Friday, January 14, 2005

Orwell, Chesterton and some other stuff

Orwell and Chesterton
One mightn't immediately associate Orwell and Chesterton, but Enbrethiliel over at Sancta Sanctis does just that in this post and this one. Now, I've not read the Napoleon of Notting Hill yet (shame on me!) but the connection between 1984 and The Man who was Thursday does seem solid. It's interesting that various seemingly authorative sources seem to be mistaken on this point and it's an interesting example of how a typo or a simple piece of misinformation can spread unchecked until someone, well, checks.
Am I alone?
In the comments box to this post I have been exposed as someone who quite simply doesn't like Tolkein. Now, I know he was a great Catholic writer, but I've manfully struggled to enjoy the Lord of the Rings series several times and have found them quite simply indigestible. I'm sure the fault is mine because Tolkein-worship seems to be one of the obligatory characteristics of Catholic 'bloggers, but surely I'm not alone. Anyone else willing to own up to not liking these novels?
(In case my readers are worried, I'd better include the disclaimer that I do like Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, Gilbert and Sullivan, CS Lewis, GK Chesterton, Evelyn Waugh and PG Wodehouse, so I'm not totally weird.)

No comments: