The Company They Keep: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien as Writers in Community Book

It is a wonderfully thought provoking book. Easy to read, very clear writing, and incredibly well referenced. The extensive footnotes at the end of each chapter were just as rewarding as the chapter itself.

The book is a study of literary influence, using the Inklings as a case study. There has (evidentially) been a great deal of denial over the mutual influence of the Inklings on any particular member's particular work. First, the author goes through the four previously defined types of literary influence (Someone else's seminal work defined these 4 types, our author uses that as a frame, and then adds a fifth type) and shows how the Inklings provided that particular role for each other; second, she puzzles out why literary influence should be such an inflammatory topic. Following that is an appendix giving a brief biographical sketch of each Inkling, and even the Appendix is excellent.

It was clear, well organized, well written, thought provoking, extraordinarily well referenced .. my only complaint is that her second section was so short.

For anyone fascinated by literary influence theory or Inkling studies. I'll be re-reading this book.