announced on February 7 that principal photography for the two-part Hobbit has been scheduled to begin on March 21. Peter Jackson was quoted as saying that the production process is “fully back on track” and that everyone involved with the film is “very excited to get started.” The story was reported on several news sites and Tolkien fan pages.

On February 15, an official casting call for “tall and slender” actors to play elf extras was published in New Zealand, so the momentum seems to be building.

We wish Jackson and Co. all the best on this project and hope that their adaptation will do justice to this beloved classic. We will continue to keep you updated on the film’s progress as more news is released.

Play Freud’s Last Session Pits Sigmund Freud Against C.S. Lewis

If you are in the New York area, you’ll want to make a point to see Freud’s Last Session, an off-Broadway play at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater that has been packing audiences in for months. Based on a hypothetical 1939 meeting between Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis, the two-man play showcases the two characters’ clash of worldviews (Lewis’s Christianity vs. Freud’s materialism) and explores the nature of religious belief.

Numerous reviewers, such as this one in the New York Times, have praised the play’s evenhanded portrayal of Lewis’s and Freud’s respective positions. If you are interested in learning more about Lewis’s response to the Freudian critique of religion, we recommend his essay “Religion: Reality or Substitute,” which can be found in a book of his essays titled Christian Reflections (available here from Amazon.com).

Inklings Novel Explores the Oxford of 1940

A new novel published by IHS Press features the members of the Inklings as supporting characters in a quest for a legendary Christian artifact.

Looking for the King: An Inklings Novel, written by David Downing and set in 1940, is the story of two Americans in England who join forces to seek the Spear of Destiny, the weapon that pierced Jesus’ side as he hung on the cross. Along the way, they meet and receive counsel from members of the Inklings and also encounter dark and shadowy forces trying to claim the Spear for themselves.

Fans of the Inklings will recognize in this brief plot summary similarities with the sorts of themes explored in the novels of Charles Williams and C.S. Lewis. Reactions to this novel in the press have been mixed; it has attracted both praise and criticism. We think it is worth a look, and you can purchase it at Amazon.com by clicking here.

“Tolkien Professor” Corey Olsen Profiled in the Washington Post

If you have done any exploring of the universe of podcasting in the last couple of years, you may have run across Dr. Corey Olsen, the “Tolkien Professor.” Dr. Olsen is a tenured professor of English at Washington College in Delaware, and he has made it his mission to bring a scholarly understanding of the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien to the masses.

Thousands of listeners visit Prof. Olsen’s website (http://tolkienprofessor.com) to download his free podcasts, which include standalone lectures about specific themes in Tolkien’s work, conversations with other Tolkien scholars, and complete lecture series from his courses at Washington College.

Prof. Olsen was recently recognized on the “Higher Education” page of The Washington Post for his work on Tolkien. We encourage you to read the article (click here) and find about more about the many free resources on his website that can deepen your appreciate for the “Author of the Century.”

That’s all for this issue. We’ll be in touch soon with more Inklings news. Until then, keep reading!

Inklings Info