+ Mark links to an interesting take on The Children of Hurin by the psuedonymous Spengler of Asia Times Online. The lead:
J R R Tolkien was the most Christian of 20th-century writers, not because he produced Christian allegory and apologetics like his friend C S Lewis, but because he uniquely portrayed the tragic nature of what Christianity replaced. Thanks to the diligence of his son Christopher, who reconstructed the present volume from several manuscripts, we have before us a treasure that sheds light on the greater purpose of his The Lord of the Rings.
+ Could one definition of 'genius' be the person who finally tells you what makes perfect sense? I'd put Tom in that category. I'd also put Bjorn Lomborg in there. I read his stuff or listen to him and wonder 'How can anyone disagree with this?' That we should invest our global aid on projects that will have the most benefit?
And, in case you were wondering, I actually stumbled across Lomborg first ;-)
Anyway, Tom links Bjorn again today, specifically a brief interview on the Jim Lehrer News Hour. I went from there to Wikipedia , and found Bjorn's TED talk over there.
2 comments:
re: "one definition of 'genius'--I like it, but then I remember that lots of smart people I knew in grad school had that very reaction when first reading, say, M. Foucault ;-)
then again, reading something in grad school differs quite a bit from reading something as a dad participating in the culture of work, no? I'd like to think my baloney meter is a lot more accurate nowadays.
Lomberg's thoughts keep bringing to mind the econ 101 phrase "opportunity cost." and hegel's notion of tragedy.
Tolkien--I love The Lord of the Rings as I love few other works. But in recent years I've found myself drawn more and more to the world--and esp. the sound--of The Silmarillion. I've bumped into some reports, here and there, of a Silmarillion film adaptation. I hope it never gets off the ground.
Foucault: ugh ;-)
baloney meter is right. you know what: i have a wife and kids. can you please make this relevant...
sound is right, too: have you heard the C Tolkien reading of the 'Beren and Luthien' chapter from the Silmarillion? the best
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