Customer Reviews

Surprised By Laughter: The Comic World of C.S. Lewis

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I almost quit "Surprised by Laughter: The Comic World of C.S. Lewis" after the first chapter. It's written by Terry Lindvall, PhD, and books by PhD's are often off-putting to me. Sure enough, chapter 1 read like a dissertation. But I do love Lewis, and I'm glad I persevered, because the book only improved. It reminded me why I do love Lewis, and that I need to read more of his stuff. Stat.

What other author offers such hope and beauty? Describing death and heaven: "The term is over; the holidays have begun. The dream is ended; this is the morning." On music, specifically, Chopin's preludes: "they are so passionate, so hopeless, I could almost cry over them. They are unbearable." He also loved the grandeur of Wagner's music -- I just love it, because I sense in Lewis a kindred spirit, albeit one whose lifetime didn't intersect with mine (interesting side note - it almost did. He died the year before my birth, on the same day JFK was shot). I find it a little bit of heaven on earth when such ... collegiality turns up. And when it does (for me, at least), it's usually through books.

"Surprised by Laughter" is divided into 6 parts: The Idea and the Legacy, Joy, Fun, The Joke Proper, Satire and Flippancy, and Conclusion. You'll learn a lot about Lewis in addition to reading a whole bunch of examples of various types of humor he used in his writing. Recommended.

Thanks to Booksneeze for the opportunity to review this book.

This book is not only well written, but it's a really great insight to the life and world of CS Lewis. After reading this book myself, I bought more copies to give away to friends. It's humorous and very touching at times and is at the top of my list of favorite books. Definitely on my must read list for every Christian, but anyone out there will truly enjoy this look into the world of CS Lewis.

Let me start out by saying I love all things C.S. Lewis. I had great hopes for this book, but I could not get myself to read more than part one. While it was interesting, it just didn't keep me going. I know there are some great reviews of this book, and if I persevered, I might come to the same conclusion, but right now, I just can't get through it. So needless to say, this book will go on my shelf with my collection of books about and by C.S. Lewis and I will pick it up at a later date and try to read it all the way through.
Sadly I only give this book 3 stars.
I received this book from Book Sneeze (Thomas Nelson Publishers) for the purpose of this review.

Whether your thoughts go to The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, Till We Have Faces, or Surprised by Joy, fans of C. S. Lewis will enjoy this book by Terry Lindvall, Ph.D.which explores the various aspects of laughter and how Lewis used them in his writing.

I began reading the works of C. S. Lewis when my children were small, sharing the adventures of mythical creatures from the land of Narnia. I read them again to several of our grandchildren. They aren't simply books for children, however. There is much to be gained on an adult level.

"When we read religious writing (or, what is often worse, writing by a religious person), the last thing we expect to discover is laughter," begins Lindvall in the Introduction. He continues, "Treating issues of ultimate reality with levity is the habit of the fool, the mocker, the jester, the idiot. . . . Yet an encounter with the writings of Clive Staples Lewis turns that premise on its head."

Time magazine accused Lewis of heresy in its September 8, 1947, issue, depicting him on its cover alongside a pitchforked, horned, and tailed devil. Lewis' heresy, it seems, was a dry mixture of whimsy and irony, or simply, merely "Christianity in world gone awry." Many people are not used to the idea of a laughing God. "He unmakes us with joy!" is a quote I love.

Lewis, like G. K. Chesterton, presents a "happy God." Lindvall says Lewis was a "flaming atheist who would eventually somersault into the company of Christian saints."

My favorite chapter was the one on Fun. The author says joy often turns into fun and fun is serious business. I concur. Others chapters concern Joy, The Joke Proper, Satire, and Flippancy, which Lewis warned against.

The final chapter, "The Laughter of Love" caps the book's depiction of a joyful God.

This 453 page book analyzes in detail the forms of humor employed by C. S. Lewis. It will be a delight to those who love Lewis and have read his various works.

I received this complimentary book as part of the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze program in exchange for an honest review.

Reviewed by Carole Ledbetter, author of Who Am I Now? Growing Through Life's Changing Seasons

How does faith, laughter and joy interact with one's life? Terry Lindvall answers that question by looking at the life of C. S. Lewis. Having been a fan of C. S. Lewis, especially his Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters as well as a fan of laughter and humor, I was eager to read this book, Surprised by Laughter: The Comic World of C. S. Lewis.

Though the book is primarily about C. S. Lewis, it could also be described as a book about C. S. Lewis and G. K. Chesterton. For Lindvall, Chesterton has a major influence on the humor of Lewis. The book as well delves into the depths of what comedy means in all its various forms through the lens of Lewis.

Lindvall's approach is scholarly. He often chooses the words of academia, then the every day man. He readily admits that in Lewis"s echo of E. B. White's insight that "humor, like a frog, dies when we dissect it, and the `innards are discouraging to any but the pure scientific mind.'" This is not a collection of C. S. Lewis jokes or humor, though there are plenty of references. Rather it provides a look at how wit, joy, faith combine in Lewis perspective on life whether in his published or private writings.

I came away from this book with a greater appreciation of Lewis, of the power of humor, and how such can be used for good intent or harm. By Lindvall not limiting his insights to Lewis or Chesterton, he goes back to Aristotle to Chaucer to Luther to Steve Allen to various popes, writers, theologians and scholars. I not only came away with a better grasp of Lewis but also of laughter's history as well.

Reading the book was not a chuckle a minute, but a look at how humor has power to build, to destroy, and perhaps most of all to explain the intricacies and interactions of life under God. Surprised by Laughter did not surprise me with laughs, but learning the impact laughter makes.

Lindvall approaches Lewis's humorous bent through 4 categories: Joy, Fun, the Joke Proper and Satire and Flippancy.

Joy for Lewis is the purest laughter on earth, and is at the heart of Christianity. Joy is possible even amid grief as Lewis experienced in the death of his wife Joy. Both Joys had impacted his life to see God and to experience the Eucatastrophe (the good catastrophe) of the joy of the happy ending found not only in fairy tales but in the gospel message.

Fun for Lewis fills the universe. As Landvall points out, "If joy is the serious business of heaven, then fun is the serious business of earth."

The Joke Proper for Lewis is not that of a gag writer for the Tonight show, but more thoughtful, dry and whimsical.

Satire and Flippancy for Lewis are two sides of a coin. Flippancy for Lewis reveals more of the dark side of humor that tears instead of builds. Satire for Lewis moves more along his preferred style of humor, that of incongruity and the power of language. As such satire for Lewis made a lousy megaphone of communication, but a work of art that speaks for itself.

For me the book is worthy of 4 stars out of 5. I expected to laugh more as I read it. I found myself lost at some of the words and references that I didn't know. Yet I am glad I took the time to read Lindvall's work, I came across with a greater appreciation of the work of C. S. Lewis and G. K. Chesterton, but also a stronger grasp on the power and use of humor, laughter and satire.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

Book Description
Surprised by Laughter looks at the career and writings of C. S. Lewis and discovers a man whose life and beliefs were sustained by joy and humor.
All of his life, C. S. Lewis possessed a spirit of individuality. An atheist from childhood, he became a Christian as an adult and eventually knew international acclaim as a respected theologian. He was known worldwide for his works of fiction, especially the Chronicles of Narnia; and for his books on life and faith, including Mere Christianity, A Grief Observed, and Surprised by Joy. But perhaps the most visible difference in his life was his abiding sense of humor. It was through this humor that he often reached his readers and listeners, allowing him to effectively touch so many lives.
Terry Lindvall takes an in-depth look at Lewis's joyful approach toward living, dividing his study of C. S. Lewis's wit into the four origins of laughter in Uncle Screwtape's eleventh letter to a junior devil in Lewis's The Screwtape Letters: joy, fun, the joke proper, and flippancy. Lindvall writes, "One bright and compelling feature we can see, sparking in his sunlight and dancing in his moonlight, is laughter. Yet it is not too large to see at once because it inhabited all Lewis was and did."
Surprised by Laughter reveals a Lewis who enjoyed the gift of laughter, and who willingly shared that gift with others in order to spread his faith.

So, if not surprised enough to find out after reading and greatly enjoying so many of his books through these years, that his middle name was (Staples), that was just the start of everything I must have "thought" a different "he". (who is this Terry Lindvall PH.D. anyway?). This is a big, fat book (with all respect) that I did not get through. My eight year old picked it up out of the stack of mail and started reading it to us in the car on the way to Walmart. She enjoyed the mention that C.S. Lewis used the "joke proper" as she is in the beginning stages of being quite a "knock"-"knock"-"who's there" comedian herself. How accurate or pleased would Lewis be with this "work"? We will never know. Interesting facts throughout, but at the point I started to feel more "dis" than my previous respect I stopped. More than I need to know, possibly more of a "man" conversation I will keep my little old gentleman and a scholar image of Lewis, thank you very much '. Oh well.

My mother was the first to place a book by C.S. Lewis in my young hands. I can remember my every sense being drawn upon as I ripped through those pages. During my college years C.S. and I met again as a college professor read from the Screwtape Letters. As a pastor and preacher I always have one of his books on my desk. Though I never met the man, the past thirty five years of my life have been impacted by his work.

In Dr. Terry Lindvall's book, "Surprised by Laughter the Comic World of C.S. Lewis", I finally got to meet and laugh with an old friend as we reviewed his life's work together. This book is neatly divided into six parts each focusing on a differing type of humor. These parts contain short chapters which focus the lens on the origin of this type of humor, his use of it and the outcome in his writing. For a large book (454 pages) understanding this breakdown is important for readers who may be off put due to its size.

I have heard it said, one should write what they know. In this work a reader will see firsthand the connection of C.S to his Father, his faith, his influences, favorite time periods, sense of adventure, disdain for psychotherapy, use of animals, fables, children and even Lewis' self-deprecating humor. Lindvall seems to leave no stone unturned.

This book is quite easy to pick up and read in short bursts or long drives. I hope the cost of the paperback will make it accessible for many of today's younger readers just beginning a journey with C.S. Millennial's desire relationship and connection at a deeper level to mentors than previous generations and this work supports that inclination in a substantial way. I hope college professors will consider utilizing this book. It is the kind of supportive reading destined to be on every summer reading list.

The index is very good and would allow anyone writing on a specific Lewis work to connect to background on that particular writing.

From his childhood to his marriage and everything in between I now feel more connected to the awkward kid who grew and utilized catastrophe in fable to illustrate the coming of future joy. As I continue my lifelong connection to his work I hope I will remember to pull this book down and consider the man behind the pen as I peruse these pages.

This review was written in exchange for a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing.

35 pages into it and I still had no idea what I was reading. As much as I love to read, I forget at times that I have A.D.D I had trouble getting into the book. The book is about CS Lewis and how he views comedy...or how the author thinks CS views comedy, whatever. I'm a self proclaimed comedian, so naturally this caught my attention, but the way it was written...lets just say the next time this "doctor" does surgery, instead of an anesthetic, just have the patient read this book! Ok, I'm kidding, but that's all apart of comedy right?

I did enjoy the quotes at the start of each chapter and what I did manage to read, while I skim read was ok. Some quoyes and jokes that were written from CS were good. I will not knock the book. It seems like a good book for those that actually know who CS is and are willing to read about 454 long pages but I learned something. I will only read story books, because while the title may interest me and the overall purpose of the book interests me, the content just doesn't have enough "oomph" to hold my interest.

This trade paperback is a beautiful new edition of a book published in 1996. In 2012, perhaps, we need more laughter and to better understand laughter than we did in that idyllic pre-9/11 era. Lindvall delivers both in this book, which he describes as an encyclopedia of Lewis's use of humor in his writing. Lindvall analyzes the influences on Lewis's uses of humor, the forms that use takes (including wit, joy, wordplay, satire and vulgarity), and the overall meaning of humor in Lewis's worldview, both literary and spiritual. All of this amounts to a read that is entertaining (some of the humor is literally rofl-worthy), challenging (a joke on the eve of battle is always a little rebellious) and at times deeply moving.

Any reader of C.S. Lewis will find his or her appreciation of the author deepened by reading this dense volume.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com [...] book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Being a fan of C. S. Lewis, I was intrigued by the title of Lindvall's book. I wanted to learn more about the man behind the writings. While I learned more about Lewis than I knew previously, I can't say that I enjoyed the lessons.
The author takes his readers through an examination of the life and letters of C. S. Lewis. Lewis transitioned from being an atheist as a child to becoming a Christian as an adult to being a theologian in later life. The focus of the book is not to argue that Lewis was a comedian but rather to demonstrate that he believed that infectious joy dwells deep in the heart of Christian faith. Lindvall demonstrates how four types of humor--joy, fun, the joke proper, and satire and flippancy--pervade Lewis' writings.
While the book is informative, it was dry reading. I found that ironic for a book with "comic" in the title. It reads like a 486-page textbook for a literature class, aimed for those doing research on Lewis' life. As such, the book did not sustain my interest and had to be read in short doses.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com http://BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.