Luddie's Former Life ;)
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The Magician's Nephew

By Luddie
Yar, Michaela's recent post reminded me of the Chronicles of Narnia, and so I just randomly pulled out the Magician's Nephew and have gotten completely sucked in. I didn't put the book down until I was three-quarters of the way through and now I'm sure I'll have to read all the books again. I don't expect it to take long but wow, they're better this second time around.

C.S. Lewis was clearly writing for a children's audience, but rather than simplifying his ideas, he simplifies his expression of ideas worthy of any theological books. The resulting bluntness (and I would even say bravery) are really impressing me in a way I don't remember last time I read them.

And the man can write! I like the HarperCollins edition I'm using, as it numbers them with the Magician's Nephew first, supposedly as Lewis intended. The only annoying thing is the pictures take away from the way I imagine based off his descriptions. I still don't know what to think of the movie they're putting out this December.

Anywho, Mom bought the Phantom of the Opera movie today and we watched it. So good. Most classical operas are known for one outstanding aria, but Andrew Lloyd Webber makes song after song stick in your head.

And that's the news of the day.
 

3 comments so far.

  1. Courtney 5/15/2005 5:03 PM
    C.S. Lewis is great. I just got a collection of his essays on literature, specifically stories. He talks about the works of Tolkein, Orwell, Sayers, and others.
    Also, he writes about children's literature and how we tend to classify children’s tastes in an entirely different class from ours. He thought that the best books could be enjoyed by both children and adults. Looks like he definitely created those sorts of books!
  2. Karen 5/15/2005 9:30 PM
    Wait, what?! No, sorry, no way. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe totally goes first. The story is so much more interesting that way. And yes, they are great books.
  3. Luddie 5/15/2005 9:36 PM
    To be honest, I've rather enjoyed having the Magician's Nephew first. I know in many ways Aslan is "set up" better in the Lion/Witch/Wardrobe, but it's cool having the creation story first and it gives you some background on the witch. I wouldn't have remembered that stuff starting just with Lion/Witch/Wardrobe.

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