Tolkien Lecture 2018 | “In Search of Doors” by V. E. Schwab

"A fantasy set entirely in another world is an escapism with limits. You can read about it, sure, but you can never really get there. Fantasy with a door, a portal, a way in; that breeds a different kind of belief. It is the difference between Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. Middle-Earth is accessible only on the page, but Narnia had a door at the back of a wardrobe..." - V. E. Schwab

How the “Swedish Nightingale” Became “The Snow Queen” | Happy Birthday Hans Christian Andersen!

In honour of Hans Christian Andersen’s 213th birthday today I thought I would explore a link between two of his most famous fairy tales – "The Nightingale" and "The Snow Queen". That link is Jenny Lind, a beloved Swedish opera singer of the 19th century.