Published in the early 1950s, C. S. Lewis's seven Chronicles of Narnia were proclaimed instant children's classics and have been hailed in The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature as "the most sustained achievement in fantasy for children by a 20th-century author." But how could Lewis (a formidable critic, scholar, and Christian apologist)conjure up the kind of adventures in which generations of children (and adults) take such delight? In this engaging and insightful book, C. S. Lewis expert David C. Downing invites readers to join his vivid exploration of the Chronicles of Narnia, offering a detailed look at the enchanting stories themselves and also focusing on the extraordinary intellect and imagination of the man behind the Wardrobe.

Downing presents each Narnia book as its own little wardrobe - each tale an opportunity to discover a visionary world of bustling vitality, sparkling beauty, and spiritual clarity. And Downing's examination of C. S. Lewis's personal life shows how the content of these classic children's books reflects Lewis's love of wonder and story, his affection for animals and homespun things, his shrewd observations about human nature, along with his vast reading, robust humor, theological speculations, medieval scholarship, and arcane linguistic jokes. A fun glossary of odd and invented words will allow readers to speak with Narnian flair, regaling friends and family with unusual words like cantrips, poltoonery, hastilude, and skirling. A masterful work that will appeal to both new and seasoned fans of Narnia, Into the Wardrobe offers a journey beyond Narnia's deceptively simple surface and into its richly textured and unexpected depths.

Praise for Into the Wardrobe

"Into the Wardrobe will be best enjoyed by fans who have read the entire series, but those who haven't may be so impressed by Downing's exploration of Lewis's deep and sophisticated imagination that they will sneak 'into the wardrobe' and devour the Chronicles for themselves."
—Publishers Weekly

"With lucidity and uncommon good sense, David Downing offers a guide to the Narnia Chronicles that will deepen the reader's appreciation of these perennial favorites while illuminating the origins of Narnia in Lewis's life and work."
—John Wilson, editor, Books & Culture

"Everyone who has enjoyed the Chronicles of Narnia and anyone who is interested in the writings of C.S. Lewis must read this excellent work . . . . Downing helps the reader understand how the Chronicles reflect not only Lewis's towering intellect but also his strong faith and his sensitive heart."
—Armand Nicholi, M.D., author, The Question of God: C. S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life

"Like his previous studies of Lewis's life and writings, Into the Wardrobe proves again that Downing is a master at weaving essential facts and fresh insights into a smooth narrative . . . . A balanced and satisfying guide for either experienced or first-time readers of Narnia."
—Robert Trexler, editor, CSL: The Bulletin of the New York C. S. Lewis Society