About the Author

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954, when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and have been transformed into three major motion pictures.

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) fue uno de los intelectuales más importantes del siglo veinte y podría decirse que fue el escritor cristiano más influyente de su tiempo. Fue profesor particular de literatura inglesa y miembro de la junta de gobierno en la Universidad Oxford hasta 1954, cuando fue nombrado profesor de literatura medieval y renacentista en la Universidad Cambridge, cargo que desempeñó hasta que se jubiló. Sus contribuciones a la crítica literaria, literatura infantil, literatura fantástica y teología popular le trajeron fama y aclamación a nivel internacional. C. S. Lewis escribió más de treinta libros, lo cual le permitió alcanzar una enorme audiencia, y sus obras aún atraen a miles de nuevos lectores cada año. Sus más distinguidas y populares obras incluyen Las Crónicas de Narnia, Los Cuatro Amores, Cartas del Diablo a Su Sobrino y Mero Cristianismo.

Pauline Baynes has produced hundreds of wonderful illustrations for the seven books in The Chronicles of Narnia. In 1968 she was awarded the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal for her outstanding contribution to children's literature.

Reviews

Gr 3 Up‘This who's who presents 33 mostly nonhuman characters or groups that appear in Lewis's classic series. They are briefly described and some of their stories related. The words are largely Lewis's own, though plucked selectively, and omitting much, from the originals. The selection is skillfully done, but transitions between description and storytelling are sometimes awkward. The full-color paintings retain the liveliness and expression of the originals, but their scale and perspective make them grander all around. Whereas the original pen-and-ink drawings were often seen from a distance and punctuated the text only occasionally, these bordered and decorative landscapes and closeups present constant and considerably fleshed-out vistas and creatures. Though the new art is impressive, and often lovely, readers may miss the smaller-scale charm and sharply etched detail of the black-and-white originals. Those who've read the books will find the most to enjoy here, seeing old friends and enemies in fuller garb. The sheer numbers will confuse Narnia neophytes, and despite the attempt to provide context in the descriptions, some knowledge of characters is assumed. Lewis's outline of Narnian history appears, as does a succinct annotation of each title. Brian Sibley's Land of Narnia (HarperCollins, 1990) also includes a few new paintings by Baynes (different from these), but, with its biographical and literary angles, adds new information. The art is the draw in the Book of Narnians, and it is fascinating to see the artist take on things these many years later, but the originals are still quite wonderful enough.‘Nancy Palmer, The Little School, Bellevue, WA