Customer Reviews

Letters of C. S. Lewis

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While standard biographies are the medium people often turn to to find out more about someone, the letters an author pens often more revealing. I thoroughly enjoyed this (much needed) updated version of the letters of C.S. Lewis from 1916 - 1963 to his various correspondents. They are at various times funny, full of good advice, intentional nonsense, great learning, wit, homely (talking about the every day events that go on in life), and all in all intensely interesting. In addition to this fine volume, you might want to try his volume of Letters to Arthur Greeves (originally published as They Stand Together), C.S. Lewis Letters to Children, or The Latin Letters of C.S. Lewis. They are all quite good.

This is fine reading for the tired hours of the day. The little biography by his brother Warren is first rate, and the letters themselves are windows looking into the garden of C.S. Lewis' life and thought. They are varied, usually insightful or edifying, sometimes splendid. This edition, edited and enlarged by Walter Hooper, includes a few marvelous additions but also what appear to be some errors in the text, especially in the (fortunately rare) bits of Greek. Let's hope that the Collected Letters (published by Fount in the UK and apparently available through UK) will become available in the USA.

Reading through this book gives excellent insight into one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th Century. The letters are arranged in chronological order, so reading through them gives a perspective on Lewis' life that I found to be better than any biography. This is a very enjoyable collection, and if you are a fan of C.S. Lewis: Read these letters and get inside this great philosopher's mind!