C. S. Lewis
In my childhood, I had read and greatly enjoyed the Narnia Chronicles. However, it was not until I played the part of 'Jack' Lewis in an amateur production of 'Shadowlands', that I really began to understand the man. The most astonishing realisation was that he was a household name, both here and in the United States, even before the first of the Narnia chronicles, 'The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe,' was published.
In this talk I explore:-
his early childhood and the traumatic loss of his mother
the close relationship with his brother Warnie, and the imaginary worlds that they created together
his involvement in the Great War, and the lasting consequences of his friendship with a fellow Irish officer
the journey back to Christianity, and his Christian writings
his involvement with the 'Inklings', and especially JRR Tolkein
his decision towards the end of his career to write children's stories
his meeting late in life with Joy Gresham
I intersperse the talk with selected readings from 'The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe'.