Books

First edition of the first work in Lewis' acclaimed Narnia series. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery, gilt titles and ruling to the spine, raised bands, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, gilt signature to the front panel, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. In fine condition. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes. An exceptional presentation. The Chronicles of Narnia is "unforgettable not only for the excitement and suspense of the adventures but also for the strong emotions they describe so well [and they are] further enriched by Lewis' skillful use of language" (Silvey, 406). "Each book has something new and different to offer and there is no weakening of either inspiration or interest" (Eyre, 132). It is interesting that Lewis' inspiration came from a dream: "At first I had very little idea how the story would go. But then suddenly Aslan came bounding into it. I think I had been having a good many dreams of lions about that time. Once he was there, he pulled the whole story together, and soon he pulled the six other Narnian stories in after him (On Stories: And Other Essays on Literature, 1980). Lewis was concerned to do for children what he had done for an adult readership in his science fiction to re-imagine the story in an exciting narrative context. The Narnia books are intoxicating to all but the most relentlessly unimaginative of readers, and must be judged the most sustained achievement in fantasy for children by a 20th-century author" (Carpenter & Pritchard, 370).

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1950. It is the first published and best known of seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia (1950–1956). Among all the author's books, it is also the most widely held in libraries. Although it was written as well as published first in the series, it is volume two in recent editions, which are sequenced by the stories' chronology (the events of The Magician's Nephew take precedence).