| 1898 - |
Born in Belfast, Ireland to Albert and Flora (Hamilton)
Lewis.Warren (Warnie), his brother, was born in June, 1895.
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| 1905 - |
Family moved to "Little Lea," a large new house in Belfast.
He began to experience longing for "Joy."
Brother Warnie and he became very good friends.
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| 1908 - |
His mother Flora died of cancer unsettling Lewis greatly.
School in England at Wynyard ("Belsen" in SURPRISED) whose headmaster was brutal and later declared insane.
Heard Christianity and began to pray and read his Bible.
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| 1910 - |
Campbell College in Ireland, but left with illness.
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| 1911 - |
England preparatory school Cherbourg House ("Chartres").
He "ceased to be Christian" and lost his virginity.
Writing political history of "Boxen" stories.
Read "Siegfried and the Twilight of the Gods"
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| 1913 - |
Won classical scholarship to Malvern College ("Wyvern")
Wrote "Loki Bound" (atheistic and pessimistic writing).
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| 1914 - |
Start of the lifelong friendship with Joseph Arthur Greeves,
Tutored by W.T. Kirkpatrick ("the Great Knock") until 1916.
Studied Greek, Latin, French, German, and Italian.
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| 1916 - |
George MacDonald's PHANTASTES "baptised" his imagination.
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| 1917 - |
Studies at Oxford began.
WW I: Recruited into the army, Second Lieutenant, Somerset Light Infantry fighting on the front lines in France.
Army roomate "Paddy" Moore was killed and Lewis became a son to widowed Mrs. Janie Moore until her death in 1951.
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| 1918 - |
WW I: Hospitalized for trench fever (Jan).
Wounded at battle front (Apr).
Recovery in England for chest shrapnel (May).
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| 1919 - |
University College, Oxford.
Friendship with Owen Barfield.
Spirits in Bondage, a small book of lyric poems, under the pen name of Clive Hamilton.
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| 1919-24 - |
Excelled at Oxford, wrote narrative poetry.
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| 1920 - |
First in Classical Honour Moderations ("Honor Mods")
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| 1922 - |
First in Literae Humaniores ("Greats")
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| 1923 - |
First in English Language and Literature
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| 1922-27 - |
Writes a diary, All My Road Before Me
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| 1924 - |
Established a home for Mrs. Moore and her daughter Maureen
Substitute Philosophy tutor at University College, Oxford.
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| 1925 - |
Tutor in English Language and Literature at Magdalen College, Oxford, 1925-1954. Friends (incl "Inklings"): J.R.R. Tolkien, Nevill Coghill, H.V.D. "Hugo" Dyson, and A.C. Harwood.
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| 1926 - |
Dymer, book-length narrative poem (as Clive Hamilton).
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| 1929 - |
His father Albert died and Lewis arranged the funeral.
Lewis became a theist and admitted "God is God".
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| 1930 - |
Moved to the house called "The Kilns" with Mrs. Moore, Maureen and later Warnie when he retired from the service.
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| 1931 - |
Brother Warnie returned to Christianity.
Evening walk & all night discussion with Tolkien & Dyson moved CSL closer to conversion.
Lewis became a Christian during a visit to Whipsnade Zoo.
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| 1933 - |
The Pilgrim's Regress: An Allegorical Apology for Christianity, Reason and Romanticism
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| 1936 - |
The Allegory of Love: A Study in Medieval Tradition gave him a scholarly reputation.
Friendship with Charles Williams began with letters.
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| 1938 - |
Out of the Silent Planet, a spiritual science fiction book where two evil men and Ransom, a Christian, visit Mars.
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| 1939 - |
The Personal Heresy: A Controversy, a debate with E.M.W. Tillyard on poetry and the role of the poet's personality.
Rehabilitations and Other Essays, a collection of studies of English writers and British education.
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| 1940 - |
The Problem of Pain which led to his radio broadcasts.
Wartime lecturer to the Royal Air Force, 1940-1941
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| 1941 - |
First president of the Oxford Socratic Club which debated Christianity and atheism.
Began his 25 theology radio talks over the B.B.C. later published as Mere Christianity.
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| 1942 - |
The Screwtape Letters made him a popular author. Began putting 2/3 of royalties in a charitable trust.
A Preface to 'Paradise Lost; Broadcast Talks (U.S. edition, The Case for Christianity). (Part 1: Mere Christianity, 1952)
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| 1943 - |
Published further radio talks as Christian Behaviour
Perelandra, second science fiction where devil-possessed Weston and Ransom, a Christian, visit unfallen Venus
The Abolition of Man arguing that morals and values are objective and not merely subjective personal preference.
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| 1944 - |
Beyond Personality, the last radio talks.
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| 1945 - |
That Hideous Strength, the end of his science fiction trilogy showing evil men wickedly refashioning society.
The Great Divorce, A dream of a busload from hell allowed to visit heaven and stay if they will.
Death of Charles Williams.
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| 1946 - |
Doctorate of Divinity from St. Andrews University.
George MacDonald: An Anthology of the writer who had the greatest influence on Lewis' thought.
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| 1947 - |
Miracles, defense of miracles in the natural world
Edited Essays Presented to Charles Williams.
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| 1948 - |
Arthurian Torso discussing the Charles Williams's narrative poem of the Arthur legend.
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| 1949 - |
Transposition and Other Essays, a collection of Christian essays (US edition: The Weight of Glory).
Chad Walsh published C.S. Lewis: Apostle to the Skeptics.
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| 1950 - |
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, the first of seven Narnia Chronicles where the lion Aslan symbolizes Christ.
First letter from Joy Davidman Gresham (Jan).
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| 1951 - |
Prince Caspian in the Narnian Chronicles.
Death of Mrs. Moore, Lewis's "adopted" mother.
Passed over for Oxford Professor of Poetry position
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| 1952 - |
Doctorate of Literature, Laval University, Quebec.
Mere Christianity combining the three broadcast books.
The Voyage of the 'Dawn Treader' of Caspian's Narnian journey with the children to the eastern end of the world.
Joy Davidman Gresham visits Lewis and joins him for Christmas
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| 1953 - |
The Silver Chair, three children and Puddleglum rescue Prince Rilian from the witch.
Joy Davidman returns to live in England with David and Douglas her sons.
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| 1954 - |
The Horse and His Boy, in which two children are guided by Aslan and travel from Calormen to Narnia.
English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, Excluding Drama
Joy & William Gresham's divorce final. He remarries same day.
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| 1955 - |
Medieval and Renaissance Literature Professorship, Magdalene College, Cambridge after nearly 30 yrs at Oxford.
Surprised By Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, recounting life up to 1931 and his conversion.
The Magician's Nephew, which explains the magical wardrobe and the creation of Narnia by Aslan.
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| 1956 - |
The Last Battle, the end of Narnia, start of Aslan's country.
Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold of Cupid and Psyche with Christian themes. Lewis considered it his best book.
Civil legal marriage to Joy Davidman Gresham (Apr 23) a former Communist converted partly through Lewis' books.
Marriage to Joy is announced London Times, Dec. 24.
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| 1957 - |
Ecclesiastical marriage (March 21) to Joy Davidman at her supposed hospital deathbed of cancer. Prayer for healing.
Joy was sent home to die (April), but recovered at the Kilns.
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| 1958 - |
Reflections on the Psalms with Joy's help.
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| 1959 - |
Joy's cancer returned (Oct)
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| 1960 - |
The Four Loves, Affection, Friendship, Eros, Charity
Studies in Words and The World's Last Night and Other Essays
Greece trip with Joy (Apr) and her death (July 13)
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| 1961 - |
A Grief Observed, under pen name N.W. Clerk, an outpouring of anguish on the death of his wife Joy.
An Experiment in Criticism, a book proposing a new method of critiquing literature.
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| 1962 - |
They Asked for a Paper, a variety of essays incl. one on the Authorized Version of the Bible.
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| 1963 - |
Heart attack, coma, expected to die (June).
Recovered and resigned his Professorship at Cambridge.
Died on Nov. 22 at "The Kilns" from several ailments.
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| 1964 - |
Publ. posthumously, The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature
Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer
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