Further Up and Further In by Joseph Pearce

 J+M+J

    So, to be honest, last week I didn't post anything because my posts had caught up to my recent reading. I had just started a new spiritual book (Prayer: The Key to Salvation by Father Michael Mueller) and a new 'other' book (Further Up and Further In). I have not quite finished Further Up and Further In, but I think I am close enough to the end to form an opinion on it.

    I became familiar with Joseph Pearce a couple years ago after watching one of his speeches on YouTube. He seemed really invested in and knowledgable about classic literature, and he was an engaging speaker (ok, the British accent may have helped that 😉). Then, about a year ago, I got his book Bilbo's Journey from the TAN Books $5 sale (it's back in the $5 sale this month!), and really loved it. I hadn't been a huge fan of The Hobbit when I had to read it for school several years ago, but I appreciated Pearce's deep dive into all the symbolic intricacies of The Hobbit. So, when I realized he had written a similar book about Narnia, I put it on my reading list. 

    Further Up and Further In has made me fall in love with Narnia. I have read about 1.5 of the 7 books, and I've seen movies of 4 of the stories, but, as I have explained in previous posts, I was never into fantasy. However, in the last year or so, after reading both Bilbo's Journey and Heartless, I have come to appreciate the hidden beauty of Christian fantasy. Joseph Pearce does a good job explaining the context of each Narnia book for those who are not familiar with it, without rehashing every little detail. When he has set the scene, he proceeds to break down the profound symbolisms in each book, which has been delightful to follow. I keep wanting to rewatch/read the series. And as I write this, I am regretting that I haven't been copying down all the profound Aslan quotes into my quote book. There are alot 💗. It really is a good meditation on God's love/wisdom, etc to stop and think about an Aslan quote. 

    In conclusion, I highly recommend this rich summary of Narnian symbolism. Happy reading, and may you all have a most blessed Lent!