Books

First edition, first impression, of the first book in the Narnia series. "A whole generation has grown up of people who read the Narnia stories in childhood, and have passed on the secret to their own children in turn. Whatever Lewis's future reputation as a theologian or literary critic, he is certain of a place among the classic authors of children's books" (Wilson, p. 220). Grolier Children's 100, 90. Andrew Norman Wilson, C. S. Lewis: A Biography, 1990. Octavo. Finely bound by the Chelsea Bindery in green morocco, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, raised bands, single rule to boards gilt, pictorial onlay of Lucy and Mr Tumnus walking through the woods set within oval frame to front board, a further onlay to rear board of all the children tumbling out of the wardrobe, twin rule to turn-ins gilt, burgundy endpapers, gilt edges. With colour frontispiece and black and white illustrations by Pauline Baynes. A fine copy.

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).