The C. S. Lewis Chronicles: The Indispensable Biography of the Creator of Narnia, Full of Little-Known Facts, Events, and Miscellany - Duriez, Colin. BlueBridge, 2005. 298p. $14.95, paperback. ISBN-10: 0-9742405-8-3. ISBN-13: 978-0-9742405-8-9. 823’.912 Lewis, C. S. (Clive Staples), 1898-1963. Authors, English—20th century—Biography. English teachers—Great Britain—Biography. Christian biography—England. Narnia (Imaginary place)

This unusual book will provide diversions for fans of C. S. Lewis. Duriez has chosen the “chronicle” approach to these somewhat eccentric selections from the life and times of Lewis.

Each chapter examines a decade in Lewis’s life. His growth and development appear within the context of social, political, or literary events of his times. In the first three or four pages of each chapter, Duriez outlines Lewis’s life and times in paragraph form. Then, in chronicle form, the book follows each year of Lewis’s life from birth to death. Years are subdivided into months and specific days.

The commentary is brief and mostly related to Lewis or his brother or a historical event. Entries read like comments extracted from a diary. Inserted among the data, in italics, are unique and interesting features, such as lists of Lewis’s reading up to the age of twelve, important Oxford figures, academic chairs held by the “Inklings,” and churches associated with Lewis.

It could be difficult for a newcomer to Lewis to relate to the information provided here. This book’s mixture of interesting tidbits is for the reader who is already familiar with Lewis and has read a more typical biography. For such readers, it can be hard to put down. The idiosyncratic blend of personal information, along with its social and historical context, will enrich many readers’ undertanding of C. S. Lewis.

Barbara J. Graham