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The Narnian

The Life and Imagination of C. S. Lewis

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

The White Witch, Aslan, fauns and talking beasts, centaurs and epic battles between good and evil — these have become a part of our collective imagination through the classic volumes of The Chronicles of Narnia. Yet who was the man who created this world? This audio book attempts to unearth the making of the first Narnian, C. S. Lewis himself.

One of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably the most influential religious writer of his day, Lewis was also an Oxford don and a scholar of medieval literature who loved to debate philosophy at his local pub. Yet one of the most intriguing aspects of Clive Staples Lewis remains unanswered. How did a bachelor professor, nearly fifty, and living in a wholly adult world, 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 C. S. Lewis. From his childhood days in Ireland to his horrific experiences in the trenches of the First World War, to his friendship with J. R. R. Tolkein (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 story of a profound mind and extraordinary imagination, The Narnian is 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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    • AudioFile Magazine
      C.S. Lewis fans know about his selfless love for Joy Davidman and its tragic end, but what of Janie King Moore, who was a part of his life until her death in 1951? Alan Jacobs has a tendency to sound too gossipy as he speculates about their relationship in this biography, which surveys the life of a quiet, private man. While Jacobs's speculation at times surprises, it ultimately serves to build up Lewis as the dutiful, lonely bachelor who was portrayed after his death as an unlikely romantic figure in SHADOWLANDS. This account is interesting, although it should be noted that Lewis avoided biographers during his lifetime. J.A.S. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      July 25, 2005
      Just in time for the major motion picture Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
      , from Disney, comes this biography of the man who dreamed up the land and tales of Narnia. Jacobs, a Wheaton College literature professor, does so not in typical chronological style, but according to themes important in Lewis's life. So, in the chapter entitled "red beef and strong beer" (a Lewis quote about what was satisfying and nourishing to him), we encounter the strong male mentors from his young adult years. Jacobs is obviously taken with early 20th-century English literature and history, and it shows in his writing, which is accessible and unobtrusively documented. However, the thematic organization could leave some readers a tad confused as he skips back and forth in time. Also, to fully appreciate this book, one needs to have read not just the Narnia series but Lewis's writings on Christian apologetics, as Jacobs is intent on making connections between the two genres. Amidst a sea of entry-level Lewis portraits being published this fall, this more substantive book is for hard-core Lewis lovers eager to soak up historical minutiae and savor salient Lewis quotes for years to come.

    • Library Journal

      Starred review from November 15, 2005
      There have been a number of biographies of Lewis over the years by the likes of Walter Hooper, A.N. Wilson, and George Sayer. This new study stands out from the lot in that it covers more than just the facts of Lewis's life. Jacobs (literature, Wheaton Coll.) aims to unravel the origins of Lewis's imagination and write a life of the mind. He is interested in tracing how a child from Ulster grew up to become an Oxford don and a great Christian thinker. Jacobs doesn't overlook Lewis's shortcomings either, aptly demonstrating how some of his best work was produced at the most difficult times in his life. Occasionally sympathetic but mostly balanced, this riveting biography is destined to become a standard work on Lewis for some time. Highly recommended.

      Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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