Sussex Centre for Folklore, Fairy Tales and Fantasy to open this month
This month will see the launch of the new Sussex Centre for Folklore, Fairy Tales and Fantasy, a project which will explore the importance of fairy takes in literary and culture.
Professor Bill Gray, an English lecturer at the University of Chichester, is the brainchild behind the centre that will discuss and celebrate the folktales, fairy tales and fantastic imagination from across the world that has led to bestselling fantasy works by writers as diverse as JRR Tolkien, Terry Pratchett, JK Rowling, Angela Carter, Philip Pullman and CS Lewis.
“The heart of this project is a focus on the importance of fairy tales as a creative force both in literature and culture. Literary fairy tales can be seen, in terms of genre, to mediate between, on the one hand, folktales, from which they often derive both form and content; and on the other, the more elaborate narratives of full-blown fantasy novels. The Centre will provide a forum where writers and scholars from various disciplines can discuss folk narratives, fairy tales and fantasy works, both as independent ‘genres’ (the literary fantastic, for example, may not always have obvious folk- or fairy-tale motifs), and also in terms of the resonances and dissonances between them, and other cultural forms.”
For more information, visit http://sussexfolktalecentre.org.
Posted: February 9th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: CS Lewis, JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, Philip Pullman, Terry Pratchett
News of the first ever CS Lewis conference to be held in France
A call for papers on CS Lewis, His Friends and Associates: Questions of Identity has been issued. An international conference, to be held June 2-3, 2011 at the Lille Catholic University, will be the first of its kind in France. The deadline for proposals is June 5, 2010. You can find more information about the conference here.
The request has been made on Further Up & Further In, a CS Lewis & Inkling Resource blog, who made the following statement:
“Questions of identity are essential to the understanding of any writer. We are therefore seeking for papers which examine gender and family roles, national, regional, racial or professional identities, membership of a particular church, movement or club, ideological or political attachments, descriptions of oneself, either with regard to Lewis and those who knew him or in a study of their writings.
Among Lewis’s friends and associates we would include his brother Warnie, his wife Joy, JRR Tolkien, Charles Williams, Dorothy L. Sayers, T.S. Eliot, Ruth Pitter and Owen Barfield, but would also consider studies of anyone who worked with Lewis or who influenced him.”
For more information, visit http://cslewisblog.com/?p=372
Source: Further Up & Further In, Aslan’s Country
C.S. (Clive Staples) Lewis, also known as Jack was born in the Northern Irish town of Belfast in 1898. In the period between 1950 and 1956, Lewis wrote the books that he will always be best remembered for, The Chronicles of Narnia, containing six books which began with the publication of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and was completed by The Last Battle. These books have sold over 100 million copies and are amongst the most loved in children’s fiction.
Posted: January 12th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: CS Lewis
CS Lewis College to be built in honour of Narnia author
C.S. Lewis is having a college created in his name and it will be located on the sprawling 217-acre campus of a former New England boarding school.
The C.S. Lewis Foundation has long been considering several locations throughout the United States for the C.S. Lewis College and finally settled on the Northfield Mount Hermon School in Western Massachusetts.
The college is be created in order to honour the author and to advance the renewal of Christian thought and creative expression. Lewis, who was baptized in the Church of Ireland at birth, fell away from his faith during his adolescence, but returned to Christianity later in life, becoming “a very ordinary layman of the Church of England”.
Since its founding in 1986, part of the foundation’s mission was to establish a prototype Christian “Great Books College” named in honour of Lewis. The college curriculum will emphasize the importance of reasoned thought, analysis and criticism, and focus on the visual and performing arts. The college will also encourage the values of service, the advancement of international understanding, and the promotion of health and fitness.
The Northfield Mount Hermon School, which had consolidated its program onto its nearby Mount Hermon campus in 2005, was in search of a new owner for the Northfield campus. The campus met the foundation’s criteria: it had historic significance, was located near other highly regarded educational institutions, and has scenic beauty.
The college, expected to open in the autumn of 2012, is projected to enrol 400 students and employ a faculty of 40 and a staff of 45.
Source: School Library Journal
CS Lewis was born in the Northern Irish town of Belfast in 1898. In the period between 1950 and 1956, Lewis wrote the books that he will always be best remembered for, The Chronicles of Narnia, which contained six books which began with the publication of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and was completed by The Last Battle. These books have sold over 100 million copies and are amongst the most loved in children’s fiction. He died in 1963, aged 64, on the same day as President J. F. Kennedy.
Posted: December 18th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: CS Lewis
The Chronicles of CS Lewis Conference: August 14-15 2009
The producer of the widely popular Narnia films is joining forces with the author of The Shack to celebrate the life and legacy of legendary Christian author CS Lewis.
The Chronicles of CS Lewis Conference, which will be held August 14-15 at Northland, A Church Distributed, Longwood, Fla., will give unique insights into the mind of CS Lewis that won’t be found anywhere else.
The conference will feature William Paul Young, a long-time C.S. Lewis devotee. Just as C.S. Lewis’ books have helped people to explore tough questions that often keep them from faith in God, Young’s book has helped readers worldwide to reconcile their view of God with human suffering.
The host of the conference, Douglas Gresham, stepson of CS Lewis, is an accomplished author and co-producer and consultant for the Narnia films, including The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia. Gresham will talk about how Lewis has influenced his life, both through his writings and as an adopted member of Lewis’ family.
Mike Fernandez, director of the conference, says attendees will leave with a new and deeper appreciation for Lewis’ works. "You can read about CS Lewis, but it’s another thing to know him personally," he explains. "You’ll get to hear from someone who was actually close to the man. Douglas Gresham has insights that nobody else would."
The two-day conference will feature music, drama and personal stories that reflect the work of CS Lewis, including a concert by gospel recording artist Sara Groves and a one-man adaptation by Tony Lawton of Lewis’ groundbreaking novel The Great Divorce.
For more information, visit http://www.northlandchurch.net.
Posted: August 6th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: CS Lewis
Voyage of the Dawn Treader: Concept Art
A new DVD for Prince Caspian, released in the UK last week, includes a brief glimpse of the work that has been done so far on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
The fifth book in the Chronicles of Narnia sees Edmund and Lucy back in Narnia along with their beastly cousin Eustace. A sea-faring tale that reunites the children with Prince Caspian and Reepicheep the mouse on the voyage to the World’s End.
The Narnia Chronicles, first published in 1950, remain some of the most enduringly popular ever published. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, has been translated into 29 languages!
C.S. (Clive Staples) Lewis, also known as Jack was born in the Northern Irish town of Belfast in 1898. In the period between 1950 and 1956, Lewis wrote the books that he will always be best remembered for, The Chronicles of Narnia, which contained six books which began with the publication of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and was completed by The Last Battle. These books have sold over 100 million copies and are amongst the most loved in children’s fiction. He died in 1963, aged 64, on the same day as President J. F. Kennedy.
Posted: July 31st, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: CS Lewis
Lost CS Lewis manuscript found in the Bodleian Library
A professor at Texas State University–San Marcos believes he has discovered all that exists of a book that JRR Tolkien and close friend CS Lewis intended to write together.
According to a letter Tolkien wrote to his son Christopher in 1944, he had planned to write a book with Lewis called Language and Human Nature.
Steven Beebe, Regents’ Professor and Chair of the Texas State Department of Communication Studies, found the text in a notebook in the Oxford University Bodleian Library. Both Tolkien and Lewis were faculty members at Oxford.
“What is exciting is that the manuscript includes some of Lewis’s best and most precise statements about the nature of language and meaning. Both Lewis and Tolkien wrote separately about language, communication, and meaning, but they published nothing collaboratively.” said Beebe.
Beebe found the fragment in a small notebook Lewis used. In the notebook were early fragments of The Magician’s Nephew and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, along with several unpublished thoughts and ideas.
“I was so surprised to find Lewis writing about language and meaning, using examples and illustrations not found in any of his published work. I knew I had discovered something interesting. But at the time, I didn’t know I had found something important.”
Tolkien and Lewis met in 1926 and became long-time friends, helping found the famous Inklings literary discussion group. Tolkien’s efforts were instrumental in converting the atheist Lewis to Christianity in 1931.
Posted: July 13th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien
The CS Lewis Society to co-sponsor The Narnia Code
The Narnia Code is a new documentary based on Dr. Michael Ward’s Planet Narnia. The documentary will air on BBC 2 on Thursday, 16 April, from 10:35-11:35pm.
The CS Lewis Society of California are to co-sponsor The Narnia Code, which is based on the book, Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of CS Lewis by Michael Ward.
The documentary has been produced and directed by Norman Stone (CS Lewis Through the Shadowlands, CS Lewis: Beyond Narnia).
The programme will present the hidden themes that CS Lewis placed in The Chronicles of Narnia, based on the Christian spiritual symbolism of the seven heavens in medieval mythology. The book Planet Narnia first revealed this heretofore hidden layer in Lewis’s work, an enormous depth and sophistication by Lewis in creating the Narniad which has attracted an entire new appreciation for his accomplishment in creating these enormously popular classic stories that resonate for people worldwide.
In the period between 1950 and 1956, Lewis wrote the books that he will always be best remembered for, The Chronicles of Narnia, which contained six books which began with the publication of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and was completed by The Last Battle. These books have sold over 100 million copies and are amongst the most loved in children’s fiction.
CS Lewis [link to biography, bibliography], also known as Jack was born in the Northern Irish town of Belfast in 1898.
Source: Narnia Fans.com
Posted: April 12th, 2009
Author: Floresiensis
Categories: CS Lewis
Narnia musical to be performed at Asheville Community Theatre
The most famous story of the “Chronicles of Narnia” has become a musical. Asheville Community Theatre will open “Narnia,” the musical based on CS Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, at 8 p.m. Friday. Performances will run for three weekends through March 29, and will be held at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Asheville Community Theatre is at 35 E. Walnut St., in downtown Asheville. Opening weekend of “Narnia” will feature several special events, all of which are included in the price of a ticket.
Three special events are planned during the opening weekend of “Narnia.” The Opening Night Champagne Reception will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday and will feature complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a glass of bubbly or punch prior to curtain. Saturday is Sweet Saturday — patrons can sample Girl Scout cookies provided by the Girl Scouts of Western North Carolina Pisgah Council before enjoying the show. And on Sunday, the Question and Answer matinee will spotlight the director and members of the cast in a talk-back session immediately after the show. All “Narnia” special events are included in the price of a ticket.
Tickets are $22 for adults, $19 for college students and seniors (age 60 and older), and $12 for children (age 17 and under). Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased online at www.ashevilletheatre.org, over the phone by calling the ACT Box Office at 254-1320 or in person at the Box Office, at 35 E.Walnut St.
CS Lewis, also known as Jack was born in the Northern Irish town of Belfast in 1898. In the period between 1950 and 1956, Lewis wrote the books that he will always be best remembered for, The Chronicles of Narnia, which contained six books which began with the publication of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and was completed by The Last Battle. These books have sold over 100 million copies and are amongst the most loved in children’s fiction.
Posted: March 14th, 2009
Author: Floresiensis
Categories: CS Lewis
Petroni approached to work on next chapter of the Narnia Chronicles
Michael Petroni has been approached to write the next instalment in The Chronicles of Narnia franchise. Petroni will write The Voyage of the Dawn Treader [link to book review for Walden Media and Fox 2000. He will take over for Richard LaGravanese, who penned the most recent draft of the CS Lewis [link to biography] novel.
The approach to Petroni signifies that Walden are still moving ahead on the third chapter in the franchise. In late December, the project seemed in doubt after Disney decided to pull the plug on co-financing the film.
A summer release date in 2010 is expected.
Petroni’s recent works include Afterlife, The Book Thief and Daniel Isn’t Talking.
Producer Mark Johnson, who has worked with Petroni previously, also looks likely to join the franchise.
Posted: February 27th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: CS Lewis
Narnia talk to be held at Peterborough Cathedral
A new reading group is being launched at Peterborough Cathedral this Friday. The first meeting in the Becket Chapel will discuss the work of inspirational author CS Lewis, famed for his spellbinding tales The Chronicles of Narnia.
The aim of the group is to encourage enquiring minds to look past the adventure and uncover the many reflections on Christian theology and Greek and Roman mythology, as well as traditional British and Irish fairy tales.
The first session at 7.30pm will also feature a talk from Dr Michael Ward – formerly the warden of the CS Lewis Foundation and chaplain of Peterhouse College, Cambridge.
All are welcome to attend. Entry costs £2 per person. For more information, call Canon Jonathan Baker on 01733 355310.
In the period between 1950 and 1956, CS Lewis wrote the books that he will always be best remembered for, The Chronicles of Narnia, which contained six books which began with the publication of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and was completed by The Last Battle. These books have sold over 100 million copies and are amongst the most loved in children’s fiction.
Posted: February 26th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: CS Lewis
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Apartment 16 by Adam Nevill
Some doors are better left closed . . . In Barrington House, an upmarket block in London, there is an empty apartment. No one goes in, no one comes out. And its been that way for fifty years. Until the night watchman hears a disturbance after midnight and investigates. What he experiences is enough to change his life forever.
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