The Man Who Created Narnia: The Story of C.S. Lewis [Hardcover]

Michael Coren (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1996

From his life in Belfast to his move to Oxford and Cambridge, the story of world-renowned author C.S. Lewis comes to life through narrative text and 64 wonderful black-and-white photographs.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 6^-9. Although the format suggests a slightly younger audience, this biography of Christian apologist and Narnia creator C. S. Lewis will probably be read most successfully by junior-high students. The problem is not with Coren's writing style, which is accessible enough, but rather that Lewis' adult writings and some of his tangled personal relationships require readers to bring their own knowledge of the world with them to the book. They will be touched by Lewis' difficult childhood, beginning with the death of his mother, and fans of the Narnia series will delight in learning how these books came into being--and surprised to learn how J. R. R. Tolkien almost squashed the publication of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by telling Lewis the book was no good. There are wonderful, well-reproduced pictures on almost every page, but sometimes they are not well placed (a picture of Lewis and his brothers as boys appears in a chapter about life at Oxford); also, one picture within the body of each chapter appears at the beginning of the chapter, cropped and enlarged, causing readers to wonder, at first glance, if both versions are there intentionally. Still, fans of Lewis and Narnia will find this an interesting read, and they'll learn something about Christianity in the bargain. Ilene Cooper

From Kirkus Reviews

As the subtitle says, ``The Story of C.S. Lewis'': his life, analysis of his religious awakening and adult Christian apologetics, his late-life marriage to Joy Davidman, and details about the creation of the Chronicles of Narnia (though less than will satisfy its more avid fans). On every page, Coren evinces a profound respect for readers and for his subject. The work is serious, thoughtful, and thorough, providing a clear picture of the man as well as the era in which he lived. Although Lewis was a somewhat reserved Oxford (later Cambridge) don whose life revolved around books and academia, Coren conveys the fascination of his life and the pleasures of his association with other writers and scholars in an immensely readable way that children will understand. Filled with black-and-white photographs, this is a first-rate biography for children. (chronology, bibliography, index) (Biography. 10+) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 140 pages
• Publisher: Eerdmans Pub Co (December 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802838227
• ISBN-13: 978-0802838223
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,058,001 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars About the man behind the Narnia series, June 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Man Who Created Narnia: The Story of C.S. Lewis (Hardcover)

We have read the Narnia series as a family and have enjoyed it very much. We picked up this title to learn more about the man behind the wonderful stories. I enjoyed reading it through more than my 6th grader. It gave insight on Lewis' spiritual struggles. How the events in his life shaped his later writings on Christian Apologia. Having only read the Narnia series and his science fiction triology, I was left with a reader's curiosity for more. Listed in the bibliography are all of Lewis' published books. I am enjoying his other literary work also.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Man Who Created Narnia": An Excellent Book!, August 2, 2000

By 

D. Bass (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Man Who Created Narnia: The Story of C.S. Lewis (Hardcover)

"The Man Who Created Narnia" is the most straight forward, down to earth kind of biography I've read on C.S. Lewis. The author doesn't take time to stray from the general layout of Lewis's life, and there are very few obscure "facts" in this book. However, it is singular in that it keeps you interested, moving the story of Lewis along at a good clip. Fans will probably enjoy this one the most, while scholar's of Lewis might be put off by the size and lack of in depth information.

One of the aspects I especially liked about this book was the concentration on Lewis' Christian beliefs, and how they effected his literature. Some other biographies seem to lack this very important side.

If you're looking for a very thorough and meticulous biography, you should probably stay away from this one. Coren simply outlines the major events in Lewis' life, without straying from the general purpose: to reflect on the life of the 20th century's greatest Christian Apologist.

I found it most interest, and, even though I believe I'm an up and coming Lewis scholar, still feel it was captivating and fairly in depth. A good quick read for Lewis fans.