What is your favorite book by C. S. Lewis (besides the Chronicles of Narnia) and what do you like about it?
My favorite is The Screwtape Letters. I love how he can be so funny and yet so dead serious at the same time! Following in a close second is Mere Christianity. I've said it before and I'll say it again: the man is a genius.
2007-08-31 20:06:20 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Synopsis of Mere Christianity: It has to be true because how can it not be? I have an excellent command of the english language, how can you not believe me? You are stupid for not believing what I believe in.
2007-08-31 20:13:34 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
C.S. Lewis is not very persuasive. He may be great for some lukewarm Christians, but he is very persuasive toward non-Christians I believe. I just do not think he could convince many stubborn atheists or dedicated Muslims.
Oh, I probably like.... Pilgrim's Regress. I wrote a part three to it. You see the first part was Paul Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress about a Christian on their way to heaven. C.S Lewis wrote a version called Pilgrim's Regress on ones journey, essentially, to condemnation. So mine was Pilgrim's Regress (later I found out a cartoon was already named this) but it was about a character he was a lukewarm Christian (aptly named Luke) and was raised a Christian but never really came to Christ out of his own conscience choice, and so he sins a lot and ultimately is faced on whether he will live in his sins, which he enjoys, or give up those things he enjoys to live according to Christ. Of course the book is allegorical, it does not say he is a Christian struggling to follow Christ, there are allegorical names like God is the Foreign King, Jesus is the Foreign Prince, the Holy Spirit is the Foreign Counselor.
2007-09-01 03:16:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with both of your choices. One problem today is that so many adults today lack the intellectual capacity to read his style of writing in Mere Christianity, and many also lack the ability to catch the irony in Screwtape Letters, so they discount him and his writings as anachronistic. There is also a definite "closing of the American mind" (as was so aptly described by Dr. Allan Bloom) that makes it harder for some to approach Lewis with the proper mental horsepower and foundational information to clearly see his arguments.
If you haven't read Bloom's book by that title, I would highly recommend it for you. I think it's out of print, but you can surely find a used one on Amazon or somewhere. Like Lewis, Bloom certainly has his critics, but based on your appreciation of Lewis, I seriously think you would enjoy the read.
I'm currently reading Lewis' "Letters to Malcolm." I'll let you know how it turns out. :)
2007-09-01 03:30:15 · answer #3 · answered by he_returns_soon 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I found Edgar Rice Burroughs more memorable with a gripping style. CS Lewis is okay as a story teller (for a child) and a little obvious in his allegories. I couldn't finish the Screwtape Letters, although it came highly recommended, and I did not read Mere Christianity.
2007-09-01 03:14:38 · answer #4 · answered by Shinigami 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The Problem of Pain.He has a wonderful writing style,and he is intellectually engaging.He gets his point across well.
I know you said besides the Chronicles,but I just HAVE to mention that I love them,especiallly The Lion,the Witch and the Wardrobe and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
2007-09-01 03:25:50 · answer #5 · answered by Serena 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Screwtape Letters were neat and I like reading that.
Mere Christianity was totally uninspiring, irrelevant to my questions and all around unsuccessful at its goal.
2007-09-01 03:16:02 · answer #6 · answered by Rin 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A toss up between "The Great Divorce"
and "The Abolition of Man"
The latter slim book, (or it's available on-line) is very thought provoking.
Even for those who disagree with his position, and his Christianity, he offers a decent mental work-out tracing through his arguments, which are not trivial.
2007-09-01 04:07:23 · answer #7 · answered by Pedestal 42 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I thought the Screwtape Letters was pretty clever. It was a cool concept
2007-09-01 03:09:55 · answer #8 · answered by lindsey p 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
"Til We Have Faces" is my favorite and I've read it over and over (which I don't do with many books). It's a beautifully written yet painfully revealing exploration of deep, hidden motives of the heart. There are so many layers and I come away with so many new things to think about each time I read it. It's one to digest s-l-o-w-l-y, so don't read it if you're in a big hurry.
2007-09-01 04:08:34 · answer #9 · answered by AKL 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've only read Mere Christianity, but I guess I have to say that I was unimpressed and that I have no "favorite book" by him.
2007-09-01 03:10:21 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋