End of an Era

Status
Not open for further replies.

bookslover

Puritan Board Doctor
Last January, Christopher Tolkien - son of J. R. R. Tolkien and his literary executor and general keeper-of-the-flame, died at 95.

Now, here in December, at the other end of the year, Walter Hooper - C. S. Lewis's last personal secretary and his literary executor and general keeper-of-the-flame, has died at 89.
 
Last January, Christopher Tolkien - son of J. R. R. Tolkien and his literary executor and general keeper-of-the-flame, died at 95.

Now, here in December, at the other end of the year, Walter Hooper - C. S. Lewis's last personal secretary and his literary executor and general keeper-of-the-flame, has died at 89.
Interesting. I had thought Lewis’s stepson Doug Gresham was in that role.
 
He did a lot of good work tracking things down and making even ephemera available.
 
One of his best achievements was publishing those three fat volumes of Lewis's letters that came out some years ago.
Yes, the letters are one of the most valuable collections. I'm also glad for the essays, poems, and stories that were found. The reviews were probably the least valuable thing (compare Image and Imagination with Selected Literary Essays) but it's still nice to have them.
 
Yes, the letters are one of the most valuable collections. I'm also glad for the essays, poems, and stories that were found. The reviews were probably the least valuable thing (compare Image and Imagination with Selected Literary Essays) but it's still nice to have them.

Yes, I have several of those volumes, and one of these days, I'm going to get around to reading them.

It's too bad that Lewis never wrote something like an "Introduction to the History of English Literature." That could have been a marvelous book. I have his "big book," the English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, Excluding Drama (1954), but that book assumes a considerable amount of prior knowledge on the part of the reader. A missed opportunity.
 
Yes, I have several of those volumes, and one of these days, I'm going to get around to reading them.

It's too bad that Lewis never wrote something like an "Introduction to the History of English Literature." That could have been a marvelous book. I have his "big book," the English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, Excluding Drama (1954), but that book assumes a considerable amount of prior knowledge on the part of the reader. A missed opportunity.

Almost all of his books assume prior knowledge! It was a problem with his conversation as well, where he was charitably assuming that other people were as learned as he. Given how much he hated and tried to reduce the OHEL project, an introduction to literary history was probably never on the cards. Some of the other volumes of the OHEL are quite good, like J.A.W. Bennett's and Douglas Bush's.
 
Since they are dead now, I think it is time we rewrite and add more inclusion and diversity into their novels. I envision transgender orcs and gay elves and disabled hobbits. Frodo should be changed to a woman. All must be represented!
 
Almost all of his books assume prior knowledge! It was a problem with his conversation as well, where he was charitably assuming that other people were as learned as he. Given how much he hated and tried to reduce the OHEL project, an introduction to literary history was probably never on the cards. Some of the other volumes of the OHEL are quite good, like J.A.W. Bennett's and Douglas Bush's.

Related, sort of: I'm toying with the idea of reading The Cambridge History of English Literature - the old series (16 volumes, I think) published from 1907-1927. Sometimes I like the older series of this type than the newer series. The scholarship is just as good (for its day), but the writing seems warmer, if you know what I mean, not quite so academic-sounding.
 
Yes, there was lots of good literary criticism and history done in the late 1800 and early 1900s, when scholars had personalities but before flippancy and hostility to everything normal in your author became primary virtues. Certainly there's a lot to learn from W.P. Ker and Paul Elmer More (contributors to the Cambridge History of English and American Literature, respectively). It's all available on Bartleby, but I don't want to read it stuck to my laptop.
 
Yes, there was lots of good literary criticism and history done in the late 1800 and early 1900s, when scholars had personalities but before flippancy and hostility to everything normal in your author became primary virtues. Certainly there's a lot to learn from W.P. Ker and Paul Elmer More (contributors to the Cambridge History of English and American Literature, respectively). It's all available on Bartleby, but I don't want to read it stuck to my laptop.

As for the Cambridge History of the English Language, I found a hardcopy set at a library I frequent. And the type is nice and large, which will be good for my 68-year-old eyes.

Incidentally, if you're interested in English literature's history, you should check out George Saintsbury (1845-1933), an Englishman who was an expert on both English and French literature. His A Short History of English Literature (1898) is so good that it continued to be reprinted into the 1970s, at least. (And, by "short," he means about 850 pages of smallish print.)
 
As for the Cambridge History of the English Language, I found a hardcopy set at a library I frequent. And the type is nice and large, which will be good for my 68-year-old eyes.

Incidentally, if you're interested in English literature's history, you should check out George Saintsbury (1845-1933), an Englishman who was an expert on both English and French literature. His A Short History of English Literature (1898) is so good that it continued to be reprinted into the 1970s, at least. (And, by "short," he means about 850 pages of smallish print.)
There's a lot of Saintsbury in the CHEL, in fact. Congratulations on the library find!
 
As if shuffling around in a world made for people twice his size wasn't enough of a disability already....
I’m 6’2” and I think you should be canceled for the insensitivity to all my concussions from visits to The Shire.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top