Boxen is a

fictional world A fictional universe, or fictional world, is a self-consistent setting with events, and often other elements, that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed, or fictional realm (or world). Fictional universes m ...

that

C. S. Lewis Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British writer and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Oxford University (Magdalen College, 1925–1954) and Cambridge Univers ...

("Jack") and his brother

W. H. Lewis W. may refer to: * SoHo (Australian TV channel) (previously W.), an Australian pay television channel * ''W.'' (film), a 2008 American biographical drama film based on the life of George W. Bush * "W.", the fifth track from Codeine's 1992 EP ''Bar ...

("Warnie") created as children. The world of Boxen was created when Jack's stories about Animal-Land and Warnie's stories about India were brought together. In ''

Surprised by Joy ''Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life'' is a partial autobiography published by C. S. Lewis in 1955. The work describes Lewis's life from very early childhood (born 1898) until his conversion to Christianity in 1931, but does not go b ...

'', Jack explains that the union of Animal-Land and India took place "sometime in the late eighteenth century (their eighteenth century, not ours)". During a time when

influenza Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptoms ...

was ravaging many families, the Lewis brothers were forced to stay indoors and entertain themselves by reading. They read whatever books they could find, both those written for children and adults. Influenced by

Beatrix Potter Helen Beatrix Potter (, 28 July 186622 December 1943) was an English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist. She is best known for her children's books featuring animals, such as ''The Tale of Peter Rabbit'', which was he ...

's animals, C.S. Lewis wrote about Animal-Land, complete with details about its economics, politics/government, and history, as well as illustrations of buildings and characters. The stories were published posthumously as ''Boxen: The Imaginary World of the Young C. S. Lewis'' Edited by Walter Hooper and first published by London: Collins May 28, 1985. First American edition: San Diego: Harcourt, Brace, Javanovich, October 17, 1985.In Pursuit of C. S. Lewis by Edwin W. Brown, M. D., Indianapolis: Proleptikos Press, 2006. (republished as ''Boxen: Childhood Chronicles Before Narnia'').

References

20th-century British children's literature Fantasy worlds C. S. Lewis 1985 books William Collins, Sons books Books published posthumously {{Fict-location-stub