If somebody said, “I want to write a book that is so aligned with your interests you would have to read it,” they’d pretty much come up with this book. History, theology, sociology, and two of my all time favorite authors. What’s not to like? Joseph Loconte wrote A 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
The First World War was a significant turning point in history. In a thousand years people will probably think it was more important than World War II, though more likely they will lump them together as the same conflict. The point is, we under value how the Great War (World War I) has influenced the world today. It’s shadow is long and continues to haunt us.
Loconte tackles this through the eyes of two great British writers, Tolkien and Lewis. He describes how their experience in the war shaped their perspectives on faith, life, and humanity. And their later writings influenced tens of millions (hundreds of millions?) of people. The norms around such themes as heroes, steadfastness, commitment…these are themes that were widely questioned in the post-war era. But Tolkien and Lewis embraced them as their contemporaries dismissed them.
If you love C.S. Lewis and/or J.R.R. Tolkien, you are going to love this book. If you are fascinated about how the Great War shaped our perspectives on faith and culture, you are going to love this book. If you are a follower of Jesus who wants to better understand how our faith, once so mainstream to the Western World, has fallen into secondary status, you are going to love this book.
It might not be a “great” book in the sense of it being widely popular, but for me and my interests, it’s a fascinating book.
