Had there been no Great War, there would have been no Hobbit, no Lord of the Rings, no Narnia, and perhaps no conversion to Christianity by C. S. Lewis.

The First World War laid waste to a continent and brought about the end of innocence-and the end of faith. Unlike a generation of young writers who lost faith in the God of the Bible, however, J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis found that the Great War deepened their spiritual quest. Both men served as soldiers on the Western Front, survived the trenches, and used the experience of that conflict to ignite their Christian imagination.

Tolkien and Lewis produced epic stories infused with the themes of guilt and grace, sorrow and consolation. Giving an unabashedly Christian vision of hope in a world tortured by doubt and disillusionment, the two writers created works that changed the course of literature and shaped the faith of millions. This is the first book to explore their work in light of the spiritual crisis sparked by the conflict.

About the Author
Joseph Loconte, PhD, is a Presidential Scholar in Residence at New College of Florida and the C. S. Lewis Scholar for Public Life at Grove City College. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum. He is the author of the New York Times 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 (Thomas Nelson, 2015). Dr. Loconte's commentary on religion and public life appears in the nation's leading journals and newspapers, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, National Affairs, the New Criterion, National Geographic, Law and Liberty, the National Interest, and National Review. For ten years he served as a commentator for National Public Radio's All Things Considered. He was the winner of the 2017 Best Article award from the Tolkien Society for his article "How J. R. R. Tolkien Found Mordor on the Western Front."


Book Information
ISBN 9780718091453
Author Joseph Loconte
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint Thomas Nelson Publishers
Publisher Thomas Nelson Publishers
Weight(grams) 249g
Dimensions(mm) 212mm * 139mm * 30mm