The literary group J.R.R. Tolkien joined with C.S. Lewis in Oxford was called The Inklings.
The Inklings were an informal discussion and writing group associated with Oxford University. They met mainly at The Eagle and Child pub, known to members as the Bird and Baby, and sometimes in university rooms or private homes. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were among the group’s best-known members.
The group was not a formal society with a fixed membership list or constitution. Members read works in progress aloud, discussed literature, debated ideas, and offered criticism. Tolkien’s readings included developing material connected with The Lord of the Rings.
The Inklings are often described as a fantasy writers’ club, but that is too narrow. Their members had varied interests and professions, and the group’s conversations covered theology, poetry, mythology, and narrative. Their association is especially remembered because both Tolkien and Lewis became major twentieth-century authors.