Walk in the steps of C.S. Lewis, The Narnian
Book reviewed by: Pamela McCunn (USA) 23 December 2005.
After reading the many literary works of author C.S. Lewis,
both fiction and non-fiction, and after experiencing the magic
of Narnia, you can't help but want to know more about the man,
'Jack' Lewis. Author Ronald Brind kindly gives us that opportunity
in this new book 'A Guide to the C.S. Lewis Tour of Oxford'.
The author provides detailed information on how to physically
locate important C.S. Lewis sites (his home, the Kilns, his
gravesite, schools, frequented pubs, churches, etc.) and at
the same time shares first hand personal information about the
author giving us small glimpses of Lewis' everyday life. So,
whether you are going to self tour in Oxford, take the author's
guided tour or do an armchair tour from the comfort of your
sofa, you will enjoy this book. The checklists at the end would
be particularly handy while doing a self tour. The only thing
that would have been a nice addition would be hand drawn maps.
A Good Guide To C.S. Lewis Sites in Oxford
Book reviewed by: Daniel Van Hoy (Hong Kong) 27 December 2005.
I've had the privilege of reading Ron's book and taking his
tour of C.S. Lewis sites. Before I went to Oxford I wondered
how I was going to locate Lewis' home, church and other significant
places. I was delighted to find that Ron has done all the homework
for me based on his lifetime of living and working in Oxford
and personal experiences as a childhood friend of Douglas Gresham.
Everything you need to locate the things you want to see most
is in this book.
One great thing is that Ron adds many personal
insights and observations as well as his passion to get C.S.
Lewis' home open for visitors on a regular basis. The book is
more than just a guide, it, reflects his personal crusade to
restore C.S. Lewis sites as they were during Lewis' time and
to open up relevant sites to visitors on a regular basis.
While this book is clearly not intended to be
a scholarly work, I hope that a future edition will include
an index as well as references for the sources used. That will
make it significantly more useful and enduring a contribution
to the whole of works related to Lewis'..
Even if you never have a chance to visit Oxford
you will benefit from both the information and the inspiration
Ron Brind brings to the life and work of C.S. in 'A Guide to
the C. S. Lewis Tour in Oxford'.
Passion Meets Practicality
Book reviewed by: Diana Sinclair (USA) 1 February 2006.
I had the pleasure of meeting Ron Brind when taking the C.S.
Lewis Tour in the winter of 2005. I wish I had had his book
then! To have read this fabulous book before my trip would have
added to the enjoyment. Ron is knowledgeable about his subject
and considerate about how he presents his material. I feel I
could rent a car and take the trip myself without any apprehension
about getting lost. Add to this the personal touches of his
childhood memories about C.S. Lewis and you have a unique guide
book to accompany you on your journey. Honestly, when you have
done with reading 'A Guide to the C.S. Lewis Tour in Oxford'
you might have trouble remembering if the bits you recall were
something you read or if you had actually been there! Read the
book and treat yourself to the tour; you will be touched by
the passion Ron Brind brings to the memory of C.S. Lewis, as
well as his ambitious desire to preserve the material legacy
Lewis left behind.
A Day Well Spent
Book reviewed by: Laurey Ahonen (USA) 2 February 2006.
My son and I recently spent the better part of a day in Oxford
taking Mr. Brind's tour. It was personal and kind and quite
informational giving us a glimpse inside the city of Oxford
but especially a peek at the lives of 'Jack and Warnie' Lewis,
his neighbors through his growing up years.We came away from
the tour feeling we had experienced the very human side of a
great man. The book is written in such a way that you really
could take the tour on your own and get a feel for the life
of C.S. Lewis. The pictures and directions are quite helpful.
But if I were you, I'd read the book first to get the lay of
the land and still take Mr. Brind's tour as he is a treat himself.
An Inspirational Journey, 10 March 2006
Book reviewed by: John-Paul McCrohon & Ms K K Joyce 'Oxford
Don' (United Kingdom)
Myself and my partner, Kerry, visited Oxford to soak up the
surroundings and to research our production of the play, "Shadowlands"
by William Nicholson, based on the story of CS Lewis and Joy
Davidman. On arriving, we did not know where to start until
we found a copy of Ronald K Brind's wonderful book. It really
was like finding treasure as it is totally unlike any other
book written about Lewis, of which we have read many. All of
them are fascinating, but this one is truly personal. Mr Brind
manages to convey a true sense of what the lives of these extraordinary
people were truly like drawing on his first hand experience
and providing us with such unique nuggets of information that
can only be communicated by someone who was actually there.
In addition to this, Mr Brind's passion for ensuring
that Lewis' legacy is more evident in his home city, nationally
and internationally shines through every word.
The tour itself is quite indescribably inspiring
and moving. We self navigated the route over the course of a
couple of days and cannot really put into words what an amazing
experience it was. The words and photographs provided are extremely
clear and made the tour easy to follow, including so many places
of interest that, by the time we had finished, we felt that
we had really got to know "Jack" and Joy. Although
it is difficult to pin-point just a few highlights as it is
all so amazing, by visiting the hotel where it is very possible
that the two initially met, Lewis' house, Joy's house, the crematorium
at which is displayed Joy's epitaph and the gravestone for Lewis
and his brother "Warnie" were particularly awe inspiring
moments in a tour which we will never forget, and will take
every opportunity to tell other people about, not to mention
visiting again ourselves.
We also had the privilege of speaking to Mr Brind
himself who was charming, kind, as passionate about his subject
as his book had led us to believe, knowledgeable, and as grateful
to us for expressing our delight in what he had written as we
were to him for providing us this key into the lives of these
very special people. This was very humbling, as we believe that
what Mr Brind is doing for the memory of Lewis and those around
him is truly remarkable. Although our production has now come
to an end after a successful week of performances, our passion
and interest in C S Lewis will remain undimmed, in large part
due to Mr Ronald K Brind. We thoroughly recommend the book and
the tour to all people of all ages. Even if you have not felt
an interest in C S Lewis's life before this, you are sure to
feel differently having read the book and been on the tour,
which could well open up a lifetime interest. Thank You Ronald
- Thank You x
Book reviewed by: George A. Myers 26 March
2006.
A Guide to the C.S. Lewis Tour in Oxford is a 'must have' for
any admirer of C.S. Lewis that plans to visit Oxford, or simply
wants to know more about Lewis's home and haunts. The book consists
of roughly 44 brief vignettes (or chapters), each one dedicated
to a specific person or place made famous by Lewis.
There are two things I enjoy most about this book.
The first is the unpretentious, relaxed writing style that makes
the reader feel as if he or she is on the tour listening to
the author share his stories, and the second is the intimate
knowledge of the many people and places referenced by the author,
which gives it a highly personable quality.
To buy the book 'A
Guide to the C.S. Lewis Tour in Oxford' click here
