C. S. Lewis Signature Classics: Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, A Grief Observed, The Problem of Pain, Miracles, and The Great Divorce (Boxed Set) (Paperback)

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Product Description

Includes six titles: Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, A Grief Observed, The Problem of Pain, Miracles, and The Great Divorce.

From the Back Cover

This collectable box set includes six of C. S. Lewis' most treasured works: Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, A Grief Observed, The Problem of Pain, Miracles, and The Great Divorce.

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Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: HarperOne (February 20, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060653027
• ISBN-13: 978-0060653026
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 3.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,923 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #27 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Authors, A-Z > ( L ) > Lewis, C. S.
  #73 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Theology > Apologetics

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

81 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for Christian thinkers, February 16, 2003

By	bixodoido (Utah, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

CS Lewis is one of the great modern Christian writers. His writings are non-denominational, and can be appreciated by people of any faith. This box set contains some (though not all!) of his best work.

'Mere Christianity' is a great introduction to Lewis's way of thinking. Originally a series of radio addresses, this work details why Lewis is a Christian, and presents a case for Christianity that is compelling, to say the least.

'The Screwtape Letters' is my personal favorite. It is fiction, written from the unique point of view of a master devil named Screwtape. The master is trying to teach his nephew how to win souls for the devil through temptation. This one will definitely change the way you look at sin.

'The Problem of Pain.' -- what is pain? Well, Lewis tackles this subject here, and argues that God gives us pain because he loves us, and in order to mold us to his will.

'A Grief Observed' is a very intimate work, written after Lewis's wife died. It is, quite simply, a very honest and unique look at grieving, which shows this master Christian apologist, who seems to always have all the answers, vulnerable and without a solution.

'The Great Divorce' is Lewis's 'Divine Comedy.' This is a great look at Heaven and Hell, and presents the very compelling idea that people will go to Hell, not because they are forced to, but because they simply won't tolerate Heaven.

'Miracles' examines the question "can miracles occur?" For Lewis, the answer is yes, and this book shows how the Creator of Nature and mankind can work miracles without interrupting the 'natural' flow of things.

Buying these books together in a set is a good way to get these six classics at a great price. This is a wonderful starting point for anyone interested in Christian theology. No one interested in Christian thinker should be without these masterpieces by CS Lewis.

50 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Collection of C. S. Lewis Books, March 27, 2003

By	John Vickery (Memphis, TN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an excellent collection of works by C. S. Lewis. It served as my introduction to Lewis's writings. I had never read anything by him before and was only familiar with his name and the title of one or two of his books. I was awed for the most part by his insight into Christianity and his intellect. As with any other author, there were some points on which I could not wholly agree, but in a far greater number of times, I found myself growing in my faith and deepening my understanding. This set consists of six books in all. The Problem of Pain is an examination of the purpose of pain in the world. The Screwtape Letters is a fictional collection of letters from a demon named Screwtape who counsels his nephew on how to draw a man away from God. The Great Divorce is a fantastic story of a spiritual being after death somewhere between heaven and hell. Miracles is an examination of what miracles really are and how they play a role in this world. Mere Christianity is, as its title suggests, an attempt to point out and explain the most basic tenets of the Christian faith. A Grief Observed is the journal the Lewis kept after the death of his wife. (I have written a more detailed review for each book under its individual listing.) I would highly recommend this collection to anyone. It is filled with spiritual insight and understanding.

50 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 500 stars for the books. A question mark for the set., July 26, 2003

By	Eric Krupin (Salt Lake City, UT) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The books grouped together in this boxed set are - taken together - unquestionably the greatest achievement in modern Christian apologetics. (If I hesitate to place them alongside something like St. Augustine's "The City of God", it is only because their cultural contexts are so different that it would be comparing apples and oranges; not because I necessarily think Lewis's achievement is any smaller.) Years of exposure to their ultra-lucid and gracious discourse (such a tonic for the harangues of the televangelists!) - voluntarily sought out for the sheer pleasure of his elegant prose - gradually brought me from pugnacious atheism to (much to my surprise) a church pew. So if you're coming to Lewis with anything less than a hermetically sealed mind, be warned by my example. As he wryly puts it, an atheist can't be too careful what he reads.

That said, from a consumer's point of view, I would only feel confident recommending this set to the converted Lewis-ite who wants a uniform edition of the central works. (Though the surprising absence of his spiritual autobiography "Surprised by Joy" will need to be remedied somehow.) The artsy photographs on the covers are decent and the type is pleasantly sized (although a bit more watery than prose this solid deserves). The gift-giver who wants to introduce someone to the pleasures of Lewis would do better with the beguiling (and invitingly slim) single volume "The Great Divorce". (Others would propose the popular and entertaining "The Screwtape Letters". They might be right. But I stand firm.) Then - the following Christmas perhaps - "Mere Christianity", which explains what is being offered. And then "Miracles", which satisfied me at least that it wasn't too good to be true. And only then "The Problem of Pain", which wrestles manfully with the difficult, perhaps unanswerable stuff.