Washington Nationals Travel There and Back Again
Door Jam: May 27, 2025
The Door Jam is a place to squeeze in articles about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, their work, adaptations of their fantasy worlds, news from other franchises, and interesting articles. Unless otherwise stated, I’m not endorsing (or criticizing) any of these but merely sharing them with you.
I don’t know if anyone would mistake Washington D.C. for the Shire, but several members of the Nationals baseball team have created a book club that has them embarking on a journey through Middle-earth.
The Nats’ clubhouse book club is on a journey to Middle-earth this season
I love this story from The Washington Post about National players starting a Bible study that became a book club featuring works from Lewis and Tolkien.
This season, the Nationals’ clubhouse reading program includes some Tolkien classics, which players on the team are working their way through as part of an informal book club Williams started last season. The group, which morphed out of Bible study, consists of eight members, though it was open to all players on the roster.
“You’d never think that a bunch of baseball players wanted to be in a book club together,” closer Kyle Finnegan said. “But it’s been fun to read different stories and learn different things and hear different viewpoints.”
Finnegan and Williams have been joined by Irvin, Soroka and fellow starter MacKenzie Gore. Designated hitter Josh Bell, outfielder Alex Call and first baseman Nathaniel Lowe represent the position players, though Bell said he didn’t intend to join. Someone just put the books in his locker.
Sources:
Not Safe But Good
C.S. Lewis quote of the week
Delight is a bell that rings as you set your foot on the first step of a new flight of stairs leading upwards. Once you have started climbing, you will notice only the hard work: it is when you have reached the landing and catch sight of the new stair that you may expect the bell again.
Nov. 8, 1931 letter to Arthur Greeves, The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Vol. II
Tumnus’ bookshelf
More books by or about Lewis or Tolkien
The C.S. Lewis Collection: Biographical Works is only $8.99, a 90% discount off the regular $89.99 price. The ebook includes:
Surprised by Joy
A Grief Observed
All My Road Before Me: C.S. Lewis’ Diary
Letters to an American Lady
Letters of C. S. Lewis
The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Volume I
The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Volume II
The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Volume III
Other works on sale:
A Mind Awake: An Anthology of C. S. Lewis (ebook) — $1.99 (-89%)
The Hobbit (ebook) — $2.99 (-82%)
The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated Box Set (hardcover) — $145.79 (-55%)
Behind the Wardrobe
Sneak peek at the bonus articles
Below, paid subscribers will hear from Carey Mulligan and what amounts to confirmation for her role in Narnia, Lewis and A.I., two new books that borrow (even if unconsciously) from Lewis, Tolkien’s grandson opens up about following in his famous grandfather’s literary footsteps, the upcoming last posthumously published work from Tolkien, a new Middle-earth Lego set, the new Harry Potter trio and more.
