by C. S. Lewis
ages: adult
First sentence: “My dear Wormwood, I note what you say about guiding your patient’s reading and taking care that he sees a good deal of his materialist friend.”
This book is a difficult one. To categorize — where does a religious epistolary allegory go? Non-fiction? Fiction? To read — it’s a dip-in-and-put-down book, not one that can be devoured, or even read in large chunks. And, to review — what does one say about the formidable C.S. Lewis, especially about his Christian writing?
Well, for one: I’m glad I read it. It gave me a lot to think about, even if I didn’t particularly get “into” it (lack of plot, lack of characters except for Screwtape himself). And not just the idea of everyone having a personal devil, but Lewis’s idea of Christianity itself, and what it should be, and what Christians should be doing.
For two: the preface that C.S. Lewis wrote in 1960. That I found fascinating. My favorite quote in the whole book was from the preface:
I like bats much better than bureaucrats. I live in the Managerial Age, in a world of “Admin.” The greatest eveil is not now done in those sordid “dens of crime” that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice.
I can get behind that.
For three: Well… it’s about time I read something other than Narnia, actually diving into some of Lewis’s Christian writing. So, for that, the experience was worth it.
Will I be reading more? I’m not going to rush downstairs (yes, we own them all) to pick up another one. It’s not really my “kind” of reading. But, eventually, some opportunity will present itself to read Mere Christianity or The Great Divorce or one of the other ones, and I won’t turn it down.
The Book Nut 
I read this one in high school and loved it. I really should read it again.
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Ah, but what about his Space Trilogy? That’s my favorite Lewis fiction. Probably my favorite Lewis writing.
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<>The Screwtape Letters<> has been a huge influence on me and deinitely stands up to re-reading. I find something new in it (or at least, some new application) almost every time.
You might put it aside for about six months or so and then read it again. I’d be really interesting to see how/if your opinion changes.
Oh, and <>The Great Divorce<> is fabulous, by the way — if you’re at all soliciting recommendations, I’d go for that one next.
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“The Screwtape Letters” is definitely one of my favorite Lewis works. Another great one is his novel “Till We Have Faces”. Oh, and “The Four Loves”. Okay, so I like pretty much everything I’ve ever read by him.
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The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity are my absolute favorites.
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I should pick it up again sometime, Christine. And, yes, I should read more Lewis. I didn’t even know that he wrote a Space Trilogy. And someone else has recommended Till We Have Faces — Sherry, I think — so I should read that, too. He really is a wonderful writer. Dense, but wonderful.
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I’ve thought about reading this too but I’m not sure that it’s my cup of tea. I enjoyed your review though!!
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This is my favorite Lewis book. I love the cover on your copy!
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I like your new banner. It’s been ages since I’ve been by so it’s probably not new, but it’s nice. Thanks for your thoughts about Screwtape. Sometimes I feel a little guilty for not reading more Lewis. Dense is the right word for his writing.
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The Great Divorce is, I think, quite possibly the single greatest work of devotional religious fiction ever. I discovered a paperback copy of it in my first apartment as a missionary in South Korea, and I thought it was shatteringly powerful. I still feel the same way. Different people will get moved by different expressions of and explorations of God’s work, but for me, I can’t imagine anything I’ve read that carries more truth inside its covers than The Great Divorce.
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This isn’t something I would normally want to read either, but I do have a copy and do plan to read it someday!
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A favorite of mine is The Great Divorce as well. But I also really love his science fiction series. Stick with it if you start it–the last one is the best.
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Sorry, I tried this twice and I could NOT get into it. I should try it again, probably.
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