The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The natural entry point to The Chronicles of Narnia and Lewis's imaginative fiction.
Author guide
C. S. Lewis Books in Order
Clive Staples Lewis (1898–1963) was an Irish-born British writer and scholar of medieval and Renaissance literature. He taught at Oxford and Cambridge and wrote influential fiction, literary criticism, Christian apologetics, theology, memoir, poetry, and correspondence. His best-known works include The Chronicles of Narnia, The Space Trilogy, The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, and The Problem of Pain.
fantasyscience fictionchildren's literatureChristian apologeticstheologyliterary criticismmemoirpoetrycorrespondence
Catalog record updated .
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Mere Christianity
The clearest accessible introduction to Lewis's Christian apologetics.
Out of the Silent Planet
The opening novel of The Space Trilogy and a strong entry to Lewis's science fiction.
Read in order
Books by series
novel-trilogy · complete
The Space Trilogy
A science-fiction trilogy following the philologist Elwin Ransom across Earth, Mars, and Venus.
- 1 Out of the Silent Planet
Book 1 · science-fiction-novel · 1938
The first book in Lewis's Space Trilogy, *Out of the Silent Planet* tells the story of Dr. Elwin Ransom, a philologist who likes to explore the English countryside on foot. Seeking out a place to stay the night, he ends up at the estate…
- 2 Perelandra
Book 2 · science-fiction-novel · 1943
Dr. Ransom is ordered to Perelandra by the supreme being, and there he finds a Garden of Eden.
- 3 That Hideous Strength: A Modern Fairy-Tale for Grown-Ups
Book 3 · science-fiction-novel · 1945
children's-fantasy-series · complete
The Chronicles of Narnia
Seven children's fantasy novels set primarily in the magical world of Narnia.
- 1 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Book 1 · children's-fantasy-novel · 1950
Four adventurous siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie—step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost,…
- 2 Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
Book 2 · children's-fantasy-novel · 1951
Narnia . . . where animals talk . . . where trees walk . . . where a battle is about to begin. A prince denied his rightful throne gathers an army in a desperate attempt to rid his land of a false king. But in the end, it is a battle of…
- 3 The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Book 3 · children's-fantasy-novel · 1952
Lucy, Edmund, and their cousin travel back to Narnia through a painting where they board a ship named "The Dawn Treader." They find King Caspian and a mouse on the ship and they find mystical creatures and go on a mission that will decide…
- 4 The Silver Chair
Book 4 · children's-fantasy-novel · 1953
Jill and Eustace must rescue the Prince from the evil Witch.
- 5 The Horse and His Boy
Book 5 · children's-fantasy-novel · 1954
The Horse and his Boy is a stirring and dramatic fantasy story that finds a young boy named Shasta on the run from his homeland with the talking horse, Bree. When the pair discover a deadly plot by the Calormen people to conquer the land…
- 6 The Magician's Nephew
Book 6 · children's-fantasy-novel · 1955
Digory let out a scream. “What's happened to Polly?” “Congratulate me, my dear boy,” said Uncle Andrew, rubbing his hands. “My experiment has succeeded. The little girl's gone – vanished – right out of this world.” When Digory and Polly…
- 7 The Last Battle: A Story for Children
Book 7 · children's-fantasy-novel · 1956
The conclusion of the saga that began with The Magician's Nephew
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (7)
- The Pilgrim's Regress: An Allegorical Apology for Christianity, Reason, and Romanticism
allegorical-novel · 1933
One of Lewis's earlier works, this book is a similar parable to Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress"; while "Pilgrim's Progress" describes the journey of a non-Christian coming into Christianity, "The Pilgrim's Regress" describes the journey…
- The Screwtape Letters
satirical-epistolary-fiction · 1942
This profound and striking narrative takes the form of a series of letters from Screwtape, a devil high in the Infernal Civil Service, to his nephew Wormwood, a junior colleague engaged in his first mission on earth, trying to secure the…
- The Abolition of Man: Or, Reflections on Education with Special Reference to the Teaching of English in the Upper Forms of Schools
philosophical-nonfiction · 1943
C. S. Lewis sets out to persuade his audience of the importance and relevance of universal values such as courage and honor in contemporary society.
- The Great Divorce: A Dream
allegorical-fiction · 1945
C.S. Lewis’s dazzling allegory about heaven and hell—and the chasm fixed between them—is one of his most brilliantly imaginative tales, as he takes issue with the ideas in William Blake’s ‘The Marriage of Heaven and Hell’. In a dream, the…
- Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold
mythic-novel · 1956
- Reflections on the Psalms
theological-nonfiction · 1958
A repackaged edition of the revered author’s moving theological work in which he considers the most poetic portions from Scripture and what they tell us about God, the Bible, and faith. In this wise and enlightening book, C. S. Lewis—the…
- The Four Loves
theological-nonfiction · 1960
The revered author's classic work that examines the four types of human love: affection, friendship, erotic love, and the love of God. In this work Lewis examines four varieties of love, as approached from the Greek language: storge, the…
Nonfiction (11)
- The Allegory of Love: A Study in Medieval Tradition
literary-criticism · 1936
- A Preface to Paradise Lost
literary-criticism · 1942
"Considering the story within the context of the Western literary tradition, Lewis offers invaluable insights into Paradise Lost and the nature of literature itself, unveiling the poem’s beauty and its wisdom. Lewis explains and defends…
- English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, Excluding Drama
literary-history · 1954
Discusses the literary development of literature in the sixteenth century without a discussion of drama.
- Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life
memoir · 1955
A repackaged edition of the revered author’s spiritual memoir, in which he recounts the story of his divine journey and eventual conversion to Christianity. C. S. Lewis—the great British writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster,…
- Studies in Words
linguistic-literary-criticism · 1960
- An Experiment in Criticism
literary-criticism · 1961
Why do we read literature and how do we judge it? C. S. Lewis's classic An Experiment in Criticism springs from the conviction that literature exists for the joy of the reader and that books should be judged by the kind of reading they…
- A Grief Observed
memoir · 1961
Written after his wife's tragic death as a way of surviving the "mad midnight moment," A Grief Observed is C.S. Lewis's honest reflection on the fundamental issues of life, death, and faith in the midst of loss. This work contains his…
- The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature
literary-criticism · 1964
Hailed as "the final memorial to the work of a great scholar and teacher and a wise and noble mind," this work paints a lucid picture of the medieval world view, as historical and cultural background to the literature of the Middle Ages…
- Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Literature
literary-criticism-collection · 1966
This entertaining and learned volume contains book reviews, lectures, and hard to find articles from the late C. S. Lewis, whose constant aim was to show the twentieth century reader how to read and how to understand old books and…
- Spenser's Images of Life
literary-criticism-collection · 1967
- All My Road Before Me: The Diary of C. S. Lewis, 1922–1927
diary · 1991
The diary of the famous scholar and author chronicles his undergraduate career at Oxford, his marriage to a woman twenty-six years his senior, and his eventual conversion to Christianity.
Short fiction (2)
- Of Other Worlds: Essays and Stories
essay-and-short-story-collection · 1966
The contemporary writer discusses elements in fairy tales and science fiction, often overlooked by critics and presents three selections from his own works. Bibliogs.
- The Dark Tower and Other Stories
short-story-collection · 1977
A compilation of all of Lewis's shorter fiction including several science fiction tales.
Essays and speeches (11)
- Rehabilitations and Other Essays
essay-collection · 1939
- Transposition and Other Addresses
Christian-essay-collection · 1949
- The World's Last Night and Other Essays
essay-collection · 1960
A repackaged edition of the revered author’s anthology of satirical yet serious essays on evil. In these spirited essays, C. S. Lewis—the great British writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster, Christian apologist, and bestselling…
- They Asked for a Paper: Papers and Addresses
essay-collection · 1962
- Screwtape Proposes a Toast and Other Pieces
essay-and-fiction-collection · 1965
- Christian Reflections
theological-essay-collection · 1967
This collection contains fourteen of Lewis's theological papers on subjects such as Christianity and literature, Christianity and culture, ethics, futility, church music, modern theology and biblical criticism, the Psalms, and petitionary…
- God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics
theological-essay-collection · 1970
"Lewis struck me as the most thoroughly converted man I ever met," observes Walter Hooper in the preface to this collection of essays by C.S. Lewis. "His whole vision of life was such that the natural and the supernatural seemed…
- Fern-Seed and Elephants and Other Essays on Christianity
theological-essay-collection · 1975
C. S. (Clive Staples) Lewis, "Jack" to his intimates, was born on November 29, 1898 in Belfast, Ireland. His mother died when he was 10 years old and his lawyer father allowed Lewis and his brother Warren extensive freedom. The pair were…
- Present Concerns
essay-collection · 1986
"Where God gives the gift, the 'foolishness of preaching' is still mighty. But best of all is a team of two: one to deliver the preliminary intellectual barrage, and the other to follow up with a direct attack on the heart." An inveterate…
- Compelling Reason: Essays on Ethics and Theology
theological-essay-collection · 1996
C.S. Lewis wrote Compelling Reason. It is a collection of essays on ethics and Christian theology. Lewis defends the idea of real right and wrong that exists outside personal opinion. He attacks modern subjectivism that turns values into…
- Image and Imagination: Essays and Reviews
essay-and-review-collection · 2013
Children's books (1)
- Boxen: The Imaginary World of the Young C. S. Lewis
children's-fiction-collection · 1985
A collection of maps, histories, sketches, and stories created by C.S. Lewis as a child to describe his private fantasy world, known as Animal-Land or Boxen. A scholarly introduction explains the stories in the context of Lewis's life.
Poetry (4)
- Spirits in Bondage: A Cycle of Lyrics
poetry · 1919
C. S. Lewis, one of literature's finest storytellers, began as a poet and selected St. Peter's First Epistle as the subject of his first book of poetry. Since this book's themes aren't particularly spiritual, it's surprising that he went…
- Dymer
narrative-poem · 1926
- Poems
poetry-collection · 1964
- Narrative Poems
poetry-collection · 1969
Collaborations (2)
- The Personal Heresy: A Controversy
co-authored-literary-criticism · 1939
- Arthurian Torso
co-authored-literary-criticism · 1948
Other (12)
- The Problem of Pain
theology · 1940
Why must humanity suffer? In this elegant and thoughtful work, C. S. Lewis questions the pain and suffering that occur everyday and how this contrasts with the notion of a God that is both omnipotent and good. An answer to this critical…
- Broadcast Talks
Christian-apologetics · 1942
"Broadcast Talks" by C. S. Lewis. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of…
- Christian Behaviour: A Further Series of Broadcast Talks
Christian-apologetics · 1943
- Beyond Personality: The Christian Idea of God
Christian-apologetics · 1944
DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Beyond Personality: The Christian Idea of God" by C. S. Lewis. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully…
- Mere Christianity
Christian-apologetics · 1952
A forceful and accessible discussion of Christian belief that has become one of the most popular introductions to Christianity and one of the most popular of Lewis's books. Uncovers common ground upon which all Christians can stand…
- Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer
epistolary-theology · 1964
In the form of warm, relaxed letters to a close friend, Lewis meditates on many puzzling questions concerning the intimate dialogue between man and God. Lewis also considers practical and metaphysical aspects of private prayer,…
- Letters of C. S. Lewis
correspondence · 1966
A repackaged edition of the revered author’s collection of personal letters—a curated selection of the best of his correspondence with family, friends, and fans—and a short biography by his brother Warren Lewis. Letters of C. S. Lewis…
- Letters: C. S. Lewis—Don Giovanni Calabria: A Study in Friendship
correspondence · 1988
- The Latin Letters of C. S. Lewis
correspondence · 1987
- Collected Letters, Volume I: Family Letters 1905–1931
correspondence · 2000
This collection brings together the best of C.S. Lewis’s letters – some published for the first time. Arranged in chronological order, this is the first volume covering Family Letters: 1905-1931.
- Collected Letters, Volume II: Books, Broadcasts and War 1931–1949
correspondence · 2004
- Collected Letters, Volume III: Narnia, Cambridge and Joy 1950–1963
correspondence · 2006
Frequently asked questions about C. S. Lewis
Who was C. S. Lewis?
Clive Staples Lewis (1898–1963) was a Belfast-born writer, literary scholar, poet, and Christian apologist. He became known for both imaginative fiction and influential religious writing.
Sources: westminster-abbey.org (opens in a new tab)cam.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)
Was C. S. Lewis Irish or British?
Lewis was born in Belfast in 1898, when Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, and is commonly described as Irish-born British. He spent most of his adult life and academic career in England.
Sources: westminster-abbey.org (opens in a new tab)cslewis.com (opens in a new tab)
What was C. S. Lewis’s academic career?
Lewis was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Magdalen College, Oxford, from 1925 to 1954. He then became the first Professor of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge, a position he held until 1963.
Sources: magd.ox.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)cam.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)
What influenced C. S. Lewis’s writing and ideas?
Lewis drew on Norse, Greek, and Celtic mythology, medieval and early modern literature, and Christian thought. His friendship with J. R. R. Tolkien and other members of the Oxford literary group known as the Inklings also influenced his intellectual development.
Sources: cam.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)cslewiswordsandworlds.magd.ox.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)
What is C. S. Lewis’s lasting legacy?
Lewis’s legacy spans children’s fantasy, literary scholarship, and Christian apologetics. His work received major recognition when The Last Battle won the Carnegie Medal, and Westminster Abbey commemorated him with a memorial stone in Poets’ Corner in 2013.
Sources: cslewis.com (opens in a new tab)westminster-abbey.org (opens in a new tab)