Welcome Readers
I first read the Chronicles of Narnia in the second grade. The tales of ordinary kids escaping into fantasy worlds instantly connected with this farm kid from the Midwest. I read each book so many times, picking a new favorite with every re-read. First, Prince Caspian, and finally, A Horse and His Boy. Never did I consider that next-to-last prequal that took the escalating story back to its simpler roots and to the very beginnings of Narnia itself. It wasn’t until decades later when I began to read The Magician’s Nephew to my own children that I began to see the genius of this magical installment.
Of course, the backstory delighted. Lamp posts and talking beasts and white witches had origin stories. But most importantly, I saw Narnia’s soul. Great hope coupled with emerging darkness that must be held at bay. There was a tension of reality in this other world that spoke with more clarity as an adult than it ever had before. This is why we are reading it together again. Whatever our eventual thoughts on the upcoming film adaptation by Greta Gerwig, I am excited to once again dip our toes into the pond between this world and Lewis’s Narnia.
Who Am I
My name is Mark Fugitt. I am a historian of religion with a PhD in historical theology. In daily life, this means I am a university administator and professor and also a pastor and author. I love books, and have written a couple of my own. My wife and I live on a farm in Missouri and have five children. I love the outdoors (espeically camping in national parks) and outer space.
What to Expect
Each week, I will be sending out my thoughts on the chapters we’ve read as well as background information about Lewis and his historical setting.