The Inklings: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams and Their Friends by Humphrey CarpenterMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Essential Reading That's Even More Relevant Today
Humphrey Carpenter's biography might well remain the definitive account of that remarkable group of Oxford friends, including C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Charles Williams. But reading it today reveals something its 1978 audience couldn't fully appreciate: just how prophetic Lewis's concerns really were.
One of the most challenging aspects of this biography is Carpenter's portrait of Lewis as argumentatively aggressive, even "bullying" in debate. At first glance, it's easy to dismiss Lewis as an academic pugilist. But as I worked through this book (switching between the excellent Bernard Mayes audiobook and the paperback, a highly recommended approach as it mirrors how the Inklings themselves first heard each other's work read aloud), I began to see something else.
Lewis's forceful style, particularly around his 1943 book *The Abolition of Man*, wasn't just academic egotism. For Lewis, arguments about subjectivism and moral relativism weren't merely intellectual exercises. They were battles with real spiritual stakes. If he believed a line of reasoning led toward moral disaster, his intensity transforms from "harangue" (as Carpenter perhaps unfairly describes it) into something closer to desperately trying to save a friend from a grave error.
Reading this in 2025, it's striking how prophetic Lewis was. The radical consequences of subjectivism that seemed merely theoretical in the 1970s are questions we grapple with constantly today. Carpenter couldn't see this coming, but Lewis did.
My main disappointment is that Carpenter focuses heavily on biography at the expense of historical context. The Inklings weren't unique and were instead continuing a vital English tradition. They were essentially performing the same cultural service for 20th-century Oxford that Samuel Johnson's Club had performed for 18th-century London: weekly gatherings of brilliant minds at a pub, sharpening ideas through vigorous (often combative) conversation. This parallel would have enriched our understanding of what made the Inklings significant beyond their individual literary achievements.
Should You Read It? Yes, if. It's definitely worth a read, or a listen, if you're interested in Lewis, Tolkien, or mid-20th-century literary history and want to understand the friendship dynamics and intellectual context behind some of the century's most influential Christian fantasy literature. But be aware: This is biography-focused rather than literary criticism. If you're looking for a deep analysis of Lord of the Rings or the Narnia books, look elsewhere. But for understanding the men and their friendships, this is indispensable.
Despite its limitations, this remains essential reading for anyone seriously studying Lewis, Tolkien, or the intellectual history of the 20th century. Carpenter gives us the biographical foundation we need, even if we have to supply some of the broader context ourselves.
Pro tip: The audiobook (narrated by Bernard Mayes) adds wonderful immediacy. Alternating between reading and listening became part of my experience of the book itself.
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