With the heavily advertised film adaptation of C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe hitting theaters December 9, publishers have flooded the market with books about Lewis and his work. The following is a sampling of the more than 30 books published in the last few months.
Biography
 The Narnian:The Life and Imaginationof C. S. Lewis by Alan JacobsHarperSanFrancisco |
The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C. S. Lewis Alan Jacobs HarperSanFrancisco, 2005
Jacobs, professor of English at Wheaton College, asserts that Lewis wrote The Chronicles of Narnia as an insider, that is, as a citizen of the Narnia that developed out of his own imaginative life. While there are many biographies of Lewis’s life, this is unique as a biography of his imaginative development. Jacobs appreciates Lewis’s breadth as a reader and notes how easily Lewis’s imagination could draw from a wide range of sources, develop ideas, and incorporate them into his own work. A reader may, at times, disagree with Jacobs’s critical judgments. But all must agree that his insights are fresh, his style fluid.
 Jack’s Life:The Life Storyof C. S. Lewis by Douglas GreshamBroadman & Holman |
Jack’s Life: The Life Story of C. S. Lewis Douglas Gresham Broadman & Holman, 2005
Apart from the brief “Memoir” by his brother, W. H. Lewis, this is the first book-length account of C. S. Lewis’s life by someone who lived with him. Gresham, Lewis’s stepson, draws on his personal recollections and other sources to tell “the extraordinary life of an extraordinary man. “But Gresham doesn’t glorify Lewis; he humanizes him. Gresham tenderly concludes, “He was the finest man I ever knew in my life, and I miss him to this day.”
Literary Criticism
 Into the Wardrobe:C. S. Lewis andthe Narnia Chronicles by David C. DowningJossey-Bass |
Into the Wardrobe: C. S. Lewis and the Narnia Chronicles David C. DowningJossey-Bass, 2005
Downing, professor of English at Elizabethtown College, respects the childlikeness of Lewis without diminishing the scholar in the process. He also highlights the spiritual, moral, and psychological depths of The Chronicles of Narnia without neglecting to appreciate them as fantasy stories written to delight readers. His commentary fulfills the expectations raised by his introduction, which states, “Each Narnia book is like a little wardrobe.”
 Further Up and Further In:Understanding C. S. Lewis’sThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by Bruce EdwardsBroadman & Holman |
Further Up and Further In: Understanding C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Bruce EdwardsBroadman & Holman, 2005
Edwards, professor of English at Bowling Green State University, aptly applies Lewis’s methodology for good reading to Lewis’s own fiction; he urges readers to receive the text of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in this way. As Edwards says, “The role of the reader is clearly complementary to the role of the writer.” He highlights Lewis’s genius in creating a world like Narnia, a world that can awaken a sense of wonder and awe extending beyond the text into daily experience.
 A Reader’s GuideThrough the Wardrobe:Exploring C. S. Lewis’sClassic Story by Leland Ryken, Marjorie Lamp MeadInterVarsity Press |
A Reader’s Guide Through the Wardrobe: Exploring C. S. Lewis’s Classic Story Leland Ryken, Marjorie Lamp MeadInterVarsity Press, 2005
Wheaton College scholars Ryken and Mead take a literary-critical approach to The Chronicles of Narnia. At a recent conference, Mead was asked, “Why does the world need a book for adults about Narnia?” She answered, “Because children get it.” This book will equip readers to do literary analysis of the Chronicles as well as other books. At the heart of A Reader’s Guide is the reminder that reading is best done for personal enjoyment and pleasure.
 The Way into Narnia:A Reader’s Guide by Peter J. SchakelEerdmans |
The Way into Narnia: A Reader’s Guide Peter J. SchakelEerdmans, 2005
Schakel’s third book-length treatment of the Chronicles, The Way into Narnia provides readers with background and commentary on each of the Narnia books. The annotations, in which Schakel, professor of English at Hope College, addresses difficult passages of the Chronicles, are especially helpful.
Devotional
 Into the Region of Awe:Mysticism in C. S. Lewis by David C. DowningInterVarsity Press |
Into the Region of Awe: Mysticism in C. S. Lewis David C. Downing InterVarsity Press, 2005
Downing has established himself as one of the best interpreters of Lewis’s fiction. In this book, he opens a door into Lewis’s spiritual thought that few besides Lyle Dorsett, in Seeking the Secret Place: The Spiritual Formation of C. S. Lewis, have succeeded in doing. Downing notes that “the common image of Lewis as a proponent of ‘rational religion’ does not do justice to the complexity of the man.” This book, long overdue, traces Lewis’s interest in the Christian mystical tradition.
 Not a Tame Lion:Unveil Narnia Throughthe Eyes of Lucy, Peter, and OtherCharacters Created by C. S. Lewis by Bruce EdwardsTyndale |
Not a Tame Lion: Unveil Narnia Through the Eyes of Lucy, Peter, and Other Characters Created by C. S. Lewis Bruce EdwardsTyndale, 2005
Edwards, author of four volumes on Lewis, is explicit about his purpose here: “I wish to orient the reader to what we might call Narnia’s spiritual geography-to its ultimately Christian themes.” Edwards explores with spiritual and psychological insight the encounters between Narnian characters and Aslan. To meet the goodness and majesty of Aslan either softens and ennobles a character, or it hardens and diminishes one rebellious to Aslan’s will.
 The Heart of theChronicles of Narnia:Knowing God Hereby Finding Him There by Thomas WilliamsW Publishing Group |
The Heart of the Chronicles of Narnia: Knowing God Here by Finding Him ThereThomas WilliamsW Publishing Group, 2005
Author-illustrator Williams turns his artistic eye to the fantasies of C. S. Lewis, and with each stroke of his pen, he brings fresh vision to the books. Williams has a wide grasp of Lewis and incorporates knowledge of Lewis’s literary vision into his analysis. Taking his lead from Aslan’s own words, Williams encourages readers to remember that they have been brought to Narnia for a time, so that by knowing Aslan there they might come to know him better in their own world. He suggests readers might know Christ better by reading the Chronicles. Williams moves in directions hinted at by the author himself. For those looking for a more devotional approach to Lewis, Williams will not disappoint.
Apologetics
 C. S. Lewis’sCase for Christ:Insights from Reason,Imagination and Faith by Art LindsleyInterVarsity Press |
C. S. Lewis’s Case for Christ: Insights from Reason, Imagination and FaithArt LindsleyInterVarsity Press, 2005
Lindsley, an apologist and theologian from the C. S. Lewis Institute, walks readers through Lewis’s most salient arguments for the Christian faith. Written as a dialogue, the book examines a wide range of Lewis’s apologetic thought, covering miracles, the problem of evil, the exclusive claims of Christ in light of other world religions, moral relativism, and the challenges of postmodernism.
Reprints
 Companion to Narnia:A Complete Guideto the Magical Worldof C. S. Lewis’s TheChronicles of Narnia by Paul F. FordHarperSanFrancisco |
Companion to Narnia: A Complete Guide to the Magical World of C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of NarniaPaul F. FordHarperSanFrancisco, 2005
Ford’s award-winning Companion to Narnia has been an indispensable tool. This revised and expanded republication is encyclopedic in its references, charts, maps, cross references, and commentary from a leading Lewis scholar.
 C. S. Lewis:Images of His World by Douglas Gilbert, Clyde S. KilbyEerdmans |
C. S. Lewis: Images of His WorldDouglas Gilbert, Clyde S. KilbyEerdmans, 2005
Long out of print, this reissue is delightful. Full of photographs of many of Lewis’s haunts throughout England and Ireland, it truly opens a door into his world.
Jerry Root, co-editor of The Quotable Lewis (Tyndale, 1990), is assistant professor of evangelism at Wheaton College and associate director of the Billy Graham Center’s Institute of Strategic Evangelism.
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