Customer Reviews

Lenten Lands: My Childhood with Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

No true die-hard student of C.S. Lewis can pass on a reading of this book, and here's why:
Lenten Lands provides a perspective of Lewis that you can get nowhere else... the perspective of a stepson.
There are many books about Lewis the academician, Lewis the lay-theologian... Lewis the prolific author/poet... but a first-hand account of Lewis the around-the-house stepdad? Trust me, you will find THAT nowhere but here!
And it's an important perspective, this day-to-day life at the Kilns in Oxford, because many misconceptions about Lewis are cleared up in the midst of Douglas Gresham's recollections.
As other reviewers have noted, this is technically a biography of Douglas Gresham rather than of C.S. Lewis. The opening chapters are of the Gresham family in Staatsburg, New York. Then, in 1953, as a child, Douglas met Lewis for the first time in Oxford. By this time, Joy Davidman (Douglas' mother) was already acquainted with Lewis. Three years later (1956) the two were married in the Registry Office, but not before Joy's illness was already fairly advanced. The following year (1957) their vows are re-instated by the Rev. Peter Bide in Wingfield-Morris Hospital. Three years later Joy dies from cancer.
Then, three years after this, on a somber November evening while eighteen-year-old Douglas is still digesting the fact that President Kennedy has just been assassinated, he receives the news that Lewis has died.
"On that day... there was a bitter stillness about the world; for the second time in my life everything I knew, everything I held dear and the one person I loved had been swept away." I found this portion of the book to be especially moving.
The following year (1964) Douglas' birth father commits suicide.
A few final chapters tell of Douglas' own marriage and settlings in Tasmania and mainland Australia.
But the bulk of Lenten Lands consists of Douglas' decade of knowing C.S. Lewis. A very well-written book, the title being borrowed from a phrase in Joy's epitaph, written by Lewis.
As I read Lenten Lands I was reminded of something C.S. Lewis said long before ever knowing the Greshams. In his "Abolition of Man" (published 1943) he said "I myself do not enjoy the society of small children... I recognize this as a defect in myself."
Again, in a private letter to his friend Arthur Greeves (December 1935) Lewis commented "I theoretically hold that one ought to like children, but I am shy with them in practice."
Yet Douglas concludes that his decade of knowing Lewis was a "privilege"... "a gift of education and experience greater than some of us gain in a lifetime."
His statement confirms my own suspicion about Lewis... that he was a man of such inner greatness, that he proved to be good even at the things he was not good at.

First I must say that I am a bit put off with reviews suggesting that this wonderful book is, to paraphrase, too much about Doug Gresham and not enough about C.S. Lewis. If you'll read the subtitle, it clearly indicates that this is a book about Doug's childhood with his mother and step-father.

Taking this book for what it is, and what I believe it was intended to be, I feel I am able to see through the eyes of a young Doug Gresham, as well as an older Doug (who wrote this much later in life), and get a lot closer to a "true" image of Lewis. This book allows me to see a perspective of Lewis that no other author could possibly offer.

I know that when my own father died almost two years ago, the glowing eulogy given was truly wonderful, but only touched on the essence of the man I knew my father to be.

I feel that with this book, readers are offered a glimpse of Lewis that no one other than Doug could offer, and not yet another glowing eulogy offered by many other authors, nor a misguided critique offered by many writers who never even met the man.

Additionally, Doug is quite a gifted writer, and this is evident of his accounts of Lewis' life throughout the book.

And I would also add that over the past several years, Doug has become someone I consider to be a good friend as well, and I can tell you without any hesitation, he is one of the most direct and honest people I know. If I want the truth, read this book.

Unlike some reviewers, I found Lenten Lands well-written, poignant, and honest, though it dies a bit towards the end. (As auto-biographies often do -- if the author doesn't die first, like Moses.) I am not sure why some reviewers complain that Douglas chose to tell his story, even if his memories of Lewis were not as full, say, as George Sayers, and he has lived a fairly simple, even blue-color, life at times. Greshem's descriptions of growing up, the houses he lived in, taking the boat to England, London and Oxford, and the Kilns, were all interesting to me, though as a fan of Lewis I was of course anticipating scenes of his life. Greshem brings nature, his feelings, the drama of watching his mother come to love C. S. Lewis and the love returned, then her death, to life. The scene in which his dying but still fiercely defensive mother confronts a trespasser with a shotgun, C. S. Lewis standing alarmed at her side, and yells, "Get out of my line of fire, Jack!", and the scenes that follow, made me laugh for a fair chunk of an hour.

I didn't expect this book to all be about Lewis; hasn't he had enough pure biographies already? I was pleased to learn much more about Joy, whom Douglas and "Jack" both greatly loved. (Having read her Smoke on the Mountain, I agree she had talent and insight -- though Douglas' claim that she was an intellectual match for Lewis should be described as filial, I think.) Lenten Lands seemed to me an honest and thoughtful story, and I found myself reading it very quickly.

This is one of those books I think any authentic admirer of C.S.Lewis should read because Douglas H. Gresham writes so empathetically as well as objectively of his Mother Joy and his step father 'Jack' Lewis. Seeing these two people thru his eyes from childhood to young adulthood is fascinating. Be it the feel of his Mothers embrace that made him feel safe, to how mature his view was of his father who had problems with alcohol. Where some people would have been harsh or mean in how they saw such a parent Douglas was able to see beyond the issue of alcohol to something deeper.

Reading of his first impressions of C. S. Lewis and his brother Warnie again shows reality vs visions one has in their heads of things and people not yet seen. From the cigarette stained teeth to the evening visits to the local pub, Douglas bring a sense of humanness to the great author. And his descriptions of the places he/they lived are so real one feels as if they are a fly on the wall.

The thing that makes me appreciate Douglas so much is how the lessons he saw and was taught have taken root in his life . He now lives in Ireland and is active in walk the community helping women with unwanted pregnancies.

So the nasty comment by reviewer Kona (Emerald City) 'The problem with this book is that Douglas Gresham did nothing in his own life to warrant an autobiography' makes me wonder just how much of the book did they actually read, since having taken the priceless lessons that the great C.S.Lewis wrote and taught and putting them to day to day use, makes Douglas well worthy of being an author. The title is after all 'Lenten Lands: My Childhood with Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis'.

. . .written by one of Joy Davidman's sons (and CS Lewis's stepson).

This is not a book primarily about CS Lewis. It is not a book primarily about Joy Davidman. Those who pick up this volume looking for a "biography" will be disappointed. Rather, the book is a painful exploration of the trials and tribulations of a young man faced with:

1) abuse by a violent father (whom he still loved)

2) the controversial marriage of his mother to a prominent public figure (whom he also loved, despite a sometimes difficult relationship)

3) the illness and death of his mother (1960)

4) the illness and death of his stepfather (1963)

5) the illness and suicide of his father (1964)

6) the normal "angst" of the growing-up years.

Considered from this perspective, I suspect that the book was a form of catharsis for Douglas; a sort of "coming-to-grips" with years of pain and uncertainty.

This sort of "from the heart" revealatory book will NOT suit all tastes (as is evident from the tenor of some of the other reviews). But taken for what it is, the book provides valuable insight into the Lewis "family".

I don't agree with some of the other reviews here; this is a really good book. Lewis doesn't die halfway through the book, more about three quarters of the way through. But up until that point, its very interesting and it gives, in my opinion, tons of new insight into Lewis' persona and everyday life. The only thing that really bugs me about this book is Gresham's writing style; its very wordy and comma happy, making it difficult to read at times. Some of his analogies and placed adjectives are, without meaning to be, really hysterical, stemming from the fact that they are so corny. But overall, I'm glad I read this book. There's some really interesting passages in here, especially those giving insight into the Lewis' lives after Joy dies. Also there are a few surprises in there I wasn't expecting. Probably you should get this book out of the library before you buy it, but only because it won't be to everyone's taste.

Many books have been written about C.S. Lewis and his works, but it is rare for books to be written in this field by those who knew him, particually by his own relatives. A candid and thoughtful account, this is not only a book about C.S.Lewis and Joy Davidman Lewis, but also the memoirs of the early life of his author. On both those accounts a delightful book has been produced which is difficult to put down, and which produces a picture where memories of warmth and pain mingle in proportion to each other

In the preface Greshman makes it clear that the book is his story about his life. No doubt the publisher thought it necessary to throw "My Childhood with Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis" on the cover because this is the reason why we care about Douglas Greshman.

Most of the book is about his early life and there is much on his mother Joy and Lewis. I found the parts that had nothing to do with Joy and Lewis to be enjoyable too. Gresham is a very good writer and you get a feel for what it was like to grow up in England in the 1950's.

Only the last few chapters deal with his life after the death of Lewis. But in some ways, this is an important part of the Lewis story. Why you ask? Because we see how little Gresham, Lewis' stepson, benefited from being his stepson. Greshman was dirt poor and barely getting by. What happened to Lewis' money? Why were Lewis' two stepsons not in his will?

Whatever one thinks about the book overall, it is an essential piece of C.S. Lewis history. Greshman saw Lewis up close and personal. He gives insights that few others can. Even if he did not live with Lewis all the time (he was at boarding school), he still lived with Lewis some of the time, and this is more than most. His memories are invaluable.

Like several previous reviewers, when I started Lenten Lands, I expected more about Jack and Joy Lewis themselves, but found that Lenten Lands is actually Doug Gresham's autobiography. But unlike several previous reviewers, although I am an ardent Lewis fan, I found Lenten Lands to be a touching story and would recommend it heartily even if it contained no reference to Lewis at all. Gresham's writing is open, honest, and straight from the heart. It is very real and full of anecdotes that make you laugh, incidents that make you cry, and scenes that contain a bit of both.
I also felt that Lenten Lands had a perspective on Lewis, even if it wasn't a central part of the book, that I do not get from other biographies. Gresham saw a personal side of his stepfather that other biographers don't have.
I can't recommend this book enough, whether you are a Lewis fan or simply looking for a good read.

This book adds to any C.S. Lewis collection. Anyone trying to undertsand better Lewis' life and works will gain some value from this book, but in addition, the book adds value to understanding Joy Davidman, herself a remarkable person and Doug himself. One reviewer is somemwhat upset about the book because the author writes mostly about himself, yes, it is subtitled "My Childhood...".

Doug Gresham is remarkably candid about himself (he directs most criticism at himself, well and the Millers). He is also very forgiving towards his father, which I found instructive for all of us. His insights into Lewis' chairity (both in time and money) and Christian heart are an addition to what a Lewis admirer might already know, but it helps add to the Lewis icon. I do wish he had a wrote more on his brother, but it may be he is keeping in with his brother's wishes (it is well known that David has avoided the Lewis/Davidman limelight).

This is a good book, at a great price, and it is a quick, nicely paced read.