Newest Additions to My Library (and Fall Academic Plans)

I am a story-lover.  Perhaps that is obvious.  I am also a bibliophile.  Perhaps that also is obvious.  But I am a slow, discerning bibliophile.  Perhaps that is not obvious.  My library grows one book at a time.  Rarely will you see me emerge from a bookshop with more than two under my arm.  But … Continue reading Newest Additions to My Library (and Fall Academic Plans)

“Influence”:  Tolkien’s Guide to Non-Plagiarism

In glancing over the posts I have published over the last five months, it appears I have accidentally written a series on specific elements of mythology that Tolkien incorporated into his work.  No doubt there will be more of these in future (the material is vast), but I have paused to articulate how he manages … Continue reading “Influence”:  Tolkien’s Guide to Non-Plagiarism

Some Parallels Pertaining to Ravens (and Other Beasts of Battle)

Ravens appear in several places across western mythology.  They are present in folklore, such as the tale of The Seven Ravens, and in Greek myth, where they are associated with Apollo.  Ravens are prominent symbols in Norse and Germanic mythology and in Anglo-Saxon poetry, and J.R.R. Tolkien uses them for similar purposes in The Hobbit. … Continue reading Some Parallels Pertaining to Ravens (and Other Beasts of Battle)