The War for Middle-Earth: J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Confront the Gathering Storm, 1933-1945

For fans of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, discover the story behind their unique friendship forged in the darkness of World War II and how it inspired the stories of The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia and Mere Christianity.

In a world devastated by the cataclysm of war, two extraordinary authors and friends, J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, delivered a bracing vision of the human story: a path back to goodness, beauty, and faith. How did they do it?

For the first time, historian Joseph Loconte explains how the catastrophe of World War II trans­formed the lives and literary imagination of Tolkien and Lewis. The mechanized slaughter of the First World War had created a storm of disillusionment with the political and religious ideals of Western civilization. The new ideologies of Modernism, communism, Nazism, and totalitarianism rushed to fill the vacuum. At stake was a contest between civilization and barbarism. Tolkien and Lewis sought each other out in friendship and threw themselves into the struggle.

The War for Middle-earth explores how their most beloved works--The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Chron­icles of Narnia, Mere Christianity--were conceived in the shadow of the most devastating and dehumanizing war in history. Like no other authors of their age, Tolkien and Lewis used their imagi­nation to reclaim for their generation--and for ours--those deeds of valor and virtue and love that have always kept a lamp burning, even in the deepest darkness.

In The War for Middle-earth you will:

• Be inspired by Tolkien's and Lewis's Christian imagination, which even today has the power to transform hearts desperate for hope and truth
• Find encouragement and strength to resist evil in our own day
• Discover how a biblical view of truth and beauty can light the path out of the deepest darkness

Combining a careful study of history and compelling storytelling, The War for Middle-earth reveals the remarkable achievement of these authors and friends: a recovery of heroism and faith despite deep sorrow and suffering. Here are enduring lessons for today's cultural moment and essential reading if you want to discover how great stories can reveal great truths.

Author: Joseph Loconte
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 11/18/2025
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.89lbs
Size: 9.18h x 6.34w x 0.94d
ISBN: 9781400247936


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 11/01/2025

About the Author
Loconte, Joseph: - Joseph Loconte, PhD, is an author, historian, and filmmaker. He serves as Director of The Rivendell Center in New York City. He is a Presidential Scholar at New College of Florida and a Senior Fellow at the Sagamore Institute. Mr. Loconte's commentary appears in outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, National Affairs, The New Criterion, National Geographic, Law and Liberty, The National Interest, and National Review. For ten years Mr. Loconte served as a commentator for National Public Radio's All Things Considered. A native of Brooklyn, New York, he divides his time between Washington, DC, and New York City.