Customer Reviews

The Way Into Narnia: A Reader's Guide

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Having read the Chronicles of Narnia in excess of 25 times, I was amazed that Peter Schakel's _The Way Into Narnia_ inspired me to read them yet again. For many years I have read these books with my students in the order in which they were originally published because nothing thrills me more than hearing a child exclaim, "so THAT'S how the lampost got there!" This is a sentiment that readers are cheated of if they read them chronologically. Schakel makes this point in his book, along with several other, more scholarly reasons that I had not considered.
He also compares the versions of the books and supplies the reader with Lewis's alternate ending of the Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
Another plus is the "glossary" of archaic and British terms so often used by Lewis in the Chronicles.
_The Way Into Narnia_ is well written, readable in its own right, and is suitible for the first time reader and the Lewis scholar alike. A must read for any lover of Narnia.

Professor of English and internationally respected student of C.S. Lewis' work Peter Schakel presents The Way Into Narnia, a guide written especially for first-time readers of Lewis' beloved classics of children's literature. Suggesting that the best way to enter Narnia is to read the Chronicles of Narnia as fairy tales, The Way Into Narnia walks the reader through each of the seven books and concludes the tour with a section of annotations meant to clarify unfamiliar words and unusual written passages. Especially recommended for lay readers and beginning literature scholars seeking greater familiarity with the series, The Way Into Narnia is a highly recommended supplement for getting the most out of Lewis' immortal stories.

Peter J. Schakel's "The Way Into Narnia: A Reader's Guide" is a fascinating, in-depth look into the beautiful realm of C. S. Lewis's land of Narnia. In each chapter Schakel develops and shapes the key underlying ideas that are hidden just under the surface of all seven of the Chronicles. Schakel's "Guide" is a great companion to use while reading the Narnia series. Not only is Schakel's approach intelligent and enlightening, but it is also fun and very user/reader-friendly. "The Way Into Narnia" is a treasure...I only wish I had it when I was reading Lewis's series the first time! Perfect for anyone wanting to learn what lies beneath the surface and have a clearer understanding of why Lewis wrote the Chronicles of Narnia. Also quite helpful are the annotations and the chapter discussing the order of the series.

I've just been rereading the Chronicles of Narnia, and when this book turned up in a search, I decided to try it. Schakel brings a familiarity and expertise with the series, having written several different books and Lewis and the Chronicles. He brought out insights into the books I had missed and provided fascinating background information. One of my favorite chapters discussed fairy tales as literature and how they provide not just an escape but an enhancement of everyday life as we see things with new eyes after reading them.