The Problem of Pain (Edition unknown) by Lewis - C. S. [Paperback(2001£©]

This has been one of my favorites over the years. In our consumer culture, as we pop pain pills to alleviate every little hurt, we wonder why we are so unhappy. C.S. Lewis has taught me to embrace pain and suffering as necessary for living well. We learn so much from pain, chiefly to turn to God for help and comfort. When we do that we can go joyously into the future, without fear of pain and death, for God is with us. Why God embraces pain as part of the human condition, so much so, that he as Son of man, died a cruel and painful death on the cross to rescue us from eternal pain and suffering is beyond me. But I believe that and accept that he will save me and that heaven will be awesome, free from pain and suffering. Praise God!

I originally bought this hardcover signature edition because we had only a few of the books in the series, all of which are in paperback and smaller print. When it arrived I learned that it had been marked as a bargain book with a black marker on the side of the pages- grrr. I paid good money for a collector's edition, and I wanted to have a nice quality harcover collection to add to our library. Perhaps our magic eraser can help us with the haphazard treatment of this beautiful book. Furthermore I was disappointed to discover upon receiving it that it is in fact, published in chronological order, instead of published order (I guess I didn't read the previous reviews carefully enough), the order in which C.S. Lewis wrote the books, and most likely intended for them to be read (contrary to what the editor would have us believe) But, not much can be done about that now. The book editors need to wise up. It is still a nice book, and will be appreciated for many years to come in our family. We will be taking the advice of others who have reviewed here, and will read it the way it was originally published, and just enjoy it as a story. From there we can dig in and study the nuances and deeper meanings of the characters and events in the stories, by reading it chronilogically a second time. My son is very happy to have his own edition of the complete series. So, we'll just look to the inside copyright page to determine which book in the series to read next, and it will be kept in a place of honor on his shelves.

This is a really fantastic set. I grew up reading the series, so when I was looking for audio books to help keep my commute manageable, I was excited for a chance to relive old favorites. I'm not done yet, but I'm really enjoying these versions. The box is very nice, and the cases are simple but pretty and protective. The CDs are separated by book and the books are in chronological order, not the order they were written, so if you want to listen in a different order, I recommend re-sorting before a long trip instead of while driving.

I realized I only remember The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, and some little parts of the others are vaguely familiar, so it's almost like hearing them the first time. Because of that, I can't comment much on if it was abridged, but everything I remember from that book is included, besides words like "he said, she replied, he roared" because they're not necessary with the various voice actors.

The introductions by C.S. Lewis's stepson are short but informative, and the music and voices were chosen well. Sometimes the volume is inconsistent or it's hard to hear the voices over music, but overall it's well balanced and I can leave the volume as I set it at the beginning.

I usually listen to the radio in the morning and books on the way home, which is about an hour and a half, so I'm getting through these pretty quickly. I go through about a CD a day, so each book takes 2-3 days to listen to. Sometimes I sit in my car after I park just to hear a little more, or break my pattern and listen in the morning. I'm worried I'll be spoiled by Radio Theater and get bored of the other audio books I have lined up, because this is so enjoyable!

The question "why would a just and loving God allow pain ", is explained on detail. Lewis's wisdom at its peak. This is a book to be considered chapter by chapter not rushed through. A truly thought provoking book.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the BEST Narnia book! The Voyage of the Dawn Treader serves up 5 star adventure as our seafaring friends travel amazing new lands. Every new land has it's own kind of adventure. And beneath the adventure aspect we see a novel of great depth which allows for some outstanding character development. In particular,the journey of Eustace of going from being a jerk to being a reformed and redeemed character is splendid. Then there's Reepicheep. Reepicheep's undying belief in the existence of Aslan's Country and his persistence in wishing to see it out along with his sheer nobleness make Reepicheep,apart from Aslan,the strongest animal character in the Narnia series. And Caspian himself has his moment toward the end where he has to realize who he truly is and where he truly belongs. Just a wonderful blend of engrossing plot and character growth. 5 out 5 stars easily.

Disappointed to receive a book that looks different from the picture. I was looking to fill in a missing book in a series, and the one that I receive has a completely different cover and is a different size.

These books are incredible! The text is large enough to read without significant strain and the pictures are beautiful and well-placed throughout the pages. While the books themselves are paperback, the binding feels strong, the pages thick and durable, and I really have no fear of damaging the book while reading. These books are certainly of high-quality material, and the publisher clearly cares about preserving these classics through the years they spend in your library. An excellent choice!

What a fabulous series of books for a young Christian to read!!!! My son and I are both reading this books. I wanted to get into some CS Lewis to pursue more of his writings later in his life, but I instantly realized that my son would love these too - and he does!

Reader thoughts: I love that Aslan is singing to make the world! I love that Digory admits he was wrong to ring the bell and that he wasn't really enchanted. I love when he comes out of the pool and tells Polly he's been there forever. I love that Uncle Andrew is planted. I love that the witch can't do magic in London. I love how Polly and Digory meet. I love that the Jackdaw was the first joke. I love that they planted the toffee tree.

I love that Digory wants so badly to use the apples for his mother and that the witch says the excuses we think ourselves. Here's a paraphrased conversation between him and the witch.
Witch: "Use the apple to make your mother well."
"Oh!" Digory put his hand to his head. For he now knew that the most terrible choice lay before him.
"Cruel, pitiless boy! You would let your own Mother die!"
"But I promised!"
"But you didn't know what you were promising."
"Mother would tell me not to, if she were here."
"She need never know."

Writer thoughts: CS Lewis knows how to write about the hearts of people. I haven't found another author better at writing about what really goes on inside the depths of humans' souls. Orson Scott Card reveals candid glimpses, but it's nothing as consistent as Lewis. What makes me say Lewis does this so well?

Think about Terry Pratchett's explanation of second thoughts (and third thoughts and fourth thoughts). He shows a little of what humans are thinking behind the first layer of thinking. CS Lewis discusses these innermost thoughts quite casually, throwing them in his prose for all readers to consider.

If you saw your enemy drowning, your first layer of thoughts might be, "Somebody help him!" Everyone really is a decent human being on the surface. The next layer might be, "I should help him," but is your compunction here strong enough to overcome the third thoughts ("He deserves to drown") and your fourth thoughts ("I'd probably drown and cause more harm than good") or does your enemy drown? Perhaps there are fifth and sixth thoughts helping you decide what to do in that moment, too.

The thing is, many authors focus on the first layer of thoughts (if they breach inner dialogue at all). Other authors let readers glimpse second and third thoughts. Very good authors make the readers aware of fourth thoughts, even if they don't always state them. CS Lewis consistently lays bare all layers of thoughts/motivations/feelings/impulses/instincts that his characters have at complicated moments.

That's the key, though. He picks just the right moments, when his characters are in full moral dilemma, to show readers how conflicted the characters are.

Books are always better to a good reader, but these are PHENOMENAL for road trips!! Certainly better than the movies which were near disrespectful of CS Lewis' genius as a Christian fantasy author. These radio drama are absolutely true to the books and children as well as adults adore them!

They get 5 stars because, well, Narnia. HOWEVER: this box set presents them in the order they occur in the Narnian world, not in the order they were written. This matters because part of the joy of this series is figuring out the connections and the time shifts in narnia. The correct order (for this box set) is 2,4,5,6,3,1,7.

Obviously the books are good; this is a convenient format to have them all in and it’s cheap. If you plan on reading this for years to come or pass it down eventually then buy a hardcopy or set of hardcopies.

I bought these in paperback because I could not find hardcover individual books that I could afford. These are beautiful. The original illustrations have been colored and, in a little larger format than the original (or the ones I had first),they are wonderful. This is my 4th set of the Narnia books (they keep wearing out!) and by far the best I have had. Wonderful editions of my favorite books in the whole world!

The Chronicles of Narnia series is a timeless classic. I was reminded of this when Disney made The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe into a movie. After the stunning on-screen visualization, I went back and reread the series for the first time in a number of years and found that they hadn't lost their flavor. They are still amazing, and the images they evoke in the reader's mind are as strong as if you were watching them on the big screen. I wanted the series in individual books, because I like to read them in the order in which they were first published, namely: 1. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe; 2. Prince Caspian; 3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; 4. The Silver Chair; 5. The Horse and His Boy; 6. The Magician's Nephew; 7. The Last Battle. That's my preference, and I reordered them in the box they came in before I put it on my bookshelf. The covers and binding on this version are very nice.

This book is absolutely beautiful. I gave it as a birthday gift to a 9 year old (in addition to the Harry Potter series which she already knows). She loved it! She didn't know this series so I was happy to be able to give her something as nice as this for her introduction.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader takes the reader back into the world of Narnia, the ocean east of Narnia anyway. We meet Prince Caspian on a sea voyage to the East in search of seven noble men who, having been sent there by Caspian's now deceased evil uncle, Miraz, never returned. Lucy and Edmond along with a new character to the Chronicles, their cousin, Eustice, sail along for the ride. Along the way they encounter lands with mysterious inhabitants, dangerous creatures, and staggering beauty. I found this episode of the Chronicles of Narnia to be one of my favorites so far. The return of Edmund, Lucy, Caspian, and especially Reepicheep is a welcome reunion. The new human character here adds both humor and depth to the story and I enjoyed the development of this character. The Christian allegory continues strongly here with many scenes which will no doubt stick in my mind for a long time to come. The ending is especially good. The illustrations were thankfully included in the Kindle copy and of good quality. I recommend this book for any who seek a way to Lewis' magical world.

These are beautifully written, engaging tales that everyone deserves to have read to them. There are a few Britishisms that younger folks may need translated, but the magic of the stories isn't spoiled by that.

Books are a little cheaply made than I anticipated more like a children’s book or like comic book paper. Would have preferred hard cover series but couldn’t find one that had all 7 books. That said, they fit the bill as far as they aren’t condensed editions.

I love these books, and this is the perfect paperback set. Bought this set for my 7-year-old and we have been reading the books together. She loves to go back and re-read her favorite parts and I love showing her the metaphors C.S. Lewis masterfully crafted in this series. This is the perfect box set!

I absolutely love this collection! In fact I only even bought this edition because we wore our other copy out completely! The cover fell off years ago and whole chunks of story were falling out from decades of use. I'm all grown up now but I am still so in love with this story. It never gets old! I really wish someone would make a Magician's Nephew movie. It all ties together so beautifully when you know the whole story. This copy is gorgeous with the Dawn Treader on the front, it's still a paper back, so there's a real chance we'll wear this copy out too, but thus far it's holding up really well.

C.S. Lewis’ tale continues to transcend generations and speak to all of us where we are. This book chronicles the creation of Narnia and the origins of the Professor. My second time reading it was even more enjoyable than the first. I always leave his works spiritually edified and challenged.

Five stars for the Chronicles of Narnia, minus a star for the bonus books. The latter provides a glimpse into the evolution of C.S.Lewis' writing, but my nonscholarly interest slacked off quickly. Once again, I totally enjoyed re-reading the Chronicles. It's rather a winter (snowed in) tradition.

This is a treasured COMPLETE set of The Chronicles of Naria by C.S. Lewis, ordered CHRONOLOGICALLY as the author intended. As can be seen by the cover, the illustrations by Pauline Barnes are full color and beautiful. They continue throughout the book.

Here is the item description which seems to have been removed from this listing:

"The Chronicles of Narnia have enchanted millions of readers over the last fifty years, and the magical events described in C. S. Lewis's immortal prose have left many a lasting memory. For here is a world where a witch decrees eternal winter; where there are more talking animals than people; and where battles are fought by Centaurs, Giants, and Fauns.

Now all seven Chronicles are bound together in this one magnificent volume with a personal introduction by Douglas Gresham, stepson of C. S. Lewis. Pauline Baynes' original and much-loved illustrations have been made even more memorable by the addition of color. This spectacular gift edition will guarantee that C. S. Lewis's timeless world of Narnia will catch the imagination of yet another generation of readers."

the store used to offer this for the retail price of $49.99, but it is currently unavailable (as of 11/2008). Other sets use the same illustrations, but many come only in black/white and are smaller than this version. I believe it will likely become harder and harder to find.

The pages are a good size (about standard letter 11x8) with sizable enough text for easy reading, even for young children. The layout of this book is terrific for engaging young children as well as the young at heart (:. Highly recommended.

P.S. As the order of reading is such a hotly argued issue among avid fans, here is the full original script (from Wikipedia):

To make the case for his suggested order, Gresham quoted Lewis' reply to a letter from an American fan in 1957 who was having an argument with his mother about the order:

"I think I agree with your order [i.e. chronological] for reading the books more than with your mother's. The series was not planned beforehand as she thinks. When I wrote The Lion I did not know I was going to write any more. Then I wrote P. Caspian as a sequel and still didn't think there would be any more, and when I had done The Voyage I felt quite sure it would be the last, but I found I was wrong. So perhaps it does not matter very much in which order anyone read them. I'm not even sure that all the others were written in the same order in which they were published."

Here C.S. Lewis verifies his preferred order to be CHRONOLOGICAL though I believe the confusion derives from a misinterpretation of his statement "So perhaps it does not matter very much in which order anyone read them.". The most important part of this 1957 statement to note being that the word 'read' is in the past tense. His fans at the time would have read and might even prefer his series in the order it was published. However, I agree with the author.

(From Wikipedia) In the Harper Collins adult editions of the books (2005), the publisher asserts Lewis' preference for the [chronological] numbering they adopted in a notice on the copyright page: "Although The Magician's Nephew was written several years after C. S. Lewis first began The Chronicles of Narnia, he wanted it to be read as the first book in the series. HarperCollins is happy to present these books in the order which Professor Lewis preferred."

Peace, Ben

Eph 3: 17-21

I liked this book for its fantasy and adventurous plot. It was really straightforward, maybe a little too simple.
I think that little kids would enjoy it a lot more than I did. So the five stars I gave, are putting me in that context. (I read two of the saga when I was a kid and now a lot more older I'm filling the gaps :))
Also is worth to mention that the audible narration was impecable and very pleasant to hear.

The Chronicles of Narnia has been one of my favorite series since childhood, and even now that I'm middle aged (plus) I still enjoy reading these books every so often. This book is SO much better than the recent movie version. Whoever wrote the screenplay should have been truer to the book, because it didn't need embellishment. I came out of the movie theater scratching my head and wondering what I'd just seen because it wasn't The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. There are so many enjoyable adventures in the book. From the smallest episode like the close shave with the sea monster to the retired star Coriakim's island the book has plenty of adventure for younger readers, or those like myself who can still remember being young. It brings back the idea of the possibility of encountering something unknown, the thrill of discovery.

Narnia lovers around the world keep C.S. Lewis ranking among the world's most popular authors, half a century after his death. Many households have cherished sets of the novels already on the shelf in hardback, paperback, sometimes with colored illustrations. But, now, you may be looking for a gift set or a new way to experience the novels you once loved. Here's why THIS set is so cool.

I'm now a father in my mid-50s who first discovered Narnia as a teen and, later, read the novels aloud to my children. We have several sets of the books now sprinkled across several households. A few years ago, I discovered this particular audio set of the books -- including every word in the books -- read by some of the world's greatest voices. I owned an earlier audio set of these recordings, then was looking for a gift set. Here, in one box, there's a 1-volume complete paperback edition, plus the best audio recordings I've ever heard of the books. Just think about the names: Kenneth Branagh, the world-renowned Shakespeare revivalist, and Derek Jacobi, who so many people have loved on BBC and PBS. There's Patrick Stewart, so well known to TV sci-fi fans, and the terrific Lynn Redgrave. I carry these in my car and I've listened to them more than once.

So, you may be looking specifically for a hardback gift set; or you may really love those colored illustrations; or you may want a set "just like the ones" you enjoyed years ago. (I've also highly recommended the new 2010 edition of "A Year with Aslan: Daily Reflections from The Chronicles of Narnia," which divides excerpts of the novels into 365 daily readings, if you'd like that kind of daily spiritual approach to the novels.) Those are all laudable goals and choices. But THIS set is a really cool way to reawaken the wonderment of Narnia. Enjoy.

So much has been written about the Chronicles of Narnia. I loved them as a child and we are enjoying sharing them with our 7-year-old twin boys now.

Five stars for Lewis. HOWEVER, I do not love this edition. I read so many reviews and lost track of which edition had the books in my preferred order. I know people can have strong opinions about this. ;) I personally much prefer the series in order of publication and this edition has the books "out of order."

I have recommended this book to so many people over the years. CS Lewis's writings have a certain wit about them that keep you entertained while at the same time exploring vast Truths. Like Chesterton, Lewis is excellent at keeping the attention of his readers while leading their logic into deep philosophical Truths. If there is a loving God, why is there so much evil in the world? Who hasn't asked this question? Even a believer asks this question. Atheists, however, rather than asking the question and seeking an answer, instead use this questionable characteristic of life to demonstrate the absence of an all-good, all-powerful, omni-present God. Every person who has read this book that I have talked to has really enjoyed Lewis' witty and personal style of writing. All in all, buy this book and then pass it around!

I have a slight obsession with the way books look (the way the covers feel, the texture of the paper, etc.). This is the best edition of the Narnia series available--probably ever. I bought it with confidence and doubt I will ever buy the books again. In fact I had already bought them twice, once in hardcover. But, I liked the 60th anniversary edition so much I couldn't pass it up. The quality is excellent and it should last long enough for me to read it to my grandkids. However, it seems to be designed for adults and teenagers rather than kids. Most of the illustrations have been removed, limiting them to one at the head of each chapter--which I prefer, but kids might not. Also the print is pretty small. Again, my preference.

I could have done without the foldout timeline in the middle, which breaks the flow of the pages. It would have been better if it were on one of the ends, but it's only noticeable when you get to the middle of the volume. Other than that it's the perfect edition of Narnia: from the color and texture of the case, cover, and gilded paper, to the golden lamppost embedded in the bottom right corner of the front. As for the stories, the fact that this is my third time buying them should say enough.

CS Lewis' delightful Christian allegory has Lewis' trademark clarity and depth of meaning. The Narnia books give kids an engaging adventure as well as an introduction to Christian ethics, theology and faith. I loved the books when I first discovered them in a college children's literature class. I read the entire series over a single long weekend. I read them to my kids and if grandchildren ever show up on my doorstep, I'll read it to them as well.

CS Lewis was an incredible man. He was very intelligent, and in his later years - an amazing man of God. The Chronicles of Narnia series is in my opinion one of the best fictional book series of all time. I know these are written for children, but I myself did not read them until a couple of years ago - just before they announced the movies were to be made by Walden and Walt Disney.
There are parts that I know if I read again will make more sense the second time around, but overall the whole series was just so intelligently written - you truly can lose yourself in Narnia and I often found myself daydreaming of being there and walking up to the next horse on the street to have a conversation - ok maybe not that far...
I highly recommend these books not only for children in first grade or older, but I highly recommend these books to any Christian or any fictional book lover in general.
I think as a Christian - you might get some things out of this series that other might not... maybe you will get something out of it I didn't as a non-believer, I don't know... but the subtle things that Lewis did with these books that portray aspects of God and the Christian life are amazing.
Overall these books are great and very easy to read.

In this the fourth book in the Chronicles of Narnia, the four children from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe return to the magical land of Narnia to find things greatly changed from the way they left them. A young king is on the run from his uncle who seeks to usurp the throne and the four children, who are kings and queens of Narnia themselves must battle a new foe and restore Old Narnia. The Christian allegory is quite strong in this book as it is with others. I found it a joy myself to return to Narnia after some time away. The new characters are quite fun. This story is better than the book previous (A Horse and His Boy) with good action and progresses the history of Narnia. I enjoyed this one enough to jump straight into the next one, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I was reading the Kindle version and was very pleased to see that the illustrations were included and of good quality. Recommended.

Reading through the thoughtful, insightful reviews already posted, would add only this comment. This is a earlier work of Lewis, early in his own pilgrim's progress. In this book, some will rub against his almost casual attitude of an evolutionary process of creation. The simple, pure truth of God and His desired relationship with each of His children presented here, is spot on. Read the book for that message. Lewis's views of creation matures.. as does he, in his later writings.

These are my grandkids favorite books so I had to give them a very good set they could keep forever. C.S. Lewis is an excellent author even in today's times. Why would they make movies of these stories if it wasn't still a classic today! I love all his books!! All 16 of my grandkids have loved these stories. So if you are looking for a some good stories for the kids with a wonderful moral to the stories, I highly recommend them.

Great story, always loved listening to the wife reading to the children. Thought I would purchase the audiobook to make my drive to work easier. However, the audio on the CDs is very poor. On every CD the narrators voice comes in and goes out forcing you to continuously Adjust the volume. on every CD the narrators voice comes in and goes out forcing you to continuously adjust the volume.

I remember my mother reading these books to me as a child, so knew I needed to buy this hard-back book containing all 7 books in this one edition. The print is small, but I hope to read it to my grandchildren one day.

If you have EVER questioned God about the issues of pain and suffering in a world created by a " Loving God" , I strongly recommend reading this book. I was able to achieve an completely new point of view and get a level of comfort previously unattainable. It is a difficult read but worth the effort! The God for C.S. Lewis and his practical approach to such a divisive issue. While I still wonder about God's motivations...I don't hold the bitter anger I once did about this particular situation. And I'm reminded that I am NOT God and while it's human for me to question it is arrogant to expect to completely understand the mind of GOD. I am properly and appropriately humbled.

Bought for a summer reading set for my daughter. Cost is a bit steep compared to every other site but I am a Prime daily spender and enjoy the 2 day ship to my home since I am ill and home mostly.
Mary K
Daily Prime shopper