
Publisher and Publication Date: Black Squirrel Books/Kent State University Press. 2016.
Genre: Nonfiction. Critical analysis of the writing team of C. S. Lewis and
J. R. R. Tolkien.
Pages: 224. I counted total length of book.
Source: Self-purchase.
Audience: Tolkien and Lewis readers.
Rating: Excellent.
Summary:
Bandersnatch is a book about C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien who were friends and fellow writers. Diana Pavlac Glyer carefully researched how they influenced one another, helped with revisions, encouraged, and criticized. She wanted to know what kind of impact they had on one other?
My Thoughts:
Bandersnatch is a book a Lewis or Tolkien fan will love. Since I’m fond of both writers, this book is of joyful interest.
There are some people who beautifully and even magically click. Their personalities, common interests, and all those things they hold dear are swept up together in a strong and deep friendship. C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien had that special kind of relationship.
Several topics are explored that I enjoyed reading:
How the writers first met, how the Inklings literary group began, other influential members of the group, and their individual writings.
I enjoyed reading about Glyer’s correspondence with Christopher Tolkien.
I enjoyed reading about her findings on why the Inklings literary group worked.
I enjoyed reading about the men themselves: their personalities and brief biographical information.
The pen and ink illustrations add a strong visual appeal (especially the dragons).
Bandersnatch is adapted from a previous book Glyer wrote, The Company They Keep: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien as Writers in Community. The link is to Amazon.