The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of fantasy novels for children by C.S. Lewis, published during the 1950s. The seven books in the series are The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950), Prince Caspian (1951), The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952), The Silver Chair (1953), The Horse and His Boy (1954), The Magician's Nephew (1955), and The Last Battle (1956).
J.R.R. Tolkien on at least two occasions expressed his dislike of the Narnia books,[1][2] giving the reason that it depended on "merely a difference in taste".[3] George Sayer has remarked that Tolkien's dislike of the novels derived from "assembling figures from various mythologies" and that the books "were carelessly and superficially written."[4] On the other hand, his granddaughter Joanna Tolkien remembers that her grandfather directed her to reading his copies of The Chronicles of Narnia before The Lord of the Rings, suggesting that it was "perhaps an indication of his humility".[5][6]
Pauline Baynes, Tolkien's favourite artist, made the original cover and interior illustrations for the books in the The Chronicles of Narnia series.
External links
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 265, (dated 11 November 1964)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Eileen Elgar 24 December 1971" (letter)
- ↑ Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: I. Chronology, p. 758
- ↑ George Sayer, Jack: A Life of C.S. Lewis (2nd ed., 1994), p. 313)
- ↑ Joanna Tolkien, "Joanna Tolkien Speaks at the Tolkien Society Annual Dinner, Shrewsbury, April 16, 1994", in Digging Potatoes, Growing Trees (ed. Helen Armstrong), p. 34
- ↑ Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: II. Reader's Guide, p. 507
Further reading
- Richard Abanes, Harry Potter, Narnia, and The Lord of the Rings
- Rolland Heins, Christian Mythmakers: C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L'Engle, J.R.R. Tolkien, George MacDonald, G.K. Chesterton, & Others
