The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C. S. Lewis (Plus) (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

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.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"...[B]est appreciated by the Narnia enthusiasts seeking to learn more about the man behind the stories." -- Presbyterians Today

"An amiable, uncluttered biography..." -- Kirkus Reviews

"An errudite and welcome addition to the C. S. Lewis canon." -- Mary S. Lovell, acclaimed biographer and national bestselling author of The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family

"Combines fine scholarship with winsome writing . . . it is an important contribution." -- Books & Culture

"It is hard to imagine a more insightful and even-handed treatment of the life and work of Lewis." -- Frederick Buechner, author of Beyond Words

"Jacobs provides a fluent and sensible re-telling of the main outlines of Lewis’s life..." -- Richard Jenkyns, The New Republic

"The Narnian is thoughtful, intriguing and inspiring—a treasure for Narnia fans, as well as aficionados of fine biography." -- Booklist

"The most influential Christian apologist of the last hundred years has found a worthy biographer." -- Richard John Neuhaus, editor in chief of First Things

"This is the book on Lewis we’ve all been waiting for: probing, generous, lyrical and entertaining." -- Charles Marsh, author of The Beloved Community: How Faith Shapes Social Justice, from the Civil Rights Movement to Today

"[Jacobs] provides excellent context by explaining authors and literature that influenced Lewis…his matter-of-fact approach is welcome." -- The Christian Science Monitor --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061448729
• ISBN-13: 978-0061448720
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #259,300 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent Bio of a Magnificent Man, October 17, 2005

By	Portianay "portianay" (KY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C. S. Lewis (Hardcover)

Alan Jacobs, you did your homework for this one. That becomes apparent by the end of the introduction. I think I have probably read everything still in print about CSL, and what I appreciate about your book are the following: Your data is correct; there are no hazy vaguenesses ignored, all are fully "admitted" (I refer to events in the life of CSL about which biographers have always had to guess); and "put-downs" by modern authors, such as Philip Pullman, are answered. (That last mattered to me especially, as I resent terribly PP's reference to Narnian "drivel." Pettiness prompts me to remark about some of PP's own drivel, but I digress.)
Mr. Jacobs also handled the Joy Gresham era masterfully, considering how Hollywood, and the BBC, have managed to change it into something it never really seemed to be. Mr. Jacob's account, though admittedly speckled with his own personal guesswork, seems so much nearer the mark, so much more in keeping with the sense of CSL's personality we get through the previous bios.
Well done, Mr. Jacobs!

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As Deep And Fascinating As Lewis Himself, November 17, 2005

By	John D. Cofield - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C. S. Lewis (Hardcover)

The Narnian is a literary/theological biography of C.S. Lewis. Although it covers the basic facts of Lewis' life as competently as any other biography, the real strength of Jacobs' work lies in the fascinating discussions of Lewis' thought processes and religious/literary development.

Jacobs makes no bones about his deep admiration for Lewis, which makes his work seem rather defensive when dealing with Lewis' critics. At times this defensiveness seems justifiable, especially when it is employed against critics like Philip Pullman who obviously haven't studied Lewis very thoroughly. At other times it seems rather overdone, as when Jacobs abruptly dismisses J.R.R. Tolkien's (one of Lewis' closest associates) critiques.

This is nevertheless a very satisfying work which will illuminate much for people who seek more information on Lewis' life, work, and theology.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At the pub with Inklings. , January 19, 2007

By	David Marshall (Seattle area) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C. S. Lewis (Hardcover)

Does the world need another biography of C. S. Lewis? Probably not. Jacobs admits even that he did not need to write one -- it was his agent's fault. Still, he does a generally excellent job in this book. As another life-long reader of Lewis, who had already read several biographies and almost everything by Lewis several times over, I learned quite a bit from this biography. Having sampled several Lewis biographies, like a fan of Hamlet who waits impatiently for Polonius to appear on stage, one gets to like and enjoy reading about other characters just as much -- Lewis' brother, Warnie (who wrote at least one pretty good book, too), the dramatic character he married, and all those incredibly bright friends he hung around with and swilled beer. (A reprise, perhaps, of Chesterton's friendships with Shaw & Wells etc.)

What I really liked about this book was the good sense Jacobs brings to the project, and his own deep reading in many of the works and people that inspired Lewis. He swerves nimbly around the road-blocks that tumbled Wilson. True, he might have consulted Sayer. But he more than makes up for the occasional error in judgement or lapse in biographical expertise by offering frequent insight into dozens of works that were so much a part of Lewis' thought world. One gets the feeling that Lewis would have enjoyed talking with Jacobs.

Jacobs is careful to maintain a critical distance from his subject, (some fail here) though he obviously admires him much, which keeps the book from becoming cloying. One area I did not think that worked was the rather tiresome pages in which he takes Lewis to task for (essentially) failing to conform to 21st Century orthodoxy on sexual equality. Some of us (like Lewis) go to the books of another era precisely to take a break from the stale pieties of our own. And it is ludicrous to identify Orual with Minto -- could any two women be less alike? -- Jacobs almost lapses into cheap psychobabble here. But if a writer sheds important light on a subject, and does so with style, I am inclined to forgive him a few such lapses.

An obviously well-informed reviewer below finds more to complain about. I agree the title is a bit deceptive: the book is only occasionally about Narnia. I didn't think Jacobs was that far off, or negative, on the later Tolkien relationship. Nobody can know everything. Jacobs knows a lot, and pours much careful thought into this biography. It's also a pleasure to read.