Before C. S. Lewis became one of the world’s most influential Christian writers, he spent the Second World War speaking to RAF airmen facing fear, conflict, and death.

These remarkable encounters helped shape the clear, compelling voice that would later reach millions through Mere Christianity and enriched the imagination that gave rise to The Chronicles of Narnia.

In From Airmen to Aslan with C. S. Lewis, Bruce R. Johnson uncovers this remarkable but largely overlooked chapter of Lewis’s life. Drawing on extensive archival research, he reveals how Lewis’s wartime ministry, pastoral care, and conversations with ordinary servicemen shaped his apologetics, deepened his Christian vision, and left a lasting mark on his writing.

The book also offers fresh insights into the origins of Narnia, viewing its beginnings through the experiences of the evacuated children who found refuge at The Kilns during the war.