The Plunge with Derek Holser

The Creatures of Narnia: Animals in Literature | Simon Horobin

Welcome to Episode 7 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals. 
 
 
 
 
Today's guest is Simon Horobin, PhD. Simon and I discuss a number of the creatures of Narnia, from C.S. Lewis's beloved book series. Featured topics include the brave Reepicheep, the steadfast Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, the enigmatic Mr. Tumnus, and of course, the glorious Aslan. 
 
 
 
 
Simon Horobin is Professor of English Language and Literature and Fellow and Tutor in English at Magdalen College. He has written extensively on medieval linguistic and literary topics; recent books include A History of English Spelling (EUP, 2025), Bagels, Bumf, and Buses: A Day in the Life of the English Language (OUP, 2019), The English Language: A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2018), How English Became English (OUP, 2016), and Does Spelling Matter? (OUP, 2013). He has lectured widely on C.S. Lewis and was curator of the exhibition "C.S. Lewis: Words and Worlds (Magdalen College, 2024) and is the author of C.S. Lewis's Oxford (Bodleian, 2024).
 
 
 
 
 
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📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ https://www.amazon.com/Tambika-Shield-Wisdom-Lightglider-Origins/dp/1645075486
 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: Animals in Literature | David Bentley Hart

Welcome to Episode 7 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals.
 
 
 
 
Today's guest is David Bentley Hart, PhD. David and I share a lively conversation featuring iconic characters from Lewis Carroll's mind. Featured topics include Alice, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the resurgence of these stories in the 1960's-70's, and we even follow the trail to the friendship of Lewis Carroll with George MacDonald (can you blame me?).
 
 
 
 
 
David Bentley Hart, PhD, is a scholar and writer, currently a collaborating researcher at the University of Notre Dame. He has published volumes of philosophy, religious studies, theology, cultural criticism, occasional essays, and fiction (including children’s fiction). He has also published various volumes of translation. His most recent books are All Things Are Full of Gods: The Mysteries of Mind and Life (Yale), Prisms, Veils: A Book of Fables (Notre Dame), and The Light of Tabor: Toward a Monistic Christology (Notre Dame). His translations of the Tao Te Ching (Yale) will appear next month. He also writes the Substack newsletter Leaves in the Wind.
 
 
https://substack.com/@davidbentleyhart
 
 
 
 
 
 
📲 Connect with Derek Holser:
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📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ https://www.amazon.com/Tambika-Shield-Wisdom-Lightglider-Origins/dp/1645075486
 

Easter Interlude: The Resurrection | Jordan Daniel Wood

Welcome to our Easter interlude, as we take a one-episode hiatus from our Animals in Literature series. Joining me once again is the effervescent and egalitarian Jordan Daniel Wood. 
 
 
 
Jordan and I discuss the events of the weekend, beginning with Good Friday, through Holy Saturday, and on to Resurrection Sunday. As always, he provides thoughtful insights from Maximus, Origen, the Bible, and his own interpretations of all the above. We touch on Reincarnation, and the power of the work of Christ in and for all people. Stick around to the end to hear about Jordan's journey to becoming a Maximus scholar, and for a moving excerpt (for me) from the 1998 film Meet Joe Black, starring Anthony Hopkins and Brad Pitt. 
 
 
 
Jordan Daniel Wood is Assistant Professor of Theology at Belmont University. He holds an M.A. from St. Louis University and a Ph.D. from Boston College, both in Historical Theology. His interests range from Greek patristic theology to modern philosophy, especially idealism. He is married to Alexis, a registered nurse, with whom he has four wonderful daughters. 
 
 
 
 
Jordan is the author of the much-acclaimed The Whole Mystery of Christ: Creation as Incarnation in Maximus Confessor, available here: https://tinyurl.com/sk8xshj5
 
 
 
Jordan also posts regularly on his Substack "Words in Flesh"
https://jordandanielwood.substack.com
 
 
 
 
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📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon:
⁠https://www.amazon.com/Tambika-Shield-Wisdom-Lightglider-Origins/dp/1645075486⁠
 
 
 
 
 

CATS! : Animals in Literature | Laura Burnett

Welcome to Episode 6 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals. Joining me for today's conversation on all things CATS! in stories is Laura Burnett, a newcomer to The Plunge. We discuss the cat Church from Stephen King's Pet Sematary, the unnamed cat in Coraline, Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat, Crookshanks from Harry Potter, and many more! Laura Burnett lives on the New England seacoast with her husband, son, and two shelter cats. She is a teacher, writer, and organic farmer with a Masters in Education from Boston College. When she’s not chasing her eight-month-old around the house or digging around in the dirt of her garden, you can find her trying to perfect her butternut squash curry recipe or curled up with the latest Tana French novel. She writes on Substack at Lighthouse Hymns.
https://substack.com/@lauraburnett
⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9

Charlotte's Web, The Finale: Animals in Literature | Elizabeth Hardy

Welcome to Episode 5 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals. Joining me today is Elizabeth Hardy as we conclude our chapter-by-chapter journey through the beloved Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. Elizabeth is an instructor of English at western North Carolina's Mayland Community College. In addition to composition and literature courses, she teaches humanities courses, including Myth in Human Culture and Introduction to Film. To learn more about Elizabeth's life and work, check out her website: https://www.appalachianinkling.com/ Elizabeth's newest book, to be published October 2026, is Appalachia in the Hunger Games: Real-Life Roots of District 12 (https://tinyurl.com/3z7kuran)This book reviews Suzanne Collins's depiction of District 12, which draws upon longstanding Appalachian landscapes, industries, and culture, using lived experiences from the region as inspiration for her fictional setting. Elizabeth examines how Susanne Collins adapts features of Appalachian geography and community into speculative fiction, creating an environment that echoes both contemporary and historic Appalachia. Elizabeth is the author of Milton, Spenser, and the Chronicles of Narnia: Literary Sources for the C.S. Lewis Novels. (https://www.amazon.com/Milton-Spenser-Chronicles-Narnia-Literary/dp/0786428767) She also frequently writes literary and popular culture criticism and has contributed to numerous collections focusing on the work of C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling, as well as on topics as diverse as The Hunger Games and Star Trek. A popular presenter, she contributes to a variety of programs and podcasts and might be found sharing about 18th century medicinal plants, World War II Victory Gardens, or literary alchemy, depending on the day. ⸻📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9

NYT Bestselling Middle Grade Novel: AKU: Journey to Ibra | Micah Johnson

Welcome to a bonus episode, special edition of The Plunge. Today's guest is Micah Johnson, author of the New York Times Bestselling Middle-Grade Novel AKU: Journey to Ibra. Micah and I discuss his inspiration for creating AKU's first novel, the meaning and purpose he discovered in telling the tale, and the hope he has for the next generation of dreamers. Micah Johnson is a former MLB player turned artist, author, and creator of Aku. Micah's work has been featured on the cover of TIME Magazine and has reached millions worldwide through projects with Starbucks, MLB, New Era, and Beats by Dre, among others. His debut sci-fi adventure, Aku: Journey to Ibra, published by Penguin Random House, is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. A proud Hoosier and girl dad, Micah is a fluent Spanish speaker and enjoys playing guitar and piano.⸻
📲 Connect with Derek Holser:
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Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9
 

Charlotte's Web, Part 3: Animals in Literature | Elizabeth Hardy

Welcome to Episode 4 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals. Joining me today is Elizabeth Hardy as we continue our chapter-by-chapter journey through the beloved Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. Elizabeth is an instructor of English at western North Carolina's Mayland Community College. In addition to composition and literature courses, she teaches humanities courses, including Myth in Human Culture and Introduction to Film. To learn more about Elizabeth's life and work, check out her website: https://www.appalachianinkling.com/ Elizabeth's newest book, to be published October 2026, is Appalachia in the Hunger Games: Real-Life Roots of District 12 (https://tinyurl.com/3z7kuran)This book reviews Suzanne Collins's depiction of District 12, which draws upon longstanding Appalachian landscapes, industries, and culture, using lived experiences from the region as inspiration for her fictional setting. Elizabeth examines how Susanne Collins adapts features of Appalachian geography and community into speculative fiction, creating an environment that echoes both contemporary and historic Appalachia. Elizabeth is the author of Milton, Spenser, and the Chronicles of Narnia: Literary Sources for the C.S. Lewis Novels. (https://www.amazon.com/Milton-Spenser-Chronicles-Narnia-Literary/dp/0786428767) She also frequently writes literary and popular culture criticism and has contributed to numerous collections focusing on the work of C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling, as well as on topics as diverse as The Hunger Games and Star Trek. A popular presenter, she contributes to a variety of programs and podcasts and might be found sharing about 18th century medicinal plants, World War II Victory Gardens, or literary alchemy, depending on the day. ⸻📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9

Charlotte's Web, Part 2: Animals in Literature | Elizabeth Hardy

Welcome to Episode 3 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals. Joining me today is Elizabeth Hardy for the second in our multi-part conversation about the beloved Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. Elizabeth is an instructor of English at western North Carolina's Mayland Community College. In addition to composition and literature courses, she teaches humanities courses, including Myth in Human Culture and Introduction to Film. To learn more about Elizabeth's life and work, check out her website: https://www.appalachianinkling.com/ Elizabeth's newest book, to be published October 2026, is Appalachia in the Hunger Games: Real-Life Roots of District 12 (https://tinyurl.com/3z7kuran)This book reviews Suzanne Collins's depiction of District 12, which draws upon longstanding Appalachian landscapes, industries, and culture, using lived experiences from the region as inspiration for her fictional setting. Elizabeth examines how Susanne Collins adapts features of Appalachian geography and community into speculative fiction, creating an environment that echoes both contemporary and historic Appalachia. Elizabeth is the author of Milton, Spenser, and the Chronicles of Narnia: Literary Sources for the C.S. Lewis Novels. (https://www.amazon.com/Milton-Spenser-Chronicles-Narnia-Literary/dp/0786428767) She also frequently writes literary and popular culture criticism and has contributed to numerous collections focusing on the work of C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling, as well as on topics as diverse as The Hunger Games and Star Trek. A popular presenter, she contributes to a variety of programs and podcasts and might be found sharing about 18th century medicinal plants, World War II Victory Gardens, or literary alchemy, depending on the day. ⸻📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9⸻

Charlotte's Web, Part 1: Animals in Literature | Elizabeth Hardy

Welcome to Episode 2 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals. Joining me today is Elizabeth Hardy for the first in our multi-part conversation about the beloved Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. 
 
 
 
 
Elizabeth is instructor of English at western North Carolina's Mayland Community College. In addition to composition and literature courses, she teaches humanities courses including Myth in Human Culture and Introduction to Film.
 
 
 
 
She is the author of Milton, Spenser, and the Chronicles of Narnia: Literary Sources for the C.S. Lewis Novels. (https://www.amazon.com/Milton-Spenser-Chronicles-Narnia-Literary/dp/0786428767)
 
 
 
 
She also frequently writes literary and popular culture criticism and has contributed to numerous collections focusing on the work of C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling, as well as on topics as diverse as The Hunger Games and Star Trek. A popular presenter, she contributes to a variety of programs and podcasts and might be found sharing about 18th century medicinal plants, World War II Victory Gardens, or literary alchemy, depending on the day. 
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📲 Connect with Derek Holser:
🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser
📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9
 
 

The Wind in the Willows: Animals in Literature | Landon Loftin

Welcome to Episode One in our series Animals in Literature. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions and meaning found in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals. How the beloved fables and literary masterpieces featuring animals who live and talk as humans do blur the lines between childhood and adulthood while holding up a mirror to our humanity. 
 
 
 
Joining me today is a returning Plunge favorite, Landon Loftin. In fact, it was Landon's essay that prompted this conversation. Literary Tributaries: Classical and Romantic Influences in The Wind in the Willows.
 
 
 
It was published in the Mythopoeic Society's MYTHLORE, vol. 44, no. 1. It can be found here: https://dc.swosu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3396&context=mythlore
 
 
 
Landon Loftin has a BA in Religion and Philosophy from Southwest Baptist University, an MA in Apologetics from Houston Christian University, and a PhD in Humanities from Faulkner University.
 
He is the author of a plethora of academic articles on the writings of authors such as G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield.
 
Additionally, he is co-author of What Barfield Thought: An Introduction to the Work of Owen Barfield, for which he was named co-recipient of the 2023 Award of Excellence by the Barfield Literary Estate.
 
 
 
Connect with Landon: Book: https://tinyurl.com/5ee6hr3j
 
 
 
Please also check out Seth Lerer's annotated edition of The Wind in the Willows: https://tinyurl.com/2pvzdrfc
 
 
 
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📚 New Book! Lightgliders: Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9