Through book discussions, lectures, a children’s play and even a LEGO sculpture, the 2013 C.S. Lewis Festival celebrates the legacy of C.S. Lewis, an author still widely read 50 years after his death. The festival’s featured presenter, author Philip Yancey, will speak at three events and offer a book signing the weekend of Oct. 25.
Yancey will deliver the annual Manthei Speaker Series talk at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25, in the Petoskey Middle School auditorium, with the title “Reflections on C.S. Lewis.” He will also meet attendees of a luncheon at noon that day and host a book signing that afternoon from 2-3 p.m at McLean & Eakin Booksellers in downtown Petoskey.
Yancey, Tom Arthur and Wayne Martindale will be the featured presenters at the Saturday Seminar 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 26 at North Central Michigan College library conference center. The seminar theme is “Celebrating Lewis and his 50 Year Legacy.”
Book discussions for the 2013 C.S. Lewis Festival focus on works by author and journalist Yancey. Various church and community groups have chosen different books and are hosting discussions. Details are available at www.cslewisfestival.org.
“People have expressed a lot of enthusiasm for Philip Yancey’s visit,” notes C.S. Lewis Festival director, Anne McDevitt. “Mr. Yancey often refers to C.S. Lewis in his books, and his work echoes Lewis’ thoughtfulness and honesty. We’re excited to hear his thoughts on Lewis and to give locals and visitors an opportunity to meet him.”
Lewis’ legacy of fairytales and letters to children have inspired the C.S. Lewis Festival to include multiple activities for children and youth. The annual children’s production of “Narnia: The Musical” takes place on Friday through Sunday, Oct. 25-27 (see related story at right).
The C.S. Lewis Festival will partner with the downtown Petoskey trick-or-treat event on Oct. 26, providing Narnia-themed activities. Local fifth-grade students will participate in a writing workshop in school, followed by a presentation of their compositions at a reception on Monday. Nov. 25. YMCA will lead a book discussion for middle school students on “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” on Thursdays, during which local youth Paul Vermeesch will lead the construction of a Narnian castle using LEGOS.
Another new collaboration this year is with Beard’s Brewery who has created a Lewis-inspired beer just in time for the festival. Named, Out Of The Silent Planet, the title of one in his works that make up his science fiction trilogy, the beer is an homage to Lewis’ love for great storytelling, great beer and great community. They will not be serving it in the traditional cask style, hand pulled from a cask with low levels of carbonation at cellar temperature, as Lewis might have consumed it, but instead it is similar to a modern, American beer style in carbonation level and will be served cold.
The C.S. Lewis Festival is a donor-supported, annual exploration of the life and works of the author of the popular “Chronicles of Narnia.” The festival represents a collaboration of the arts, faith and education communities in Northern Michigan. For further information, visit www.cslewisfestival.org.
Who was C.S. Lewis?
Born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1898, C.S. Lewis was a British scholar and author best known for his beloved children’s book series “The Chronicles of Narnia,” including “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” He was also an articulate lay theologian who gave inspirational RAF radio addresses later adapted into the work “Mere Christianity.” His novels include “Till We Have Faces” and the science fiction “Space Trilogy.” Love of literature pervaded his academic life, and his scholarly works include “A Preface to Paradise Lost.”
Lewis died in 1964. His books, including fairy tales, novels and essays, remain in print today. Publisher HarperCollins boasts that his “Chronicles of Narnia” books alone have sold more than 100 million copies. “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Prince Caspian” and “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” three of the Narnia books, were recently adapted to major motion pictures.
Who is Philip Yancey?
Philip Yancey began his career as a journalist, and has worked for Campus Life Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Publisher’s Weekly, National Wildlife, Christian Century and The Reformed Journal. He is best known for popular books, including the award-winning titles “The Jesus I Never Knew” and “What’s So Amazing About Grace?” His books reflect his journalism career, drawing on interviews and personal encounters. His more recent works include “Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference,” “Grace Notes” and “What Good is God?” Yancey is an editor at large for the magazine Christianity Today, where he wrote a monthly column for several years.
Yancey devotes an entire section of his book “What Good is God?” to a discussion of Lewis. In the book, Yancey describes Lewis as “a shadow mentor who sits beside me urging me to improve my writing style, my thinking, my vision, and also my life.” As with Lewis, Yancey’s influence extends around the world with translations of his books into 35 languages.
