blogis librorum. A blog about books. Rare books.

Irish writer, professor, and amateur theologian C.S. Lewis is best known for his children's fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. Inspired by Beatrix Potter and his strong Anglican faith and strong friendship and rivalry with another British fantasy heavyweight, JRR Tolkien, Lewis' Naria series has captivated readers for years with its imagination, heart, and allegory. The Chronicles of Narnia have been adapted numerous times for television, film, and radio, most notably as a BBC series and as a series of several films by Walden Media. It was recently announced that director Greta Gerwig will adapt at least two Narnia films for streaming service Netflix. Let’s take a look at some of the more moving passages from this timeless and beloved fantasy series:

     

Read more...

---

Acclaimed science fiction writer Anne McCaffrey was born in 1926 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. McCaffrey published her first short stories in the 1950s, both to great success. While one earned a $100 prize, another was published and later anthologized in The Year's Best Science Fiction. She attended her first Milford Writer's Workshop in 1959. It was at a later workshop that she began work on her first novel Restoree, which was inspired by the desire to see a powerful woman in a science fiction story instead of one needing to be rescued. She began publishing her first dragon stories in the late sixties, earning both the Hugo and Nebula awards for her short fiction. She was secretary-treasurer for Science Fiction Writers of America from 1968 through 1970. In 1970, emigrated to Ireland, where she lived for the rest of her life. McCaffrey was one of the science fiction writers to make it to the New York Times Best Sellers list. She was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Indicted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame and received the prestigious Robert Heinlein Award. She passed away in 2011 at the age of eighty-five.

     

Read more...

---

Today, we continue our overview of books that inspired animators and legendary film company, Walt Disney animations. While folk tales continue to occupy a large place in Disney’s oeuvre, today we also feature a selection of classic stories from British literature Let's take a look at a new selection of films in the fourth edition of our Books That Inspired Disney series:

     

Read more...

---

Novelist Patricia A. McKillip was born in 1948 in Salem, Oregon. She attended the College of Notre Dame and San Jose State University. She began her career publishing books for young children. Her first novel, her third published work, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, won the World Fantasy Award in 1976, cementing her as one of the best fantasy authors of her time. Known for her stunning and lyrical prose, McKillip's stories often feature feminist takes on folk and fairy tales. Often awarded throughout her career, McKillip was given the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2008. She passed away at her home in 2022 at the age of seventy-four. Join us today as we take a closer look at some of her most beautiful and enduring stories:

 

     

Read more...

---