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Tolkien and Lewis – Friendship That Redefined Fantasy

In this episode, Tolkien biographer John Garth and Professor Diane Purkiss hold a fascinating discussion exploring the bonds between J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, and the impact they had on each other’s work.

About the Speakers

Diane Purkiss

Diane Purkiss

Diane Purkiss is Professor of English literature at the University of Oxford, and fellow in English at Keble College. She has published widely on witchcraft, fairies, and fantasy, and on the English Civil War, and her most recent book is English food: a People’s history (William Collins, November 2022). She is now working on a book on the writing process, which includes a chapter on CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien, and a book on the English at sea.

John Garth

John Garth

John Garth is known worldwide for his award-winning writing on Tolkien’s life and work. His books Tolkien and the Great War and The Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien are available in 18 languages in all. John read English at St Anne’s College, Oxford, and was a newspaper journalist for many years. He talks and teaches on Tolkien internationally.