Reviews
In 1979 Margaret P. Hannay reviewed The Inklings for Christianity & Literature, describing it as a collective biography that challenges idealized portrayals of the Oxford literary circle. She wrote that Carpenter argues the group was held together primarily by personal loyalty to C.S. Lewis rather than by shared religious, mythic, or literary commitments. Hannay noted how the book is organized around Lewis's life and traces the formation, peak, and gradual dissolution of the Inklings group, which existed in its most recognizable form for less than a decade, and praised Carpenter's balanced handling of complex material, particularly his candid portrayal of Charles Williams, including both his virtues and his troubling fascination with power and the occult. Hannay commended Carpenter for addressing the group's less admirable traits, such as intellectual insularity, resistance to modern literature, and exclusionary attitudes toward women. While noting weaknesses in the book's scholarly apparatus—particularly a limited bibliography—she concluded that The Inklings is an important and illuminating study that may unsettle admirers of Lewis, Tolkien, and Williams but ultimately provides a more honest and humane understanding of the group. [1]
In 1980 David Greenwood reviewed The Inklings for the National Forum . Greenwood saw the book as a valuable study of the Oxford-based literary circle, and wrote that Carpenter presents the Inklings primarily as a group bound by friendship, shared intellectual commitments, and the practice of reading and critiquing one another's work, rather than as a formal literary movement. He noted that Carpenter used unpublished letters of Charles Williams, personal recollections, and archival materials to give the book an immediacy and authority unavailable in earlier accounts. According to the reviewer, Carpenter is particularly strong in tracing the complex personal relationships within the group, especially the mutual influence between Lewis and Tolkien and the distinctive role played by Charles Williams. The Inklings’ meetings at Magdalen College and local pubs helped shape major literary works, including The Lord of the Rings and Lewis's writings. Greenwood acknowledged that some of Carpenter's interpretations—particularly his assessments of Lewis's later literary success and his comparative evaluation of Williams—may be controversial. Despite these reservations, he concluded that The Inklings is a persuasive and engaging portrait of the group and an important contribution to Tolkien and Lewis studies. [2]
In 2001 Wojciech Chudziński [ pl ], reviewing the Polish translation of The Inklings for Świat Gier Komputerowych , described the importance of the group's meetings during which they read and discussed drafts of their works, offering critiques and encouragement in an atmosphere of friendship and shared imagination. According to Chudziński, these gatherings helped shape works such as Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium and Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia . Chudziński highlighted Carpenter's credentials as a biographer of Tolkien and praised the book for its insights into the creative processes, personal relationships, and mutual influences within the group. He recommended The Inklings as a valuable contribution to understanding of how literary friendship and collaboration contributed to some of the most influential fantasy literature of the twentieth century. [3]
