Synopses & Reviews
The remarkable breadth of C. S. Lewiss (1898–1963) work is nearly as legendary as the fantastical tales he so inventively crafted. A variety of themes emerge in his literary output, which spans the genres of nonfiction, fantasy, science fiction, and childrens literature, but much of the scholarship examining his work focuses on religion or philosophy. Overshadowed are Lewiss views on nature and his concern for environmental stewardship, which are present in most of his work. In Narnia and the Fields of Arbol: The Environmental Vision of C. S. Lewis, authors Matthew Dickerson and David OHara illuminate this important yet overlooked aspect of the authors visionary work.
Dickerson and OHara go beyond traditional theological discussions of Lewiss writing to investigate themes of sustainability, stewardship of natural resources, and humanitys relationship to wilderness. The authors examine the environmental and ecological underpinnings of Lewiss work by exploring his best-known works of fantasy, including the seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia and the three novels collectively referred to as the Space Trilogy. Taken together, these works reveal Lewiss enduring environmental concerns, and Dickerson and OHara offer a new understanding of his pioneering style of fiction.
An avid outdoorsman, Lewis deftly combined an active imagination with a deep appreciation for the natural world. Narnia and the Fields of Arbol, the first book-length work on the subject, explores the marriage of Lewiss environmental passion with his skill as a novelist and finds the authors legacy to have as much in common with the agrarian environmentalism of Wendell Berry as it does with the fantasy of J. R. R. Tolkien.
In an era of increasing concern about deforestation, climate change, and other environmental issues, Lewiss work remains as pertinent as ever. The widespread adaption of his work in film lends credence to the authors staying power as an influential voice in both fantastical fiction and environmental literature. With Narnia and the Fields of Arbol, Dickerson and OHara have written a timely work of scholarship that offers a fresh perspective on one of the most celebrated authors in literary history.
Review
We happily suggest the brand new Matthew Dickerson and David L. O-Hara [book] for your consideration.
Review
Dickerson and O'Hara demonstrate how one man, well before the fad, established his own code of ethics "in which nature is enchanted by something that transcends nature and provides a transcendent morality, in which exploiting the earth, the water, or our fellow creatures is not merely inconvenient but morally wrong." Recommended for all libraries.
(Charles C. Nash, Library Journal)
Review
"The authors make their case in depth, revealing not only a detailed knowledge of Lewiss fiction, but extensive familiarity with the critical literature surrounding it, as well as environmental literature in general. Narnia and the Fields of Arbol is both revelatory and a pleasure to read."--Robert Siegel
Synopsis
Scholars have discussed the work of C. S. Lewis (1898–1963) for decades, but they have focused on Lewiss Christian and pagan allusions and have largely ignored his other important themes. Narnia and the Fields of Arbol: The Environmental Vision of C. S. Lewis is the first book dedicated to Lewiss vision of our relationship to nature and the environment. Matthew T. Dickerson and David OHara examine The Chronicles of Narnia and the Ransom books, as well as The Great Divorce, The Abolition of Man, and Lewiss essays and personal correspondence, connecting his writing with that of authors more traditionally associated with environmentalism, such as Wendell Berry, Aldo Leopold, and Gary Snyder. Narnia and the Fields of Arbol offers a fresh way for readers across disciplines to understand the work of this literary legend.
About the Author
Matthew T. Dickerson is professor of environmental studies and computer science at Middlebury College, author of Ents, Elves, and Eriador: The Environmental Vision of J. R. R. Tolkien,
Following Gandalf: Epic Battles and Moral Victory in The Lord of the Rings and The Finnsburg Encounter, and coeditor of From Homer to Harry Potter: A Handbook on Myth and Fantasy.
David OHara is assistant professor of philosophy and instructor in classical Greek at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He is coeditor of From Homer to Harry Potter: A Handbook on Myth and Fantasy.