The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C. S. Lewis
Author(s): Alan Jacobs
Publisher: HarperOne
Price: $2.99       (July 3 Only)

The White Witch, Aslan, fauns and talking beasts, centaurs and epic battles between good and evil — all these have become a part of our collective imagination through the classic volumes of The Chronicles of Narnia. Over the past half century, children everywhere have escaped into this world and delighted in its wonders and enchantments. Yet what we do know of the man who created Narnia? This biography sheds new light on the making of the original Narnian, C. S. Lewis himself.

Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably the most influential religious writer of his day. An Oxford don and scholar of medieval literature, he loved to debate philosophy at his local pub, and his wartime broadcasts on the basics of Christian belief made him a celebrity in his native Britain. Yet one of the most intriguing aspects of Clive Staples Lewis remains a mystery. How did this middle-aged Irish bachelor turn to the writing of stories for children — stories that would become among the most popular and beloved ever written?

Alan Jacobs masterfully tells the story of the original Narnian. From Lewis’s childhood days in Ireland playing with his brother, Warnie, to his horrific experiences in the trenches during World War I, to his friendship with J. R. R. Tolkien (and other members of the “Inklings”), and his remarkable late-life marriage to Joy Davidman, Jacobs traces the events and people that shaped Lewis’s philosophy, theology, and fiction. The result is much more than a conventional biography of Lewis: Jacobs tells the story of a profound and extraordinary imagination. For those who grew up with Narnia, or for those just discovering it, The Narnian tells a remarkable tale of a man who knew great loss and great delight, but who knew above all that the world holds far more richness and meaning than the average eye can see.

How to Pray: Reflections and Essays
Author(s): C.S. Lewis
Publisher: HarperOne
Price: $2.99       (July 3 Only)

The great C.S. Lewis said, “I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God. It changes me.” The act of praying demands an impossibility that we request and Lewis’s insights on Christianity, reflections, and teachings are cultivated from essays, articles, letters, and his classic words in How to Pray.

Lewis provides a deeper understanding of the personal tradition of prayer, faith, and what it means to be a Christian. This compilation addresses commonly asked questions related to prayer such as:

· Can prayer be proven to work?

· Why should we pray if God already knows what we need?

· How does prayer fit with the idea of God’s providence?

· How can prayer become a regular practice?

· How should we pray when we’re grieving?

· Can we pray to avoid suffering?

· How should we handle unanswered prayers?

If you want to deepen your relationship with God or you’re searching for ways to strengthen your prayer life, How to Pray is the practical wisdom you need.