Two Unlikely Friends and the Books They Wrote and Read (CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien): Dr. Joseph Loconte (author of the NYT bestseller, "A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War")(Ep. 42)
Brush the dust off that book on your top shelf. The one you keep there to look extra smart. Because there's a reason that book has been around for over one hundred years. It's actually really good! Many people immediately associate the word "classics" with dull, out-of-date bores that they have to trudge through in high school and college. However, this isn't always true. Sure, some have existed merely because they are hard to read and make the reader feel smarter by finishing them, nevertheless, many still stand today because generations have found them enthralling. Join us today as we discuss classics, J.R.R Tolkien and C.S. Lewis' friendship, and why we should care about it all with Dr. Joseph Loconte. Dr. Loconte is the author of the NYT bestseller, "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," and director of the B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies at the Heritage Foundation. He is also an AWC Family Foundation Fellow. Don't forget to grab a classic on your way out! May I suggest The Great Gatsby or Dracula?
Unfortunately, we forgot to ask our last two questions. Here they are and Dr. Loconte's answers:
1. What books have had an impact on you and why?
After the Bible, I would say:
--"Modern Times: A History of the World from the 1920s to 1980s," by Paul Johnson. I read it many years ago, and I think it was the first history book I read that showed how bad ideas about God and morality can lead to terrible consequences in the world. It got me excited about history.
--"Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther," by Roland Bainton. This was my introduction to the great Protestant Reformer, Martin Luther, and I came away deeply impressed by Luther’s courage and commitment to the Scriptures
I could add many more (Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity, etc.), but I’ll leave it there.
2. What advice do you have for teenagers?
Pursue the activities, books, music, hobbies, and friends that really engage you, bring out the best in you, stir up your creativity and bring you joy. Don’t worry about trying to find the “one thing” that you’re good at, because God gives all of us various gifts—not just one gift—to serve Him and others. And, with the help of family and friends and the grace of God, you’ll discover what those gifts are over time.
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