Companion To Narnia (Paperback)

by Paul F. Ford (Author), Lorinda Bryan Cauley (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"An exceptional reference work!" -- -- America

"An exceptional reference work." -- America Magazine

"Clear prose, accurate scholarship, plentiful cross-reference and charming illustrations." -- -- Los Angeles Times

"Clear prose, accurate scholarship, plentiful cross-references and charming illustrations." -- Los Angeles Times

"An exceptional reference work!" -- America

Product Description
For readers of all ages, a peerless guide to the magic of Narnia that will provide endless hours of fascinating exploration.

Companion to Narnia is an adventurer's passport to the enchanting world of C. S. Lewis's beloved classic series The Chronicles of Narnia. From Asia, the Great Lion of Narnia, to Zardeenah, the mysterious Lady of the Night, this comprehensive work contains hundreds of alphabetically arranged and indexed entries covering all the characters, events, places, and themes that Lewis magically wove into his fictional world. Bringing the reader a deeper appreciation and understanding of the Chronicles, Ford illuminates the philosophical, spiritual, and psychological significance behind each story, while explaining the symbolic and thematic threads that unify the series.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: HarperSanFrancisco; Reprint edition (October 7, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006251136X
• ISBN-13: 978-0062511362
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #309,489 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Traveling Companion, December 7, 2001

By	Terrie (Little Chute, WI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Companion to Narnia (Paperback)

I first entered Narnia as a child, simply pushing the fur coats aside and stepping through the wardrobe into the snowy world near the lamp post. I didn't need a guide book. Things just unfolded and I went with the flow of wonders. I came back for an extended visit when I was expecting my first child. There were concepts there that I had not noticed before as "concepts". I felt inspired and doubly moved by its beauty. Now, I'm at the "grandma" age if not yet in that reality. I've popped back in to visit old friends and this guide book is truly a "companion." I realize that the word "companion" in the title refers to the fact that this volume is a companion to the Narnia books, but for me the title has a double meaning, in that it is also my companion on the journey to Narnia, my tour guide, so to speak.
This book takes you by the hand and encourages you to look closer, gently pointing out the secrets of the locale that only the natives might know. It gives insights and provokes thought and dialogue. It is a neat holistic view that encourages an appreciation for the big picture by illuminating the subtle details. It is also the kind of tribute to the minute of one's heroes that all "fans" love to pour over. If you are a young person just let Lucy help you find your way into Narnia and I assure you that you will have a splendid time, but if you are a bit older I recommend this travelog and the company of this wonderfully helpful and insightful book.
This book also contains an insightful foreward by Madeleine L'Engle, author of "A Wrinkle in Time".

73 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exceptional guide to an amazing series, December 23, 1999

By A Customer

I've adored this series since grade school and I reread it periodically, but until the last few times I never understood the allegory in the book. I bought the companion just because I collect books that go along and I just finished reading it. I was not disappointed....it answered so many questions that I had about characters and themes and the maps/timeline were excellent in helping to understand the geography and time of Narnia vs Earth. I plan on using it as a reference the next time I read the series despite having already read it straight through. This is a must have for any Narnia enthusiast.

72 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There's always something new in Narnia!, October 22, 2000

By	Cipriano "www.bookpuddle.blogspot.com" (Planet Claire) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

I have read and re-read all seven of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia many times in my adult life. And plan to do so again and again. The remarkable thing is that the stories still seem fresh and alive. They never seem to get boring and there are always new insights waiting to be discovered. Even for the adult reader. I would highly recommend the stories to all young readers, even though I myself did not read them as a child. I think I was so bent on trying to read the entire works of Enid Blyton at the time, that I failed to notice anything Narnian about my local library.

"New insights" are what the Companion To Narnia is all about. Paul F. Ford has done a wonderful job of assembling all of the myriad of characters, places, themes; all the rich history and lore of Narnia and beyond, into this one encyclopedic book. I really cannot see how it could be improved upon. It is massive in scope. I have read it and "used" it for years now.

The book is arranged alphebetically and all topics are meticulously cross-referenced (an asterisk follows any word or phrase which is an entry elsewhere). Even though this is not the type of book that is commonly read from cover to cover, picking it up and starting from any topic will surely tempt you to the reading of the asterisk-linked articles. In Narnian terms, I think of this as the hidden "Turkish-Delight" feature of the book. Let it take you where your curiosity and interest leads.

At the end of the articles, Ford has placed in parentheses an abbreviated reference to the specific book and page number that coincides with the topic being discussed. This sends us back to the original source of the material if necessary, and allows Ford's book to be not only a companion, but a sort-of concordance as well. It is a very useful feature.

The copious footnotes will definitely appeal to those who are interested in learning more about the creator of Narnia. These notes clearly show that Paul Ford is an expert in his knowledge of the man C.S. Lewis. (A good example is the numerous footnotes to the article entitled "Digory Kurke").

Another great feature of the book is that not only are characters and place-names discussed, but also the IDEAS and THEMES of the Chronicles are examined. For instance there are comprehensive articles on such things as: Dreams, Knowledge, Fear, Privacy, Sounds, Music, Obedience, Birds, Ecology, etc. Of particular worthy mention is the great five page section on Biblical Allusions.

The final thing I will mention is that there are wonderful illustrations throughout the book, and these serve to take the imagination even further into the world that is Narnia.

The book is appropriately titled. My desk-dictionary has, as one of its definitions for the word companion... "one of a pair of matching things". In my opinion, any bookshelf that has its Narnia, ought to have its Companion.