The Oxford Inklings: Their Lives, Writings, Ideas, and Influence by Colin Duriez

by Colin Duriez

A unique account of one of history's most intriguing literary groups, which will find itself on the reading list of every serious Tolkien, Lewis, or Inkling fan.

The Inklings were an influential group, along the lines of the Lake Poets or the Bloomsbury Group. Acclaimed author Colin Duriez explores their lives, their writings, their ideas, and, crucially, the influence they had on each other. Examining the clear purpose behind the group while celebrating its diversity and lack of formality, Duriez explains how this eclectic group of friends, without formal membership, agenda, and minutes, could have a program that shaped the publication and ideas of the leading participants. The Inklings met weekly for many years in Oxford, to discuss and read their writings—conversation was as important to them as writing—and so the city of Oxford, and its pubs where conversations were borne out, feature, as does the Christian faith of the defining members, which influenced them greatly. C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were at the group's center, but who else was involved, and why do Owen Barfield and Charles Williams matter so much? The Oxford Inklings explores the complex and fascinating interactions of the group, including the women on the fringes, such as Dorothy L. Sayers and Lewis's wife, Joy Davidman.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Christian, Audiobook, Christianity, Books About Books

Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Colin Duriez is an English writer and scholar best known for his work on the Inklings, the literary circle that included C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Owen Barfield, and Charles Williams. Born in Derbyshire in 1947, he moved to Leicester in 1983 to work as a commissioning editor for the publisher IVP. Over the years he has combined editorial work with teaching, and in 2002 he established his own business, InWriting, in Keswick, Cumbria, providing writing and editorial services as well as book acquisition for publishers.
Winner of the Clyde S. Kilby Award in 1994 for his research on the Inklings, Duriez has been praised as one of the most valuable contemporary scholars on Lewis. His numerous books explore the lives, friendships, and imaginative worlds of Lewis and Tolkien, including Bedeviled: Lewis, Tolkien, and the Shadow of Evil, The Oxford Inklings, and Tolkien and C. S. Lewis: The Gift of Friendship. His work has been lauded for accessibility, scholarly insight, and fresh perspectives.
Duriez has also appeared in television documentaries such as A Quest for Meaning – Myth, Imagination & Faith in the Literature of J. R. R. Tolkien & C. S. Lewis. He lives in Wallingford, Oxfordshire.

Reviews

[Cindy Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I assumed I would like this book having heard the author speak in Oxford, but I was surprised by just how much I loved it. Very well written with new information in some places but surprising connections in other places. He also detailed some information on walking tours Lewis took which helps me in a current project.

[Justin Wiggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant book by my friend and scholar Colin Duriez about the dynamic friendships of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, Owen Barfield, Hugo Dyson, Warnie Lewis, and other members of the Inklings literary group that would meet in Oxford for beer, cider, pipe tobacco, banter, rich conversation, debate, and to offer constructive criticism when sharing their writings.

Colin gave me this signed copy when I stayed with him and his brilliant storyteller wife Cindy Zudys in Wallingford, England back in December of 2022. This is a book that has been incredibly encouraging to me, and it makes me thankful for The Inklings community of people I have in my life. It feels good to finally write a proper review of this amazing book! I highly recommend it!

[Edoardo Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friendship is an elusive beast, being made of the affections and interests and shared histories, so how much more difficult is it to write a biography of a group of friends than it is to write a biography of a particular person. In The Oxford Inklings, Duriez attempts to tell the story of a most singular group of friends, the miscellaneous bunch of academics, plus an assortment of solicitors, soldiers and doctors, that made up the Inklings, the most significant literary group of the 20th century. While the Bloomsbury Set garnered more column inches during their existence, as did the Algonquin Round Table, in terms of sales and influence, the Inklings leave all other literary coteries in the dust of deleted books. For people knew to the study of Tolkien, Lewis and their circle, Duriez does a good job of relating the parts the less attested Inklings played in the life of the group, particularly Owen Barfield. Lewis wrote, with both philosophical passion and writerly detachment, on the nature of friendship and it is clear that his analysis stems from the central role that friendship, particularly male friendship, as much based on debate and disagreement and mutual, good humoured derision as it is on beer and companionship, played in his own life and work. Without the Inklings, neither Tolkien and Lewis would have achieved half of what they did achieve. So thank Eru and Aslan for the Inklings – the literary circle whose conversations I would most wish to have been invited to hear.

[Lisa-Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a terrific book to read right before traveling to Oxford and re-tracing the steps of C.S. Lewis. It presents the lives of Lewis, Tolkien and others as they relate to Oxford. You can’t help but love the idea of brilliant, eccentric men ensconced in a pub meeting weekly to discuss God and writing. It just works. I enjoyed the insights into what kept the group going, and why it fell apart. I learned how obstinate C.S. Lewis was about his beliefs, both his doubts and his certainties. I went to the same pub when I was in Oxford – the Eagle and Child – or as the Inklings called it “The Bird and Baby.” It was perfect. Very quaint. Very evocative.

[Barnard Madsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The name “Inklings” fairly describes what Lewis called the “inconsolable longing” we feel in this world for a world we knew before - and which he defined as Joy (in Surprised by Joy). After Lewis’s conversion, each member of the group shared two things: Christianity (thought not necessarily the same denomination or views) and a desire to write. The result of their friendship and interaction was the creation of imaginative myth (Lord of the Rings, The Narnia Chronicles, among others) as a medium to teach ancient truths to modern readers. (Although enjoyable, this book could have been helped by a skillful editor: seemed patchwork and repetitive in places).

[J.D. Sutter · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
This is a very well-researched book. It's apparent that the author has studied not only the works of the writers highlighted here but also their correspondence and other writings about them as well.

It is a great overview of each of the members of the Inklings and covers their initial introductions to the core group, their notable works, and some of their interactions with the group over its existence. It is not a detailed biography of any of the members, nor is it a deep exploration of the merits of the group as a whole. Rather, it serves as a presentation of the timelines of the members and their participation in the writing group, and while it recognizes the influence each member had on the others, the author does not go too far into speculating and theorizing about the whys, hows, what-ifs, or maybes of the group's purpose or effectiveness in pursuing such.

As some other reviews have mentioned, there are some instances of repetition as the author covers points where some members' stories intersect prior to, during, and after the formation of the Inklings, but I didn't find it tiresome. Overall, it's an excellent place to start digging into this fascinating group of writers whose collective impact on English literature was so great.

[Jessica]

I enjoyed this book, it seems to offer a thorough scope of the life of the inklings group, their members, and the friendships within. I had to Google many words and it would have been easier to digest if I had a better understanding of eras and what define them. This is the same for types of literature. Other terms that would have been helpful if I understood “Old Look” “New Look” “Old Western” or “Old European” (I did some Google with minimal success). Also much of their philosophical perspectives were over my head. I did some googling to get an idea, but mostly appreciated it as exposure that may develop into clarity over time spent in future Inklings readings.

[Rafael Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written and structured study of the lives, friendship and influence of the Inklings. Duriez's smooth writing is highly enjoyable and the content of these lives are fascinating. It functions as a testimony of friendship, the power of unity in diversity, and literary excellence at the service of the Kingdom. It is also a helpful assistance in placing Lewis within his context beyond standalone biographies. Well-worth reading.

[Dee Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audible sale (#31 of 40) 6 hours 36 min. Narrated by Simon Vance (B)
"What? You too! I thought I was the only one!"

[Jon Cheek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good overall. A bit repetitive at times.

[Aidan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice walkthrough the life and times of the group.

[John H · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written book. I was looking for more of the philosophy of the writers. In particular, I was interested to learn more about how they were in a sense, a counter-cultural force against modernism by reaching back to medieval values and ideas to elevate fantasy literature to a respectable genre. Likewise, I wanted to learn more about the views that one can achieve knowledge through the imagination. I am not an avid fantasy reader nor an avid Lewis or Tolkien fan. I am familiar with them and found this book based on a recommendation from a recent World War I novel I had read relating to Lewis and Tolkien. What this book offers is an in-depth collection of primary and secondary source information about who the Inklings were, when they met, where they met, and how those meetings may have influenced each other's writings. My interest was not fully satisfied, but I do not think my comment discredits the author. As it turns out, there is not a lot of material recording the substance of the Inklings' discussions. What Mr. Duriez has compiled is an excellent source for the factual evidence of the Inklings meetings.

[Readnponder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Humphrey Carpenter wrote the first major biography of the Inklings in 1978. Since then, more materials have become public making Carpenter’s book somewhat dated. (For instance, we now have all of C.S. Lewis’s letters in the 3-volume collection edited by Walter Hooper.) Duriez’s work is more recent and serves as a quick survey to the major players within the Inklings. For a more comprehensive treatment, go to The Fellowship by the Zaleskis. He includes helpful appendices including short bios of each member and a chronology.

The first few chapters were slow; however, the pace picked up once the men came together in Oxford and formed the Inklings--almost as if the synergy they drew from each other transferred to the page, quickening the narrative for the reader. Not an exhaustive treatment of the Inklings, but a good starting place.

[Garrett Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Oxford Inklings may not be the award winner for originality in this topic, but Duriez does an astonishing job at compiling and refreshing the important facts in a way that makes us think differently about them again. It's as if Duriez is a friend you have who's gone over all the material and is brilliantly summing up and tying all his acquired information together to achieve a lucid and compelling argument. I would recommend it to anyone who knows nothing of The Inklings, and those who do a thing or two.

[Janet Croft · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, solid history of the Inklings, with some very useful insights. A complement and needed update to Carpenter's The Inklings, incorporating more recent findings and research, but not groundbreaking like Diana Pavlac Glyer's The Company They Keep -- but then it's a general study, and Pavlac's book had a particular focus on the Inklings as a writing group.

[Meagan | The Chapter House · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly a well-researched deep dive into the Inklings! However, I found it a bit too deep at times, and as others have mentioned, repetitive. I was skimming by the end, just to legitimately (as best I could) say I finished it. So much information, that often read like a textbook...it’s not for the faint of heart or casual observer of the Inklings.

[Cheryl Okimoto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very interesting, but there were a number of places where I wanted more information, especially when he referred to the content of writings by the Inklings without giving examples. If you're interested in the Inklings, you'll probably like this book, but beware because it might generate a new reading wish list!

[S · Rating 2 out of 5]

While moderately informative, the author fails to establish a clear narrative. Additionally, he has a strong bias for C.S. Lewis and focusses on him unduely. Rather than give an acutal overview of the Inklings as a whole, he mostly uses them as a tool to highlight Lewis.

[Briana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The biographical sketches are wonderful but the real magic of this book is the insights to what (and who!) propelled these men, and the societal ideas they were engaging with.

[John Hubbard · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a Christmas gift. The author was polemic and repetitive. He seemed unwilling to make a statement beyond a well known history that he just rehashed.

[Krysta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing really new here. The information can be found easily enough in other books about the Inklings. A nice overview for newcomers, though.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this except for the large amount of repetition. I know it wasn't intended as a straightforward biography of those involved, but some chronological structure might have helped.

[Nickie Greer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m pretty sure this was his graduate thesis with a dust jacket. Obscenely thorough and dry, but I’m sure he’s a nice guy in person.

[Melissa Vinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been meaning to read a book about the Inklings for some time, so even though I already had my tbr planned for this month, when this audiobook popped up in my suggestions on Scribd, I immediately saved it and started listening.

The biographical sketches of each of these men were so insightful and even though I knew a good bit about JRRT’s and CSL’s lives, I went in knowing next to nothing about the other men in their circle. This book is filled with lots of interesting thoughts and ideas about the members of this literary group and now I want to read individual bios on all of them, as well as seek out more of their works! I enjoyed this book immensely and highly recommend it if you want to know more about these men, what influenced them to write, and the influence they had on each other.

[Adam English · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you have a sincere interest in the Inklings, you’d be more informed and entertained by Wikipedia. Dull Christian historical revisionism that fetishises Lewis as the intellectual and creative heart of the group, while dismissing and denigrating Tolkien at every turn.

The most, and perhaps only, interesting insight is how deliberately they wished to rehabilitate myth and literary romance for adult readers of their time - though admittedly this is probably well trodden ground in other published works such as their letters and biographies.

This book transparently reads as an Apologia Lewis, lazily reframed as an account of the Inklings, no doubt to broaden readership appeal.

As an aside, the prose is saturated in misogyny. Not surprised to learn the author was charged with historic child sex offences against a young girl.

[Andrea Engle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The community of writers and academics surrounding C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, originally a circle of friends engaged in writing about Christianity and aspects of the spiritual in every-day life, have been dubbed the Oxford Inklings … they were active from the mid-1930’s thru the Second World War and the austere 1950’s to the early 1960’s when C. S. Lewis’s death ended the practice of reading works in progress, commenting critically on this material, and conversing intelligently on whatever happened to come up … in an Appendix, the author includes biographical sketches of all the known Oxford Inklings … the author also includes a very helpful Chronology, and an eight-page Bibliography … absolutely stellar …

[Zac McNeal · Rating 4 out of 5]

C. S. Lewis famously wrote, “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” This book is essentially a book about friendship, albeit a group of friendships that had an unexpectedly broad impact, especially on Christian readers the world over. Duriez does an excellent job of describing these friendships, and especially the contributions of the lesser known members to both the lives and the works of the better known. Even without the literary output, may such friendship always be possible.

Also, please read all of Charles Williams' novels.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I really enjoyed learning about the habits, achievements, and personalities of ALL of the Inklings. Of course, some stuck out more than others- such as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Warnie Lewis. All of them played a significant role though. They were like their own team. It was amazing that nearly all of them were Christians with very similar beliefs as me. Some of them called themselves Christians but believed very odd things that are counter to what I believe a Christian believes. It shows how powerful the LORD is. Amazing book. Definitely one of my favorite biography books I've read so far. I now am interested in reading bios of all of the members.

[Grace (alatteofliterature) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is there another group of literary enthusiasts more famous than The Inklings? This book has been on my list for a while as a longtime fan of multiple members. Perhaps the best part of Duriez’s work is delving into the lesser-known names: Owen Barfield and Charles Williams.

This book feels like enjoying a cozy warm drink by the fire with your favorite authors.

Warning: this book may cause the reader to abandon their predetermined reading list in favor of rereading their favorites works from these authors.

[Gavin McGrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful work with crystal clear writing and an impressive depth of research. The Inklings were a group seemingly impossible to define without losing an important feature. Dazzlingly brilliant, erudite, eccentric, but intensely human: each Oxonian (but, of course, Lewis and Tolkien supremely) is worthy of our admiration and study. While they have influenced generations of us, I suspect we will never again see quite their kind. Duriez has provided us a splendid service.