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Product Description
▼▲"Where did Narnia come from?" The question comes from George---a critically ill little boy. And the answer could change everything for his older sister, Oxford scholarship student Megs Devonshire. Megs hardly dares approach Professor Lewis to ask---but when she does, her conversation with Lewis and his brother, Warnie, yields something surprising: a reason for hope.
Product Information
▼▲Title: Once Upon a Wardrobe By: Patti Callahan Format: Paperback Number of Pages: 320 Vendor: Thomas Nelson Publication Date: 2023 | Dimensions: 8.38 X 5.50 (inches) Weight: 9 ounces ISBN: 078525174X ISBN-13: 9780785251743 Stock No: WW251745 |
Publisher's Description
▼▲Now available in trade paper with an eye-catching new cover! From the New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea and Becoming Mrs. Lewis comes a fascinating look into the bond between siblings and the life-changing magic of stories.
1950: Margaret Devonshire (Megs) is a seventeen-year-old student of mathematics and physics at Oxford University. When her beloved eight-year-old brother asks Megs if Narnia is real, logical Megs tells him it's just a book for children, and certainly not true. Homebound due to his illness, and remaining fixated on his favorite books, George presses her to ask the author of the recently released novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a question: "Where did Narnia come from?"
Despite her fear about approaching the famous author, who is a professor at her school, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with C. S. Lewis and his own brother Warnie, begging them for answers.
Rather than directly telling her where Narnia came from, Lewis encourages Megs to form her own conclusion as he shares the little-known stories from his own life that led to his inspiration. As she takes these stories home to George, the little boy travels farther in his imagination than he ever could in real life.
After holding so tightly to logic and reason, her brother's request leads Megs to absorb a more profound truth: "The way stories change us can't be explained. It can only be felt. Like love."
Once Upon a Wardrobe is a captivating historical novel that deftly combines fact and fiction. It's an emotional journey into the books and stories that make us who we are. It's perfect for book clubs, for anyone who has ever longed to know more about Narnia, and for anyone whose life has ever been impacted by a story.
"It's a love letter to books and stories . . ." --THE WASHINGTON POST | ". . . a tender, enchanting tribute to the power of story and the myriad ways it can both break and heal our hearts." --ARIEL LAWHON | "Patti Callahan's beautiful, life-affirming novel is a reminder that literature lives inside us, and that when we read someone else's story, we understand so much more about our own. A gorgeous, compelling book." --JANET SKESLIEN CHARLES | ". . . the kind of real magic that is only possible when we open our hearts and let the lamplight in." --KRISTIN HARMEL | ". . . discovering the way in which stories--and myths--weave through our existences, subtly transforming us in immeasurable ways. Stunning." --MARIE BENEDICT
Author Bio
▼▲Patti Callahan is the New York Times, USA TODAY, and Globe and Mail bestselling novelist of fifteen novels, including Becoming Mrs. Lewis, Surviving Savannah, and Once Upon a Wardrobe. A recipient of the Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year, the Christy Book of the Year, and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year, Patti is the cofounder and cohost of the popular web series and podcast Friends & Fiction. Visit her online at www.patticallahanhenry.com; Instagram: @pattichenry; Facebook: @AuthorPattiCallahanHenry; Twitter: @pcalhenry.
Editorial Reviews
▼▲'Full of magic, nostalgia and a sister's love, Coben calls this novel 'a love letter to those of us obsessed with C.S. Lewis's Narnia series.'' -- TODAY
More than just a clever way to tell the story of Lewis' life, the book explores the power of story and the importance of imagination. -- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
'Patti Callahan's powerful and captivating new novel ponders how the events in C.S. Lewis' life, particularly his childhood, inspired him to create the magical and mythical world of Narnia and the cast of characters inhabiting it . . . Readers will reach for it again and again, eager to be reminded that love will prevail and imagination leads people down fantastical paths. Some books are read and forgotten soon after; others linger forever in one's mind, popping up from time to time when something relevant sparks the memory. ONCE UPON A WARDROBE is certainly the latter and will be cherished by anyone who reads it.' -- BookReporter.com
'This beautiful and soul-touching book is about death and dying, but it also reminds us that new chapters remain for those of us who are left behind.' -- Historical Novel Society
'Once Upon a Wardrobe is a poignant meditation on the lengths we will go to for our loved ones as well as a fascinating glimpse into the early life of C. S. Lewis. Patti Callahan's beautiful, life-affirming novel is a reminder that literature lives inside us, and that when we read someone else's story, we understand so much more about our own. A gorgeous, compelling book.' --Janet Skeslien Charles, award-winning author of The Paris Library
'Exquisitely heartfelt, Once Upon a Wardrobe is a love letter to the magic of stories. I call it the Callahan Effect--from the first page to the last, Patti Callahan's wise and beautiful prose draws you in and doesn't let you go.' --Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author of First Frost and Lost Lake
'I advise you to read this book, then wait for a while and then read it again. For while it may not be Narnia, there is magic in it.' --Douglas Gresham, C. S. Lewis's stepson
'In this powerful, enchanting tale for all ages, readers uncover the inspiration for Lewis's famous books, while at the same time discovering the way in which stories--and myths--weave through our existences, subtly transforming us in immeasurable ways. Stunning.' --Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
'With a touch of fairy-tale magic, Once Upon a Wardrobe will take you behind the legend and deep into the English and Irish countryside, where you'll encounter not only the inspirations for one of the 20th century's most beloved works but also a tale of heartache, hope, and discovery that will forever change the Narnia you thought you knew.' --Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars
From Patti Callahan, the bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis, comes another enchanting story that pulls back the curtain on the early life of C. S. Lewis. -- The Nerd Daily
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