Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Worth reading. Worth quoting. Robert Velarde's book shines a light upon the path many of us take in finding truth and fulfillment. It also helps the reader - in this case me - remember the real issues facing each of us today: Do we follow a truth which has been around and proven since the beginning of time, or do we just make up our own and hope for the best?

This novel is fun, creative and eye-opening. I'll read it again, soon.

It is said that the greatest compliment one can give another, is that of imitating them. This creative work of fiction provides us an abundance of such compliments. The author accurately reflects not only Lewis' thoughts and history, but also his writing style and even-handed tone. One can very nearly pick up Lewis' accent and infliction of speech.

An Atheist, seemingly on his death bed, receives a visit from an already dead C. S. Lewis who walks the Atheist through the more significant junctures of Lewis' life and thoughts. In the course of this journey, Lewis gently challenges the Atheist (and all of us) to think harder about the things that should matter most.

I am usually a harsh critic of any sort of fiction. This book encouraged me to broaden the boundaries of my narrow perspective. I found it to be a great combination of creative entertainment and stimulation of the gray matter. This book is well worth the reader's time and attention!

With the recent success of the Chronicles of Narnia movies, interest in the author of the Narnia books, C.S. Lewis, has risen once again. "Conversations with C.S. Lewis: Imaginative Discussions About Life, Christianity, and God" is a fictional interview with C.S. Lewis as written by one of the most dedicated scholars of his work, Robert Velarde. Covering Lewis's life, his beliefs, and his friendships with other writers as he created the books that inspire so many children today, "Conversations with C.S. Lewis" also touches heavily on Lewis' religion and beliefs, some of which were not wholly traditional. "Conversations with C.S. Lewis" is solid look at C.S. Lewis, highly recommended especially for Narnia fans.

Conversations with C.S. Lewis was a delightful read. I enjoyed learning more about the man behind some of the books I had read. I found myself emotionally drawn into Lewis's life and the characters in the book. Although it is entertaining, the book is also intellectually stimulating.

You are introduced to Lewis's childhood events, his boarding school tutor, battlefield trenches, his writer friends in an English Pub, an Oxford classroom, his wife, creatures from the world of Narnia, and even a Screwtape-like devil. Along the way, the book explores Lewis's arguments for Christianity in a gentle and thought provoking way.

A complete book review and an interview with the author, Robert Velarde, can be found at: http://briandavidelliott.com/Conversations.html .

I enjoyed reading Conversations with C. S. Lewis. I found it a well written, quick read, which was entertaining as well as thought provoking.

At first, when I began the book, I thought it might only appeal to people who are familiar with C. S. Lewis. As I read on, however, I could see that this is a book for everyone since it touches on so many of life's heavy duty questions. There are "conversations" about the existence of God, life after death, joy, suffering, war, logic, and imagination, to name a few. I was particularly impressed with the part dealing with the problem of evil. I've read others' writings on the subject, but the difference here was that Lewis' philosophical and theological arguments are presented in a way that makes them more accessible to the layperson. I'm a "layperson," so I appreciated this aspect!

This book is also a wonderful way to learn about Lewis. As the writer takes you on a journey through key events in Lewis' life, you begin to see how the various events played a part in shaping his thoughts and character. The result is that the reader ponders his or her own life and worldview.

I recommend this book to, well, everyone. If you're interested in reading a creative fiction that discusses real philosophical issues, or if you're a fan of Lewis, then I think you will find this book especially fun and thought provoking. An added bonus of the book is the appendixes and bibliography, which many will find useful even long after they've read the book.

Laura Borie