Recently, we told you about the upcoming release of a new book called C.S. Lewis and His Circle. Our friends over at Oxford University press have been gracious enough to send us a link to an article written by one of the book’s editors. You can read a brief sample below:
Literary societies are book clubs on steroids, and if that sounds like your idea of a good time then you’ll soon find yourself caught up in C.S. Lewis and His Circle, a collection of essays and memoirs from members of the prestigious Oxford C.S. Lewis Society. Through this collection, readers can immerse themselves in Lewis’ world and learn more about the beloved author of classics such as The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Out of the Silent Planet. Here, Roger White, the book’s editor, shares seven surprising discoveries about Lewis that average readers may not know.
Before the internet and social media, how did book lovers come together to talk about favorite titles and beloved authors? One avenue was the literary society, a kind of reading group or book club with a dedicated focus and an enthusiastic commitment to learning.
In C. S. Lewis and His Circle, readers are welcomed into the Oxford C.S. Lewis Society, a literary society that has been promoting conversation and reflection on the life and work of C. S. Lewis for over 30 years. Each week Society members gather to engage on topics related to Lewis and his literary peers, and invite speakers to bring new ideas and perspectives into their lively discussions. Here are a few of the surprising and amusing discoveries found in this collection:
1) The Chronicles of Narnia began with a single picture
The image was of a faun carrying an umbrella and parcels through a snowy wood. Walter Hooper, C. S. Lewis’ secretary, friend, literary executor, and biographer, tells how the Chronicle stories evolved from this single curious picture. Although the Narnia tales were not written in chronological order, published in the sequence they were composed, nor particularly liked by a few of Lewis’ close friends, the seven volumes remain one of the most beloved children’s stories of all time.
Read the rest at bookish.com