Herewith my customary apology for not being able to write substantial posts to the Ink Desk due to my hectic travel schedule. In the absence of any really lengthy post, I’m hopeful that this sort of postcard will suffice instead.

 

I write from New Hampshire. Arriving on Saturday evening I was whisked to a home in the snow-laden wastes of Manchester for a hugely enjoyable soiree at which a small group of young Catholics had assembled to read Shakespeare’s “Winter’s Tale”. The small apartment had become a stage and each member of the assembly was told that he must play a part. Amidst much laughter, wine, whiskey and conviviality we eventually reached the wonderful eucatastrophic resurrection at the play’s climax.

 

Yesterday, after Mass, I gave a talk on “Merrie Olde England” at a local parish and today I’ve been teaching at Mount Royal Academy in Sunapee. I taught classes on the Odyssey, and C. S. Lewis’ “Great Divorce”, as well as joining a discussion about the marriage of faith and reason in a class on apologetics. I also sat in on a class on the little known “Canon Yeoman’s Tale” by Chaucer, which was taught by my friend and colleague, Mitchell Kalpakgian.

 

Tomorrow morning, Dr. Kalpakgian and I will drive to Thomas More College where he will be teaching Robert Frost and I’ll be teaching Einhard’s Life of Charlemagne, as well as directing a student’s Junior Project on “Brideshead Revisited”.

 

At lunchtime tomorrow I’m giving a TV interview to a Canadian talkshow about my new book, “Bilbo’s Journey: Discovering the Hidden Meaning in The Hobbit” and on Wednesday I fly to Washington DC to film an interview with Raymond Arroyo for the World Over on EWTN. Again, the topic of discussion will be The Hobbit, in expectation of the imminent release of the movie.

 

Although I find it hard to spend so much time away from my wife and children, I feel greatly privileged to be earning a living by living the life of the mind. Deo gratias!