John Ryan Duncan

The Magic Never Ends: The Life and Work of C. S. Lewis by John Ryan Duncan. Epiphany-OviedoELCA library section 12 E: Teen, Non-fiction. This biography, illustrated with rare photographs, is about one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, Oxford University professor C. S. Lewis. Lewis came to Christianity at mid-life, and after his conversion he wrote many books explaining for the layman the basic beliefs of Christianity, the nature of love, grief, and sin. A few of these books are Mere Christianity (an explanation of bedrock Christian faith for laypeople without all the denominational divisions), The Screwtape Letters (letters from Screwtape, the Devil, to his apprentice, Wormwood, that instruct Wormwood how to lure humans into sin), Surprised by Joy, and The Problem of Pain (if there is a God, and God is a God of love and compassion, why does God allow pain to exist?)
As an Oxford professor of English literature, Lewis’ area of expertise was medieval literature and Norse mythology. This interest led to his writing the 7-volume set of fantasy books for children, The Chronicles of Narnia (our library has them all in section 9 D). They are The Magician’s Nephew, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Horse and His Boy, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, and The Last Battle.
Lewis and his literary friends created a club called The Inklings, who met at a pub once a week to chat and read portions of their newest writings to one another for critique by the rest of the group. Among this group was J. R. R. Tolkien, writer of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Fellowship of the Ring. Both Tolkien’s books and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe have been made into very popular films. Their works endure even after 50 years.
Lewis received many fan letters. He tried to answer them all – a time-consuming task. He really cared about what his readers thought. His letters to children have been published in book form and it is interesting to note that he believed Aslan, the lion king in the Chronicles, to be a Christ-like figure. One can therefore read the Chronicles as an allegory of Christian faith, as fantasy adventures, or both. Both children and adults enjoy them.
Later in life, Lewis married an American author, Joy Davidman Gresham, who had a Master’s degree from Columbia and possessed a keen mind that could keep up with Lewis’ intelligence. Shortly after their marriage, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Their marriage was made into the film Shadowlands, one version starring Claire Bloom and Joss Ackland, and the other starring Debra Winger and Anthony Hopkins. Both are wonderful, but they require a box of tissues. Lewis and Joy shared the last four years of her life and Lewis became the stepfather to her two half-grown sons, David and Douglas Gresham. Douglas contributed information about his stepfather to this book, filled with insights about Lewis’s belief that the Holy Spirit worked through his pen to enlighten and strengthen Christians in their faith in God.… (meer)