What do you think?
Rate this book
Bringing Narnia Home: Lessons from the Other Side of the Wardrobe
The wisdom of C. S. Lewis comes in a form that is deeply moving as well as great fun and high adventure. Noted Lewis scholar and popular speaker Devin Brown reveals the lessons woven throughout this endearing text. Bringing Narnia Home presents Lewis’s timeless message for the Narnian in each of us. Imagine opening a book and finding chapters like
Of Mice and Actions We See as Small and Insignificant Can Be More Important than We Realize Despite What White Witches, Tisrocs, and Other Tyrants Think
Narnia Would Not Be Narnia if It Was All It Takes a Village (One with Giants, Dwarfs, and Everyone in Between) to Make a Community
Adventures Can Begin in the Most Unlikely Places (Something to Keep in Mind the Next Time You Find Yourself in an Unlikely Place)
A wise, winsome, and whimsical look at the important values and lessons the Narnia series teaches that actually provide the groundwork for a profound and meaningful life.
Of Mice and Actions We See as Small and Insignificant Can Be More Important than We Realize Despite What White Witches, Tisrocs, and Other Tyrants Think
Narnia Would Not Be Narnia if It Was All It Takes a Village (One with Giants, Dwarfs, and Everyone in Between) to Make a Community
Adventures Can Begin in the Most Unlikely Places (Something to Keep in Mind the Next Time You Find Yourself in an Unlikely Place)
A wise, winsome, and whimsical look at the important values and lessons the Narnia series teaches that actually provide the groundwork for a profound and meaningful life.
144 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2015
1 person is currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Devin Brown
49 books48 followersDevin Brown (PhD, University of South Carolina) is a Lilly scholar and professor of English at Asbury University. A C. S. Lewis aficionado, Brown has written, taught, and lectured on Lewis extensively for more than ten years. He has written a number of books related to Lewis, including Inside Narnia and Inside Prince Caspian, and lives in Kentucky. In 2008 Brown was invited to serve as scholar-in-residence at the Kilns, Lewis's home in Oxford.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 29, 2015
Fairy Tales have a way of showing another perspective. The way things really are. How we really are. It was the desire of CS Lewis in the Chronicles of Narnia for his readers to know Aslan better, we would come to know the Savior better while walking with the Pevensies children.
All twelve chapters give the reader insight lessons that we ourselves can learn. Each chapter ends with bringing the Narnia home to our own lives. Reflecting our own character and how we perceive life/Gospel in general.
Chapter 1 – Actions we see as small and insignificant can be far more important than we realize. How do we view the bad things that happen? Many times the bad things that happen can be the catalyst for the good. How Edmund by saying one little lie put his brothers and sisters in danger. Everything matters.
Chapter 2-Being a Leader means more than simply being the boss. What makes a good leader? What drives us to desire power over others? Edmund did not want his older brother telling him what to do that he became easily deceived by the White Witch. The contrast in the Chronicles of Narnia was how Aslan lead and the White Witch leads. One lead by using others to get what they wanted. The other ruled with concern for the other known as servant leadership.
Chapter 3-Bad can look beautiful. Miraz was evil in disguise. Miraz the uncle of Caspian who was the good uncle until his own son was born. Edmund was deceived by his own desires that were good in themselves, however, the White Witch deceived Edmund to kill him and his brother and sisters. She drew him in to betray his own siblings. Evil is also deep in our hearts as well. Evil works by hiding the truth beneath lies, disguises, and excuses. (this statement could be a rap song)
Chapter 4-Sometimes help does not look like help until much later. - A lesson that Caspian learned from the Pevensies’. We have expectations of what help should look like and many times the help does not meet our expectations, we turn from it.
Chapter 5-Merriment and Celebration are not just for holidays and birthdays. -Lewis thru his characters and Narnia wrote we should live like it’s always Christmas and never winter. As Christians, we have much to live for. We are to enjoy God’s Creation but not idolize them. We are to go for enjoyment, not enslavement.
Chapter 6 - It takes a village to make a community-Our world would be boring and terrible if we were all the same. We are to celebrate our differences. Narnia would not be Narnia if it was all Badgers. We learn from our differences.
Chapter 7 – There is a way back from every offense-large and small. Grace is the way back from big and large offensives. Aslan reminds Lucy to not misjudge her friends that she has overheard speaking terrible things about her, but to remember the weaknesses of her friend. That it is fear that causes us to offend and to hurt others. It believes the best of others. Grace should always be played forward. God gives us grace while we were yet sinners.
Chapter 8 – Bury the Hatchet and don’t put a marker on the site. An apology goes a long way for an offense. Offense must be dealt with and done with. The scene of Edmund and Aslan is a great reminder of that!
Chapter 9-Only the Good have Fun-When we are freed from our self-centered such as Eustace was from his, can we be free to have joy.
Chapter 10 – A virtuous life is a read adventure and that includes real hardship, but one that you don’t want to miss. . “Yes, evil rulers like Miraz must be resisted and fought, not by all means available but only by all means virtuous. Aslan’s view what is best for them is living a virtuous life, one filled with a commitment to a greater good, rather than merely to one’s self. Yes, it will include real hardship, but it is the only path that will lead to real joy, real community, and real fulfillment.
Chapter 11 - Adventures begin in the most unlikely places-keep that in mind when you are in your next unlikely place . In the Chronicles of Narnia the adventure began with the War. It is usually in hardships that our adventures mean something and we grow in faith. The battle between good and evil is a war that we are in from the day we enter this world and till the day we leave this world.
If you are fan of the Chronicles of Narnia, you will be blessed by this short book. If you are reading this with your children, you may want to have this as a commentary as while to further conversation.
A Special Thank you to Abingdon Press and Netgalley for ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
All twelve chapters give the reader insight lessons that we ourselves can learn. Each chapter ends with bringing the Narnia home to our own lives. Reflecting our own character and how we perceive life/Gospel in general.
Chapter 1 – Actions we see as small and insignificant can be far more important than we realize. How do we view the bad things that happen? Many times the bad things that happen can be the catalyst for the good. How Edmund by saying one little lie put his brothers and sisters in danger. Everything matters.
Chapter 2-Being a Leader means more than simply being the boss. What makes a good leader? What drives us to desire power over others? Edmund did not want his older brother telling him what to do that he became easily deceived by the White Witch. The contrast in the Chronicles of Narnia was how Aslan lead and the White Witch leads. One lead by using others to get what they wanted. The other ruled with concern for the other known as servant leadership.
Chapter 3-Bad can look beautiful. Miraz was evil in disguise. Miraz the uncle of Caspian who was the good uncle until his own son was born. Edmund was deceived by his own desires that were good in themselves, however, the White Witch deceived Edmund to kill him and his brother and sisters. She drew him in to betray his own siblings. Evil is also deep in our hearts as well. Evil works by hiding the truth beneath lies, disguises, and excuses. (this statement could be a rap song)
Chapter 4-Sometimes help does not look like help until much later. - A lesson that Caspian learned from the Pevensies’. We have expectations of what help should look like and many times the help does not meet our expectations, we turn from it.
Chapter 5-Merriment and Celebration are not just for holidays and birthdays. -Lewis thru his characters and Narnia wrote we should live like it’s always Christmas and never winter. As Christians, we have much to live for. We are to enjoy God’s Creation but not idolize them. We are to go for enjoyment, not enslavement.
Chapter 6 - It takes a village to make a community-Our world would be boring and terrible if we were all the same. We are to celebrate our differences. Narnia would not be Narnia if it was all Badgers. We learn from our differences.
Chapter 7 – There is a way back from every offense-large and small. Grace is the way back from big and large offensives. Aslan reminds Lucy to not misjudge her friends that she has overheard speaking terrible things about her, but to remember the weaknesses of her friend. That it is fear that causes us to offend and to hurt others. It believes the best of others. Grace should always be played forward. God gives us grace while we were yet sinners.
Chapter 8 – Bury the Hatchet and don’t put a marker on the site. An apology goes a long way for an offense. Offense must be dealt with and done with. The scene of Edmund and Aslan is a great reminder of that!
Chapter 9-Only the Good have Fun-When we are freed from our self-centered such as Eustace was from his, can we be free to have joy.
Chapter 10 – A virtuous life is a read adventure and that includes real hardship, but one that you don’t want to miss. . “Yes, evil rulers like Miraz must be resisted and fought, not by all means available but only by all means virtuous. Aslan’s view what is best for them is living a virtuous life, one filled with a commitment to a greater good, rather than merely to one’s self. Yes, it will include real hardship, but it is the only path that will lead to real joy, real community, and real fulfillment.
Chapter 11 - Adventures begin in the most unlikely places-keep that in mind when you are in your next unlikely place . In the Chronicles of Narnia the adventure began with the War. It is usually in hardships that our adventures mean something and we grow in faith. The battle between good and evil is a war that we are in from the day we enter this world and till the day we leave this world.
If you are fan of the Chronicles of Narnia, you will be blessed by this short book. If you are reading this with your children, you may want to have this as a commentary as while to further conversation.
A Special Thank you to Abingdon Press and Netgalley for ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
May 20, 2015
Bringing Narnia Home was a book that I was terribly excited to read. Why? Frankly, it was because I wanted to see what everybody else saw when they looked at the Chronicles of Narnia. The truth of the matter is that I could not understand all of the elements and angles connected to the Narnia stories. So, when this book came to my attention, I was more than happy to look further into it; I thought it was a godsend.
From my first introduction to the Narnia movies and books, I wanted to grab onto the "great Christian message" that was so obvious to everyone. I saw some similarities between Aslan's sacrifice and Christ's sacrifice, between good and evil (as it was represented by Aslan and those of his way versus the White Witch and her minions), and between the young royals and their individual natures as it relates to issues such as pride, selfishness, etc. Beyond that, I was lost. This book, however, helped me to see things differently. Thankfully, it unpacked the hidden meanings Lewis was trying to, perhaps, convey to his readers.
The author of this book did a good job of describing Narnia, its characters, and the higher messages associated with each book. His voice was enthusiastic and clear. He educated even as he encouraged. By the time I finished reading his words, I felt more informed and more willing to give Narnia and its Chronicles another chance.
Rating: 3.25/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: Varied
Status: Clean
Other: Good resource for family reading series if coupled with the Narnia series
From my first introduction to the Narnia movies and books, I wanted to grab onto the "great Christian message" that was so obvious to everyone. I saw some similarities between Aslan's sacrifice and Christ's sacrifice, between good and evil (as it was represented by Aslan and those of his way versus the White Witch and her minions), and between the young royals and their individual natures as it relates to issues such as pride, selfishness, etc. Beyond that, I was lost. This book, however, helped me to see things differently. Thankfully, it unpacked the hidden meanings Lewis was trying to, perhaps, convey to his readers.
The author of this book did a good job of describing Narnia, its characters, and the higher messages associated with each book. His voice was enthusiastic and clear. He educated even as he encouraged. By the time I finished reading his words, I felt more informed and more willing to give Narnia and its Chronicles another chance.
Rating: 3.25/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: Varied
Status: Clean
Other: Good resource for family reading series if coupled with the Narnia series
June 21, 2021
Several good conversation starters or writing prompts if you’re relatively familiar with the Narnia series. I may need to reread the series again soon because this got me pondering the chapter themes and contemporary conversation points, too (the book is now six years old).
March 30, 2015
In Opening Words, Brown states his thesis statement up front, “when we finish the last of page of each adventure [referring to the Narnia series] and close the book, we do not have to leave Narnia behind. If we bring home the lessons we have learned and apply them in our own lives, we are like a person who returns from a distant country with a magical treasure to share with everyone they meet” (xii). Brown’s purpose was to show the tiny gems or lessons for life Lewis buried within the various stories. Brown does just that. He jumps right in sharing a general lesson by using examples from three different Narnian stories in each chapter. To finish the prose, Brown uses a section appropriately titled “Bringing Narnia Home” where he nails home the lesson learned from the pre-mentioned examples. My least favorite part is where Brown shares a couple of questions for further discussion at each chapter’s end. I, personally, thought the questions could have been moved to the back of the book with subheadings to draw attention to the chapter the questions related to. It was annoying, so I skipped those sections as I read. Another element that really bothered me is that Brown kept referring to God as “god.” Why not capitalize the name?
Bringing Narnia Home strives for a simple, easy to follow format with normal vernacular. I believe the vocabulary Brown uses could be enjoyed and understood by anyone. Even though Brown is most definitely an educated man, he does not alienate a certain education level with his words.
His qualifications to write a book about Lewis’ Narnia is evident with all the research and teaching he has done in the Lewis’ field of literature. Brown is a Professor of English at Asbury University where he teaches a course on Tolkien and Lewis. In addition to his current work, Brown holds a Ph.D. and a Master’s Degree and has studied at Oxford University and University College Dublin. Besides all his educational credits, Brown has published at least ten books related to Lewis and Tolkien along with a number of essays and scholarly articles. Brown has also spoken at Oxford University with his writings and was honored to be the Scholar-in-Residence for the Summer Seminar held at The Kilns, the Oxford home of C. S. Lewis.
There are no photos or illustrations in the book, but Brown does allude to some pictures in the original Narnia books by illustrator Pauline Baynes.
Brown’s latest original creation will appeal to fans, either young or old, of Narnia. My favorite part is visualizing the images from my imagination when I read those stories when I was younger. It drew a connection with me. Brown proved why I love Lewis’ writing so much because I could not learn everything on the first pass through. It takes multiple trips to Narnia, in order, to peel back the multiple layers of depth buried by Lewis. I would recommend this book to any fan of Narnia. No matter the age. It is targeted for audiences to enjoy after reading the series, and I believe, most readers are younger when they experience Narnia for the first time, so a young child could read this book with no problem. Maybe even learn how to be a better citizen in this world.
Overall, Devin Brown’s latest book, Bringing Narnia Home, is a sweet, quick read to spark discussions, bringing back the desire to reread the series to remind me of my passion for Lewis’s writings.
Bringing Narnia Home strives for a simple, easy to follow format with normal vernacular. I believe the vocabulary Brown uses could be enjoyed and understood by anyone. Even though Brown is most definitely an educated man, he does not alienate a certain education level with his words.
His qualifications to write a book about Lewis’ Narnia is evident with all the research and teaching he has done in the Lewis’ field of literature. Brown is a Professor of English at Asbury University where he teaches a course on Tolkien and Lewis. In addition to his current work, Brown holds a Ph.D. and a Master’s Degree and has studied at Oxford University and University College Dublin. Besides all his educational credits, Brown has published at least ten books related to Lewis and Tolkien along with a number of essays and scholarly articles. Brown has also spoken at Oxford University with his writings and was honored to be the Scholar-in-Residence for the Summer Seminar held at The Kilns, the Oxford home of C. S. Lewis.
There are no photos or illustrations in the book, but Brown does allude to some pictures in the original Narnia books by illustrator Pauline Baynes.
Brown’s latest original creation will appeal to fans, either young or old, of Narnia. My favorite part is visualizing the images from my imagination when I read those stories when I was younger. It drew a connection with me. Brown proved why I love Lewis’ writing so much because I could not learn everything on the first pass through. It takes multiple trips to Narnia, in order, to peel back the multiple layers of depth buried by Lewis. I would recommend this book to any fan of Narnia. No matter the age. It is targeted for audiences to enjoy after reading the series, and I believe, most readers are younger when they experience Narnia for the first time, so a young child could read this book with no problem. Maybe even learn how to be a better citizen in this world.
Overall, Devin Brown’s latest book, Bringing Narnia Home, is a sweet, quick read to spark discussions, bringing back the desire to reread the series to remind me of my passion for Lewis’s writings.
July 29, 2024
I have a feeling this is going to be my top nonfiction read of the year. This little book strikes the perfect balance.
I've read three of Brown's books previously, his in depth looks at The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Each were phenomenal, thought provoking analyses of the Narnian books. Though this little volume doesn't focus on a single book in the series, it packs a surprising little punch.
Bringing Narnia Home pulls from all seven of the Chronicles of Narnia stories to present 15 heartfelt lessons that encourage us to learn from and apply the magic of Narnia to our own lives. One of my favorite parts of the Narnian stories is how they make reality even more magical. They touch real parts of our lives and make us better for having read them. This little semi-devotional style book hones in on that magic and makes it even easier to find beauty in the Narnian stories that we can bring into our everyday lives.
Each of the lessons states an explicit, though oh-so-Narnian truth, and expands with three examples from various Narnian stories. It then ends with a brief summary of "Bringing Narnia Home" for application and three discussion/reflection questions to help the reader dwell on the truth in their own experience.
I love the simple yet effective organization of the book, and would definitely read this one again. I read one lesson a day for easy digestion and to spend time soaking it in, pondering on it, etc.
Reading the snippets Brown uses as his illustrations drew up the memories, emotions, and heart of the classic books. It absolutely made me want to reread the whole series of Lewis's books. Brown challenges us to carry the nobility, grace, and forgiveness of Lewis's heroes, to exhibit the valor, sacrifice, and integrity. He challenges us to learn and grow and be better. And that is the real magic of stories like Lewis's.
Most highly recommended! But only if you've read the whole series first. There are definitely spoilers from the series. But it's so worth it!
I've read three of Brown's books previously, his in depth looks at The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Each were phenomenal, thought provoking analyses of the Narnian books. Though this little volume doesn't focus on a single book in the series, it packs a surprising little punch.
Bringing Narnia Home pulls from all seven of the Chronicles of Narnia stories to present 15 heartfelt lessons that encourage us to learn from and apply the magic of Narnia to our own lives. One of my favorite parts of the Narnian stories is how they make reality even more magical. They touch real parts of our lives and make us better for having read them. This little semi-devotional style book hones in on that magic and makes it even easier to find beauty in the Narnian stories that we can bring into our everyday lives.
Each of the lessons states an explicit, though oh-so-Narnian truth, and expands with three examples from various Narnian stories. It then ends with a brief summary of "Bringing Narnia Home" for application and three discussion/reflection questions to help the reader dwell on the truth in their own experience.
I love the simple yet effective organization of the book, and would definitely read this one again. I read one lesson a day for easy digestion and to spend time soaking it in, pondering on it, etc.
Reading the snippets Brown uses as his illustrations drew up the memories, emotions, and heart of the classic books. It absolutely made me want to reread the whole series of Lewis's books. Brown challenges us to carry the nobility, grace, and forgiveness of Lewis's heroes, to exhibit the valor, sacrifice, and integrity. He challenges us to learn and grow and be better. And that is the real magic of stories like Lewis's.
Most highly recommended! But only if you've read the whole series first. There are definitely spoilers from the series. But it's so worth it!
April 22, 2015
I have fond memories of reading The Chronicles of Narnia as a child. I was excited to read Devin Brown’s Bringing Narnia Home to take a deeper look at C.S. Lewis’ work. Brown writes a book to help readers apply the lessons from Narnia into their lives. The beginning of the book states that you should have read all of the Narnia books; however, if you are vaguely familiar with the books you will enjoy this read.
Brown finds the lessons Lewis has placed in his Narnia books by using examples from different Narnia stories in each chapter to illustrate a point. At the end of each chapter there are questions to help you think even more about the lessons talked about. I also think these questions would make this a good story to read in a book club or helpful if you were to read this book with your family/children; these questions help open up discussion.
The book is simple, straightforward and easy to read. Having read Narnia as a child it was interesting to go back and take a look at the stories I loved and read how the lessons in them could be applied to my life today. Brown has created a book that can be read and enjoyed by many ages. Reading Brown’s book just shows how complex Lewis’ writing really is and how the reader can get more out of the stories the more in depth they look or the older they are.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has read The Chronicles of Narnia, no matter your age or when you last read the books.
I received a free copy of this book from Abingdon Press through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Brown finds the lessons Lewis has placed in his Narnia books by using examples from different Narnia stories in each chapter to illustrate a point. At the end of each chapter there are questions to help you think even more about the lessons talked about. I also think these questions would make this a good story to read in a book club or helpful if you were to read this book with your family/children; these questions help open up discussion.
The book is simple, straightforward and easy to read. Having read Narnia as a child it was interesting to go back and take a look at the stories I loved and read how the lessons in them could be applied to my life today. Brown has created a book that can be read and enjoyed by many ages. Reading Brown’s book just shows how complex Lewis’ writing really is and how the reader can get more out of the stories the more in depth they look or the older they are.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has read The Chronicles of Narnia, no matter your age or when you last read the books.
I received a free copy of this book from Abingdon Press through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2015
(Received from netgalley)
I really enjoyed this book! The "warning" at the beginning that says you need to be familiar with the whole Narnia series is something to be heeded. I've read all of the books, but some of them were a very long time ago. I was pretty rusty on some of them. However, even if you're only vaguely familiar with them, you can still get something out of this book because there's a lot of context. There's also in depth questions at the end, so maybe a good book club book? I particularly liked the section about explaining why Aslan is "good but not safe".
(They also address why there's some controversy about why LWW is sometimes listed as the first, sometimes listed as the 2nd book in the series. I'd always wondered about that!)
I really enjoyed this book! The "warning" at the beginning that says you need to be familiar with the whole Narnia series is something to be heeded. I've read all of the books, but some of them were a very long time ago. I was pretty rusty on some of them. However, even if you're only vaguely familiar with them, you can still get something out of this book because there's a lot of context. There's also in depth questions at the end, so maybe a good book club book? I particularly liked the section about explaining why Aslan is "good but not safe".
(They also address why there's some controversy about why LWW is sometimes listed as the first, sometimes listed as the 2nd book in the series. I'd always wondered about that!)
September 7, 2015
Bringing Narnia Home
Lessons from the Other Side of the Wardrobe
by Devin Brown
Abingdon Press
Christian, Nonfiction (Adult)
Pub Date Apr 7, 2015
Bringing Narnia home reminds us of the joy of reading the Narnia series the escape it gives us into a different world.
This book would make for a great homeschool resource after your child reads the Narnia series. The book is broken up into small chapters with follow up questions following the chapters.
I give Bringing Narnia Home Five out of five stars
Happy Reading
Lessons from the Other Side of the Wardrobe
by Devin Brown
Abingdon Press
Christian, Nonfiction (Adult)
Pub Date Apr 7, 2015
Bringing Narnia home reminds us of the joy of reading the Narnia series the escape it gives us into a different world.
This book would make for a great homeschool resource after your child reads the Narnia series. The book is broken up into small chapters with follow up questions following the chapters.
I give Bringing Narnia Home Five out of five stars
Happy Reading
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews