Conversations with C. S. Lewis: Imaginative Discussions About Life, Christianity and God [Paperback]

Robert Velarde (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 27, 2008

"C. S. Lewis died in 1963, but I met him last week." Robert Velarde tells of an imaginative journey in which the literature professor mysteriously appears in Thomas Clerk's hospital room. "Call me Jack," the writer says as he invites Clerk to step into a wardrobe. From there the two embark on a remarkable journey through Lewis's life. They experience pivotal events from Lewis's childhood and meet many of his real and imaginary friends; they visit the Kilns with his brother, Warnie, and spend time in Oxford with fellow writers and Inklings J. R. R. Tolkien and Charles Williams. They also sit with Lewis's dying wife, Joy Davidman, and they even enter the world of Narnia. Along the way, Lewis challenges Clerk's thinking about the existence of God, the truth of Christianity, the problem of pain and suffering, the nature of love and much more. Are human beings a cosmic accident? Can we have morality without God? Was Jesus just a guru? Can we really believe in heaven and hell? Tom and Jack discuss these and many other questions, and they invite you to eavesdrop on their conversations. Prepare yourself for some of the most invigorating discussions you may ever experience this side of heaven.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Ever the engaging and warm-hearted scholar, author Robert Velarde manages to instruct us in the details of Lewis's life and thought while also keeping us thoroughly entertained. A delightful journey in the company of the most congenial of companions." (Jim Ware, author, God of the Fairy Tale and Finding God in The Hobbit, and coauthor, Finding God in the Lord of the Rings, Finding God in the Land of Narnia and Shedding Light on His Dark Materials )

"Robert Velarde brings amazingly fresh creativity to this work based on the writings of C. S. Lewis. Velarde exhibits extensive knowledge of Lewis's canon and brings fresh insights about his work. Whether one is a veteran reader or is new to Lewis, Robert Velarde's Conversations with C. S. Lewis will stoke a fire of interest in the works of this beloved author." (Alex McFarland, president, Southern Evangelical Seminary )

"Robert Velarde has pulled off a rare and wonderful feat: a book that is at once enjoyable, edifying, erudite and apologetically engaging. Bravo!" (Douglas Groothuis, professor of philosophy, Denver Seminary )

"C. S. Lewis, imagining what the resurrection might be like, once wrote to his fictitious correspondent Malcolm, 'I can now communicate to you the fields of my boyhood--they are building-estates to-day--only imperfectly, by words. Perhaps the day is coming when I can take you for a walk through them' (Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer, Letter XXII). In Conversations with C. S. Lewis, Robert Velarde takes us on just such an imaginative journey with C. S. Lewis, not only to the fields of Lewis's boyhood, but throughout the major scenes of Lewis's unparalleled life. What C. S. Lewis fan hasn't longed, and dreamed of what it would be like, to actually sit down with Lewis and ask him questions about his life and thought? With this book Velarde momentarily quenches a thirst which most Lewis fans thought only a heavenly Lewisian conversation would ever satisfy.

However, that is not all. Conversations with C. S. Lewis is a creative apologetic unequaled since Peter Kreeft's Between Heaven and Hell was first published. This is a book eminently suitable for passing on to one's atheist, agnostic and seeking friends. If one wants to become acquainted with the basic outline of Lewis's life and thought or if one desires to explore in an entertaining fashion the greatest philosophical and theological questions of all time, reading Conversations with C. S. Lewis by Robert Velarde is an excellent place to start. However, let the reader beware: once you pick up this book and begin to read you won't want to put it down until you have walked with C. S. Lewis to the surprising end of this fascinating journey." (Will Vaus, author of Mere Theology: A Guide to the Thought of C. S. Lewis )

"An engaging and imaginative fantasy journey through C. S. Lewis's life and thought that nicely blends two very different kinds of story lines: biographical vignettes and theological arguments. The result is a kind of mix of The Great Divorce, It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol. This book should be made into a movie." (Peter Kreeft, professor of philosophy, Boston College, and author of C. S. Lewis for the Third Millennium and Between Heaven and Hell )

Product Details

• Paperback: 187 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (March 27, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830834834
• ISBN-13: 978-0830834839
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #802,379 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Robert Velarde, M.A., is a writer, educator, and philosopher. His books include The Wisdom of Pixar, Conversations with C.S. Lewis, The Golden Rules of Narnia, and more. He contributed a science fiction story to Foreshadows: The Ghosts of Zero and maintains a blog at robertvelarde.blogspot.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book should be made into a movie, April 22, 2008

By 

Robert Velarde (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Conversations with C. S. Lewis: Imaginative Discussions About Life, Christianity and God (Paperback)

The words in the subject line are not mine, but those of author and scholar Peter Kreeft, who endorsed Conversations with C.S. Lewis. On the back of the book he writes, "An engaging and imaginative fantasy journey through C.S. Lewis's life and thought that nicely blends two very different kinds of story lines: biographical vignettes and theological arguments. The result is a kind of mix of The Great Divorce, It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol. This book should be made into a movie."

As the author of Conversations with C.S. Lewis, I was delighted with Kreeft's endorsement. Why do I give my book only 4 stars? Because an author giving his or her own book 5 stars seems kind of snooty.

What I do in Conversations with C.S. Lewis is present a series of conversations between C.S. Lewis and a contemporary atheist named Tom. Throughout the book, the two main characters travel to different places in the life of C.S. Lewis and discuss all sorts of theological and philosophical issues such as the existence of God, the problem of evil, the relationship between reason and imagination, the consequences of ideas, heaven and hell, and more. I did my best to make the book entertaining, as well as thought provoking. There are humorous elements thrown in here and there, as well as serious moments.

Lewis and Tom also meet and dialog with individuals such as J.R.R. Tolkien and Lewis's wife, Joy Davidman. They also visit "The Eagle and Child" pub where Lewis and his friends, known as the Inklings, met to discuss their various writing projects. Another chapter involves a visit to the imaginary world of Lewis, where they discuss, among other things, the Chronicles of Narnia.

Tom is an open-minded skeptic with real arguments against theism and Christianity. He's not a pushover. Lewis counters Tom's position via dialog based on Lewis's life and thought as expressed in many books such as Mere Christianity, The Abolition of Man, An Experiment in Criticism, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Four Loves, and more.

If you're interested in knowing more about C.S. Lewis, his life and ideas, through a fun work of creative fiction, then Conversations with C.S. Lewis is for you. If you're skeptical of theism and Christianity, but open to arguments making the case for theism and Christianity, this book is also for you. Finally, if you've already read a lot of Lewis and have enjoyed his works, then Conversations with C.S. Lewis will be a real treat for devoted Lewis fans.

Wouldn't it be fun to meet Lewis and talk with him? My book brings that idea to life.

If you'd like to get in touch with me about Lewis and my book, visit my blog, "A Reasonable Imagination," at robertvelarde dot blogspot dot com.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an impactful vision with C.S. Lewis, October 20, 2008

By 

M. DeJesus (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Conversations with C. S. Lewis: Imaginative Discussions About Life, Christianity and God (Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Any book that moves me to tears is well written and crafted. The angle the author uses to introduce the basic Christian principles through C.S. Lewis writings is wonderful. I highly recommend and encourage this as a book to lend to anyone, especially non-Christian folks.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars unique read: humor, insight, compelling journey, January 18, 2010

By 

matt (the reading room) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Conversations with C. S. Lewis: Imaginative Discussions About Life, Christianity and God (Paperback)

Since my teen years Lewis has played a large role in forming and articulating my thoughts about not only religion, but academics, literature and much else. I try to read as much as I can about the man to gain new insights from his thought, and this book is one of the best introductions in that regard.

Reminiscent of Peter Kreeft's Socrates Meets Jesus: History's Greatest Questioner Confronts the Claims of Christ, Velarde's main character finds himself in dialogue with Lewis while at hospital. They begin to wax philosophical, and Lewis takes Tom on a journey that recounts the main historical, philosophical and theological developments in Lewis' life, all the while in dialogue with Tom's own doubtful worldviews.

Again, this has been one of the more enjoyable books about Lewis (and theology/philosophy) that I have read in a while because while it is engagingly written it cuts to the existential importance of the ultimate questions, and does so in a manner that is not preachy or cheesy. It's also a very quick read if you want it to be. It really should be turned into a film.

If you are interested in Lewis and have read most of his books, you may find these useful as well: Jack: A Life of C. S. Lewis, The Life and Faith of C.S. Lewis: The Magic Never Ends, Narnia & Beyond: Chronicles of CS Lewis, The Magic Never Ends - The Life and Work of C.S. Lewis, THROUGH JOY AND BEYOND, The Magic Never Ends: An Oral History of the Life and Work of C.S. Lewis (the book) and C. S. Lewis: Images of His World.

Wishing you the best on your journey further in.