A Field Guide to Narnia

Book excerpt: The Chronicles of Narnia are classics of children's literature - firm favourites with adults as well as children. Colin Duriez weaves together information and interpretation of Lewis's life and his writing, centring on the Chronicles of Narnia but drawing on his other fictional and non-fiction works. The world of Narnia involves a carefully created history where the old world, not dominated by machines and weapons of mass destruction, can be opened to the modern world. Colin Duriez reveals the influences which shaped Lewis's thinking, the rich web of interconnections within the Chronicles and the events in Lewis's own life which found echoes in the books (including his grandfather's hand-craved oak wardrobe). Whether this is your first visit to C. S. Lewis's wonderful fantasy world or you have been there many times, you'll want to bring along this handy companion to the landscape and inhabitants of Narnia, including an A to Z guide to its characters, places, objects, and events. how Narnia relates to other imaginative worlds and children's literature; the history within the stories of Narnia; and how Narnia fits into Lewis's other works.