This week, Chris is joined by Eric Geddes, longtime friend of the show, to talk about George MacDonald's bizarre-yet-beautiful fairy story, "The Golden Key." 
Feel free to read it first, or listen to it on Librivox: Part 1, Part 2
We talk about the following:
George MacDonald's life
The "plot" (or lack thereof--hang in there!) of "The Golden Key"
Parallels with C.S. Lewis' work (especially The Problem of Pain)
Tolkien's reaction and general crotchetiness in old age
Other works like "The Golden Key"
I probably bring up Miyazaki a bit too much

Recommended books and films:
Tales Before Tolkien (ed. by Douglas Anderson)
Spells of Enchantment (ed. by Jack Zipes)
Peter and Wendy, by J.M Barrie
The Problem of Pain, by C.S. Lewis
Smith of Wootton Major, by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Boy and the Heron and Howl's Moving Castle (films) by Hayao Miyazaki
The Song of Bernadette movie that Tolkien liked when he seemed to like very little else--starring (among others) a young Vincent Price!

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Next week: The House by the Stable, by Charles Williams
 

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