Fascism, Communism, and the War for Middle-Earth with Joe Loconte
From The Green Notebook
Tolkien's Mid‑War Struggle and 'Leaf by Niggle'
Joseph Loconte recounts Tolkien's 1942 creative crisis and how the short story Leaf by Niggle renewed his commitment to finish.
Dr. Joseph Loconte joins Joe for a powerful exploration of faith, imagination, and courage in times of crisis—how two Oxford professors used story to resist the darkness of their age and inspire generations to come.
As a historian and author of The War for Middle-earth: J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis Confront the Gathering Storm, 1933–1945, Dr. Loconte reveals how the trauma of the First World War and the rise of totalitarianism shaped the moral imagination of both Tolkien and Lewis. While fascism, communism, and nihilism were eroding meaning across Europe, these two friends responded with mythic tales that reawakened the timeless virtues of courage, friendship, sacrifice, and faith.
In this conversation, Joe and Dr. Loconte unpack what it means to lead with conviction in an age of cynicism—how to confront “the gathering storm” of fear and confusion not through force, but through imagination, integrity, and truth. They explore how literature can serve as resistance, how belief can ground moral clarity, and why cultivating the inner life is essential for any leader facing dark times.
Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of the moral lessons behind The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia—and how these works still speak to the leaders, soldiers, and citizens called to stand in the breach today.
In this episode, Joe and Dr. Loconte also explore:
- How the First World War shaped Tolkien and Lewis’s understanding of evil and heroism
- Why the 1920s and 1930s created a “crisis of meaning” across the Western world
- How their friendship became a creative alliance and a moral counteroffensive
- Why The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia are, at their core, acts of defiance against despair
- What “the cataract of nonsense” teaches us about propaganda and the need for historical literacy
- The spiritual courage required to use one’s gifts—even when the world seems to be falling apart
- How both men modeled leadership through faith, fellowship, and imagination
Whether you’re leading in the military, education, or business, this episode offers timeless lessons on how conviction, creativity, and courage can help us navigate our own modern storms—and remind us that even in the darkest times, grace and goodness still have the final word.
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