just to add my two pennies' worth to the lewis debate...c.s. lewis most certainly intended his books to be interpreted as religious. the most obvious example is aslan - the voyage of the dawn treader makes it quite clear that aslan doesn't simply represent/have similarities to jesus - he is jesus in an alternative reality (he basically tells edmund and lucy that he exists in their world too, but there he is known by another name), and the the kids are taken to that alternative reality so they can know him better in the real world. i accept that it is possible to read the stories just as stories if that is what you choose to do, but i do not believe that any religious metaphors/messages/images are purely accidental or simply down to the interpretation of the reader - lewis was fully aware of what he was doing. i once came across a quote from lewis where he talked about his intentions, but i can't find it now.

anyway...i'm reading brick lane.

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**MY BOOK**

~ proud to be a shieldmaiden for christ ~</center>

I agree with this 100 Percent.

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^ + ^^: *Has once again been forced up the wall* Oh yeah, the Narnia series is going to be sold to the used book store when I clean out my bookshelves. So there.


How is that? I got it free a couple of months ago but haven't started it. Partially because the cover is terrifying.

I finished half of it before when I was in the hospital, but then I got sidetracked by some other book.... I think it was the final Harry Potter or something. It's good though, if you like Jane Austen, which I do.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is on the list of books I want to read, cause I like Oscar wilde's other stuff. I second the question, how is it?

^^Alright then...Not that I much care if you like the books or not, I could care less. I was just agreeing with what ethelfleda said.

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@ People who asked about Dorian Gray: Well, let's just say I deliberately chose the word 'struggle' to describe my reading quest, lol. I've only read a few chapters so far, and I really have to focus my mind on enjoying it. I've just finished The Colour of Magic (Terry Pratchett), which is humorous fantasy/satirism of our own world, and a totally different writing style. Wilde is good when you give him time.

TT/Starlight, I like Jane Austen's description of balls and dancing - are they many balls in Persuasion?

Timmy, my copy has a rather nice cover; a picture of Dorian Gray looking at his own painting!
Would you perhaps trade the Narnia series for Dorian? I'd like to read them!

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Well, I've read the C.S. Lewis discussion and I don't want to annoy you or force my opinions on you, but we could keep on discussing this topic in a friendly way, can't we?

I see your point about religion in the Narnia books.
I agree with theelfleda and Balathor that Narnia is more or less an allegory on Christianity (even though allegory in a positive sense, because Lewis doesn't force his opinions on his readers), and no scholar, in fact nobody who is familiar with Lewis' work will try to deny this. You can find a million quotes in Lewis' letter that prove this point.

Even though I am Christian and even though I adore most of C.S. Lewis's books, I see you point that the "religious allegory" in Narnia can possibly annoy readers who don't agree with the author on his worldview.

But I strongly disagree that the Narnia novels are not "intelligent". You can critizise Lewis about his allegorical way of writing (in Tolkien, it's different - even though he was Christian and even though LotR contains fundamental Christian truths, he was strongly opponent of "allegory", which tries to force some opinion on you, but he preferred "applicability" which leaves the reader the freedom to decide what he will take away from a literary work)

but...

...you can't accuse Lewis of being unintelligent! He's one of the finest Christian thinkers - read, for instance, "The Screwtape Letters" or "Perelandra".
Perhaps the intelligence in Narnia is only visible to those who, well, agree with his religion and therefore can see beyond the surface of the actual children's story?


This was not meant as an offense to you, it's just stating my opinion. You don't like Narnia, that fine with me. But, you see, I've read a lot of C.S. Lewis, he's one of my favourite authors, so I had to say something to this topic.

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We've been forever
yet we've only just begun.
We have come full circle.

Yeah, I tend to try to overloook such stuff when I read (since religous stuff annoys the crap out of me), but has anyone seen Calormenes? Dark skin. South. Wear turbans. Pagans. WANT TO INVADE NARNIA! Come on! That's just racist, I don't care what decade you're from. Yes, the books were boring.

BACK ON TOPIC, anyway..... um, I'm re-reading Labyrinth by Kate Mosse(not the model/actress)

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I'm reading Artemis Fowl, The Eternity Code - Eoin Colfer. This is probably the fourth time I'm reading it.

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VITAM AETERNO; an original creature roleplay

Hmm, it's summer, so if I'm ever going to read a book I actually have to work at, it'll be now. I've heard really good things about it from some of my rl friends too.

Does the painting kind of look like a really nasty lizard?
Sure! You pay for shipping, though. :tehee:

I actually could really use some reading recommendations...

Architectural Digest - July 08 issue - Why do people with such a horrid amount of money take it for granted? -dies-

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And all will turn to silver glass...



By Goldstrike

The Thistle and the Rose by Jean Plaidy

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The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud. Good stuff....

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"I am he [she =P] that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

Into Thin Air by Jon TTcan'tremember... Very good. About the disasterous Mt Everest climb... Ug. I can't understand why people whould want to climb that mountain.

Very well said. *Agrees*

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FANTASTIC book. I really need to read it again.