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C. S. Lewis, Oxford Don: An Interview with Dr. Simon Horobin

·1 hr·5 clips
Join Dr. Simon Horobin in C.S. Lewis's Oxford rooms to uncover the tutor's intimidating teaching methods and hidden life.
The episode features an interview with Dr. Simon Horobin, a professor of English at Magdalen College, Oxford, focusing on his book about C.S. Lewis's academic life. Hosts C.R. Wiley, Glenn Sunshine, and Tom Price introduce the show from Oxford, setting the scene. Dr. Horobin explains his motivation for writing the book, stemming from his proximity to Lewis's teaching spaces. He describes the Oxford tutorial system, contrasting it with American education, and shares anecdotes about Lewis's intimidating teaching style, including students reading essays while he smoked a pipe. The discussion delves into Lewis's relationships, such as his conflict with John Betjeman and a reconciliatory letter. Dr. Horobin addresses why Lewis never secured a professorship at Oxford, citing his evangelical reputation and academic rivalries, including with J.R.R. Tolkien. The episode covers Lewis's living arrangements in college rooms, his involvement in groups like the Inklings and Socratic Club, and his later move to Cambridge. Insights into Lewis's writing style, his views on academic criticism, and his pub habits are also shared. The conversation concludes with reflections on the differences between Oxford and Cambridge universities and Lewis's enduring legacy.

As heard by us

A grounded Magdalen College conversation that situates C.S. Lewis in the Oxford rooms, syllabus, and pub culture around him.

The Pugcast goes to Magdalen College in Oxford for a conversation with Simon Horobin, a professor of English language and literature whose work ranges from medieval literature to C.S. Lewis. Speaking from that college setting, Horobin discusses C.S.

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Why you'd press play

Want C.S. Lewis through Magdalen College, medieval English, Oxford rooms, and the Inklings' pub-and-college orbit?

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