Can You Imagine? (book review)

CAN YOU IMAGINE? 
The true story of C.S Lewis and his books
By Catherine Mackenzie
Illustrated by Rita Ammassari
Christian Focus. 24 pages. £4.99
ISBN 978 1 781 911 600

Many children and adults will have read some of C.S.Lewis’s books and even seen films made about the stories he wrote. It is really good to learn about the man himself in this book, written in such an easy style.

Although a book for all children, I think it would be more suitable for older ones, or read to younger ones by their parents.

When quite young, C.S. changed his name which explains why we are introduced to the character called ‘Jack’. He wanted to be known as ‘Jacksie’ after his beloved dog died, but his family persuaded him otherwise.

Jack also faced the trauma of his mother’s death at about the same time and had to leave Northern Ireland to begin life at a boarding school in England. Life was strange for a while but he soon settled down. He went from there to college, and then into the army during the first world war.

The book tells of Lewis’s struggles in his spiritual experience. His desire not to have anything to do with God and God mercifully breaking down his resistance, until he came to believe in Him, and know God in a real way. He enjoyed reading books and found out that some of his favourite authors were Christians, he couldn’t get away from God!

A lovely illustration of God’s dealing with Lewis is the one where he passed a melting snowman. He acknowledged God was slowly melting his own heart, he didn’t want to believe but he knew he had to!

Jacki French, 
Member at Abbey Baptist Church, Abingdon and Titmuss Avenue Baptist Church, Thamesmead

  

This article was first published in the December 2013 issue of Evangelicals Now. For more news, artciles or reviews, subscribe to EN or contact us for more information.
http://www.e-n.org.uk 0845 225 0057