Owen Barfield (1898-1997) was one of the twentieth century's most insightful writers and philosophers. His ideas informed the thinking and writing of influential authors such as C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien who were fellow members of the Inklings, an Oxford group of scholars.As a leading Anthroposophist in the English-speaking world, Barfield was especially interested in the evolution of human consciousness, exploring its development through the history of language.Thinkers and writers central to Barfield's work include Goethe, Coleridge, and Rudolf Steiner. Although best known for his non-fiction, such as 'Poetic Diction' and 'Saving the Appearances', Barfield also wrote poetry, fiction, and plays.T. S. Eliot, W. H. Auden, Howard Nemerov, and Saul Bellow are among those who have praised Barfield's writing, and Barfield is often described as having a prophetic, powerful mind.