The end of this semester gave us the opportunity to read works by both C.S. Lewis as well as J.R.R. Tolkien and to learn of the vibrant history that the two authors have. We learned not only of the numerous works that they have written, but also of their personal histories and where the works that made them famous had their roots. Beyond this, we took a look at their relationship with each other and the group that they started at Oxford University known as The Inklings. This lead us to an interesting series of discussions in which we were able to compare the two while appreciating the works of both of the famous authors.
I, myself, am a huge fan of Tolkien but never really cared for Lewis or any of his works. The seminars that we had helped me to get a more in depth look at the life and works of Lewis and lead me to the truth that I wrote him off before taking a real look at his work. While it is true that I will never be a fan of his Chronicles of Narnia series, I allowed this bias to keep me from even exploring his other works. These other works are things that are much closer to my personal taste and interests. It may be time to look at some new Lewis. New to me, at least.
At the end of the day, I am still a major fan of Tolkien and these seminars allowed me to see the man behind the magical works that I have loved for years. Beyond that, I look forward to the lecture and seminar series that is coming to the center in the ring that is centered around The Lord of the Rings. This is, as is true with many people, my favorite series of his. I look forward to getting lost in the books again and really look forward to getting lost in the with other scholars.