C. S. Lewis, My Godfather: Letters, Photos and Recollections [Hardcover]

Laurence Harwood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 20, 2007

"With the passage of time fewer and fewer people remain alive who knew him as a living friend, and I therefore think it right and timely to record some of my memories of my relationship with the man and some aspects of his much longer friendship with my own father, with my mother, and his contemporaries throughout his life. It was through this friendship with my parents that C. S. Lewis became my godfather." --Laurence Harwood, from the Introduction Laurence Harwood presents his memories and interactions with godfather C. S. Lewis, spanning Harwood's early boyhood to young adulthood. Harwood's recollections include letters received from Lewis, as well as memories of and letters between Lewis and Harwood's father, Cecil Harwood, who, along with his wife, Daphne, was one of Lewis's closest and long-time friends. This book contributes to a more complete portrait of Lewis and focuses on Lewis's friendships with a boy and his father.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a primary source of information about C. S. Lewis, and my admiration is unbounded. We may never see anything of its importance again." (Walter Hooper, editor of The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis )

From the Publisher

* Touching, personal recollections of Lewis by someone who, as a child, began to get to know him

* Includes letters, photos, drawings and poetry of Lewis, some of which have not been previously published

* Provides insight into Lewis's dynamic relationship with a child who grows into young adulthood

* Provides an intimate look into Lewis's friendship with some of his closest colleagues and with the Harwood family

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 148 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (November 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830834982
• ISBN-13: 978-0830834983
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,852,734 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A delightful reminiscence, February 8, 2008

By 

DAVID MCNAUGHTON (Tallahassee, FL, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: C. S. Lewis, My Godfather: Letters, Photos and Recollections (Hardcover)

This is a charming, if slight, memoir of Lewis's relationship with Cecil Harwood, Owen Barfield and his godson Laurence. It is beautifully illustrated throughout with early pictures of Lewis, Harwood, and Barfield. While it throws no new light on Lewis's character or views, it gives the flavor of the man and his friendships, and there are a number of charming poems and letters which bring all of them vividly to life.

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent memoir, January 25, 2012

By 

Arador (North Eastern USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: C. S. Lewis, My Godfather: Letters, Photos and Recollections (Hardcover)

This is a short memoir of Laurence Harwood's experience with C. S. Lewis. Laurence's father had attended Oxford with Lewis and Owen Barfield and they became lifelong friends. Laurence was lucky to have Lewis as his godfather. The book contains a number of photographs and images of various letters written by Lewis to Laurence and other members of his family.

A very interesting read, provided insights into a completely different side of Lewis than I've seen before. He pitched his letters to the perfect level for Laurence as a child and young man. He even wrote in a child-like hand and included illustrations. Later in life Lewis asked Laurence for advice on the future prospects for his step-son Douglas, after Joy's death. A nice quick read, where Lewis' heartfelt friendship and love of the Harwood family is easy to see.

I enjoyed seeing the letters, and found the quotations in Latin and Greek to be an asset to the book. Though I don't read either language it showed that Lewis' academic nature was always present. He and his friends composed poems and stories in multiple languages, simply for the joy of the challenge.

The only reason I'm giving it a 4 is because I was unsatisfied with the photograph citations. They were listed at the back of the book like end-notes and I had to keep flipping back and forth. I think simple captions would have made it easier to read. Other than that I really enjoyed the book.

5.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed this book., June 29, 2011

By 

Heather Hobson "The Conrad Chronicles: Revolt... (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: C. S. Lewis, My Godfather: Letters, Photos and Recollections (Hardcover)

This novella length book added to my previous knowledge in regards to C.S. Lewis and his writings. I enjoyed the quick read. I have added this book to my permanent collection.