C.S. Lewis

One of the most famous writers of the 20th century, C. S. Lewis was a scholar of medieval literature, an influential Christian thinker and a supremely gifted storyteller. A professor at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Lewis is perhaps best known for his Chronicles of Narnia – stories which captured the imagination of millions with their blend of spiritual depth and swashbuckling adventure.

But how were the seeds of the magical world of Narnia first planted? How did Lewis’ unconventional personal life, and the writers and scholars with whom he spent his days, influence his work? And what part did his complex relationship with faith play in the stories that still enchant adults and children around the world?

This is a Short History Of C.S. Lewis.

A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins. With thanks to Dr Michael Ward from the Faculty of Theology at the University of Oxford, and author of Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis.

Written by Nicola Rayner | Produced by Kate Simants | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Katrina Hughes | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design by Oliver Sanders | Assembly edit by Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cody Reynolds-Shaw | Fact check: Sean Coleman

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