The C. S. Lewis Chronicles: The Indispensable Biography of the Creator of Narnia Full of Little-Known Facts, Events and Miscellany

by Colin Duriez

Overview

This biography reconstructs Lewis' professional and daily life. More than 100 sidebars offer little-known trivia tidbits on the more personal side, and cover such topics as the contents of his home library, 10 things he believed about cats, his favorite beers and pubs, and the women and friends in his life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780974240589
Publisher:	BlueBridge
Publication date:	09/28/2005
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.32(w) x 7.96(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Colin Duriez is a well-known authority on C.S. Lewis, and the author of The C.S. Lewis Encyclopedia, A Field Guide to Narnia, and Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. He frequently lectures on both radio and television about the author's life and works. Brian Sibley is the author of C.S. Lewis Through the Shadowlands, and The Lord of the Rings: Making the Movie Triology.

Editorial Reviews

"Offers an in-depth look at Lewis's everyday life from his formative years to his final ones. The book retraces the major milestones in Lewis's journey, but reveals as well the books he was reading and writing, the people he was meeting, what he thought of them and they of him." —David C. Downing, author, Into the Wardrobe and The Most Reluctant Convert

"If it were possible to reconstruct a man's life day-by-day, from the cradle to the grave, then a new and compelling portrait must emerge. Certainly, that is what Colin Duriez has done: shedding new light, opening new perspectives and bringing fresh insight to the life of a man who has deeply enriched, and continues to enrich, the lives of others." —Brian Sibley, from the foreword

"Provides profound insight into the brilliant mind and prolific writings of C. S. Lewis. . . . provides the reader with new understanding and a strong motivation to read or reread this always fascinating Oxford Don." —Armand Nicholi, Jr., author, The Question of God: C. S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life

From the Publisher

This authoritative daybook (like the biography reviewed below) is neatly timed to the December 9 release of Disney's The Chronicles of Narnia, and filmgoers will be pleased to find informative Narnia background material here. Duriez, who has filled a shelf with such books as The C.S. Lewis Encyclopedia and A Field Guide to Narnia, employs an approach not unlike recent Beatles and Monkees day-by-day books: "I go through the years of his life [1898-1963], from birth to death, selecting varied but representative days.... These give vivid insights into the events of his life, his books, his attitudes, sense of fun, wit and wisdom, beliefs and friends." Such entries illuminate Lewis's friendship with Tolkien and his meeting with the "amusingly abrasive New Yorker" who would become his wife. Other entries cover Lewis's science fiction, theological reflections, literary criticism, BBC broadcasts and Tolkien's influence, as this from a 1944 entry: "May 29 (Mon) Tolkien reads the latest two chapters from The Lord of the Rings.... Lewis approves of them with unusual fervor, and is moved to tears by the second chapter." More than 100 sidebars of lists and trivia ("Some Meals in Narnia") offer delightful detours throughout this absorbing cradle-to-grave chronology. (Oct.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

This day-by-day chronicle of Lewis's life by scholar Duriez (Tolkien and Lewis: The Gift of Friendship) is filled with numerous little-known facts related to the writer, e.g., where he went; what he did; what was occurring in history at the time; and nicknames and pseudonyms for the people and places in Lewis's life. A treasure trove of information for the fan and novice alike, this may not be an essential purchase, but it is warmly recommended for extensive collections. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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