Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / NORTHERN IRELAND
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

Saturday, 17 May, 2003, 17:14 GMT 18:14 UK

Public chooses Narnia book

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe A Belfast-born writer has made it on to a list of Britain's top 100 favourite books.

CS Lewis was nominated for his children's classic, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

More than 140,000 people voted in the television and online poll.

All four Harry Potter books were nominated, while children's books, including Anna Sewell's Black Beauty and AA Milne's Winnie The Pooh, made up a third of the titles picked by the public.

" Over 14,000 messages were posted by people engaging in heated, passionate and funny debates about why their book was the best choice "
Jane Root
BBC Two


Charles Dickens and Terry Pratchett were the most nominated authors, each with five books on the list.

Jane Root, controller of BBC Two, said there had been a "fantastic" response to the vote.

"On our website over 14,000 messages were posted by people engaging in heated, passionate and funny debates about why their book was the best choice.

"We hope this kind of contagious enthusiasm will spread over the summer and thousands of people will join book groups to discuss, debate and share the experience of books."

Later in the year, the top 20 will be championed by celebrity fans and the public will vote to decide the nation's favourite.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA

  • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
  • The Horse and his Boy
  • The Magician's Nephew
  • Prince Caspian
  • The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
  • The Silver Chair
  • The Last Battle

    Clive Staples Lewis was born in Belfast and became a professor of Medieval and Renaissance English at Oxford, where his contemporaries included JRR Tolkien.

    The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was first published in 1950, before the six other Narnia books.

    In 2000, parents, teachers and librarians selected it as the most influential children's book of the 20th Century.

    Lewis was inspired by religious themes throughout his work.

    The Narnia stories are an allegory of the life of Christ.

    In the books, the character of Aslan, an inspiring lion, represents Christ, who is persecuted but eventually triumphs.



    Email this to a friend
    Related to this story:
    Austen leads female author list (12 May 03  |  Entertainment )
    Book lovers have their say (16 Apr 03  |  Entertainment )
    Potter tops library loans (11 Apr 03  |  Entertainment )
    Bryson tops 'England' poll (06 Mar 03  |  Entertainment )
    Potter book becomes instant best-seller (18 Feb 03  |  Entertainment )
    Booking a place in history (05 Feb 03  |  Scotland )

    RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
    Big Read
    Narnia.com
    Into the wardrobe - CS Lewis fan site
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



    SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

    News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
    UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

    NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

    ^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©