Library Talk Sheds New Light on C.S. Lewis

Fantasy film and literature buffs – especially those with fond memories of The Chronicles of Narnia – are in for a treat at 5.30 pm on Friday 29 April, as a talk at the Dunedin Public Library reveals an undiscovered side to children’s author, religious writer and literary scholar, C.S. Lewis.

Dr Paul Tankard, senior lecturer in English at the University of Otago, has been on a ten-year search for a missing interview with the much-loved creator of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which was made for a British television programme two years before Lewis’ death in 1963.

The interview was never aired due to the racy subject matter – the erotic in literature – and has been regarded as long lost, but with much help, Tankard searched the globe until a transcript of the interview was in his hands. The words provide a fascinating insight into a highly original writer who rarely gave interviews.

The discovery has caught the attention of the international media, and Dr Tankard’s essay on his discovery recently appeared in the prestigious Times Literary Supplement in the United Kingdom.

Perhaps even more interesting to a general audience is the story behind the discovery.

For those of us who checked the back of their wardrobe as children – or who now have children doing so - this is a rare opportunity to discover more about the brilliant mind behind that fantasy, and to hear something of his views about the real world in which we live. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the tenacity and success of Dr Paul Tankard, a very dedicated member of our own community.

Eros: A New Discovery about C.S. Lewis
Friday 29 April 5.30pm, 4th Floor, City Library
Free but bookings are essential.