The Heart of the Chronicles of Narnia: Knowing God Here by Finding Him There

With the upcoming movie release of the Walden Media/Walt Disney production of "Prince Caspian" I began searching for a book which would teach both literary analysis and apologetics to my junior-senior high students. After looking at several books I selected Thomas William's "The Heart of the Chroniciles of Narnia." The book is divided into three themes: The Story of Narnia, Living Like a Narnian and The End and the Beginning, with an introduction, afterward and discussion questions. Williams explores the Chronicles of Narnia utilizing three principles: 1. Letting C.S. Lewis explain the stories himself, using references from his other writings that illuminate the meaning of the Narnian passages and confirm his thought on given concepts. 2. Confirming the many Narnian principles with biblical references. 3. Drawing on resources from other authors. This is an excellant resource for those who want to "dig deeper" into the Chronicles of Narnia to discover the biblical meaning within the context of Lewis' celebrated stories.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan to use it and a copy of the movie on DVD for gift baskets this Christmas. Offers some insight on attributes of God that we are rarely exposed to. It has deepened my attraction to the Chronicles of Narnia and to C. S. Lewis. The book is intelligent without being difficult to read. Highly recommend!

I read the work of Thomas Williams with a highlighter in hand. His skill with words and deep understanding of spiritual truths combine to provide the reader with an in-depth, thought provoking,and satisfying reading experience. In "The Heart of Narnia", he shares his passion for the world of "Narnia" in a way that makes us all want to reread the entire Chronicles through "new eyes." This is a must-read for all!

Instead of giving us another "encyclopedia of Narnia," Thomas Williams presents a complete way of life based on all of C. S. Lewis's works. If you read one book about Narnia this season, make it this one!

This is a great book delving into the deeper truths of God that are nestled into the pages of The Chronicles of Narnia. This authur is very indepth in his explanations of topics such as providence, prayer, creation, life after death, being created for pleasure, temptation, church, and faith...just to name a few. But he does it in a clear and easily understandable way that makes for an easy and enjoyable read. I believe one of my favorite parts was the Chapter "Romping With The Lion". We are created for pleasure, for joy, for happiness. God made us to enjoy life and take pleasure in all things good! This chapter resonated with me and made me want to be a better "celebrator" and be able to express my joy, rather than just being stoic and pious. Williams says the Chronicles are to be read for enjoyment, but this book really made me want to reread them while looking for the truths he brings out. This book gave me a thirst for more of Narnia! You can tell the author has a love of all things Lewis and knows what he is talking about! I have been recommending this book to everyone!