The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C. S. LewisThe White Witch, Aslan, fauns and talking beasts, centaurs and epic battles between good and evil -- all these have become a part of our collective imagination through the classic volumes of The Chronicles of Narnia. Over the past half century, children everywhere have escaped into this world and delighted in its wonders and enchantments. Yet what we do know of the man who created Narnia? This biography sheds new light on the making of the original Narnian, C. S. Lewis himself. Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably the most influential religious writer of his day. An Oxford don and scholar of medieval literature, he loved to debate philosophy at his local pub, and his wartime broadcasts on the basics of Christian belief made him a celebrity in his native Britain. Yet one of the most intriguing aspects of Clive Staples Lewis remains a mystery. How did this middle-aged Irish bachelor turn to the writing of stories for children -- stories that would become among the most popular and beloved ever written? Alan Jacobs masterfully tells the story of the original Narnian. From Lewis's childhood days in Ireland playing with his brother, Warnie, to his horrific experiences in the trenches during World War I, to his friendship with J. R. R. Tolkien (and other members of the "Inklings"), and his remarkable late-life marriage to Joy Davidman, Jacobs traces the events and people that shaped Lewis's philosophy, theology, and fiction. The result is much more than a conventional biography of Lewis: Jacobs tells the story of a profound and extraordinary imagination. For those who grew up with Narnia, or for those just discovering it, The Narnian tells a remarkable tale of a man who knew great loss and great delight, but who knew above all that the world holds far more richness and meaning than the average eye can see. |
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... literature - England - History - 20th century . 5. Christian literature , English - History and criticism . 6. Authors , English- 20th century - Biography . 7. Christian biography - England . 8. Narnia ( Imaginary place ) I. Title ...
... literature to which my allegiance was given the moment I could choose books for myself . Neither had ever listened for the horns of elfland . There was no copy of either Keats or Shelley in the house , and the copy of Coleridge was ...
... literature , and the kind that gave the greatest pleasure . The same could be said about his friend - to - be , J. R. R. Tolkien . Although it may seem odd that neither of them is at all known for the kind of literature they most loved ...
... literature in one's own language at all was a recent development ; therefore , the literature taught would have to be of the highest and most challenging quality . Yet the expectation was also that boys would find some pleasure in the ...
... literature that far tran- scended the " twaddling school stories " he had grown addicted to while at Wynyard . And in his solitude , while it lasted , Jack could ex- plore that world to his heart's content . Interestingly , during this ...
Contents
1 | |
19 | |
THREE Red beef and strong beer | 44 |
FOUR I never sank so low as to pray | 65 |
SEVEN Definitely believing in Christ | 136 |
EIGHT Do you think I am trying to weave a spell? | 163 |
NINE What I owe to them all is incalculable | 194 |
ELEVEN We soon learn to love what | 248 |
TWELVE Joy is the serious business of heaven | 280 |
AFTERWORD The Future of Narnia | 305 |