All good books, so this next is a difficult judgment call: I just finished rereading Surprised by Joy for the umpteenth time and as good as Screwtape or the Narnia books are, they would just be edged out by his own account of his life. His autobiography is the man himself as he saw himself. Also, if a whole book is too big a bite, the essays in The Weight of Glory are all excellent.
The Screwtape Letters and Uncle Wormwood will worm its way into your memory as you listen to people henceforth. Have also read Surprised by Joy. This makes me want to reread Lewis as it has been awhile and new insights will arise.
In the 5th grade, I came across "The Horse and His Boy" in my school library. As I was reading it, I realized : This is a REAL BOOK ! (for years, I had been reading horse stories written for kids) And now, as an old woman, I realize that my mother introduced me to real books when she read me bedtime fairytales. Not to mention the recital of poems ("Dark brown is the river....")
The Abolition of Man is a very strong choice for readers who want Lewis at his most philosophical, and I appreciated your emphasis on its link to Aristotle and Aquinas. What Lewis adds, I think, is the modern urgency of the problem: virtue is no longer simply neglected; it is often redescribed as conditioning, taste, or social inheritance. That shift matters because it changes the purpose of education. If there are no objective goods to perceive, then the teacher is no longer training judgment but arranging impulses. Lewis’s warning is severe, but not gloomy. He still believes the chest can be formed, which may be the most hopeful and demanding claim in the book.
Good list thanks. I’ve read mere Christianity and all of the Narnia books. I was only able to finish one of the Perelandra trilogy. The second book was I hate to say it boring
I have to agree with you about Perelandra. But the third is worth reading even if you don't finish the second. It's dark and in places darkly funny. Very strange and worth the effort
Thanks for this thoughtfully compiled and annotated list. I did not know the backstory on the writing of _A Grief Observed_. Interesting that he chose a pseudonym for this one. Does anyone know why?
Thank you so much for this list. I’ve read Screwtape but none of the others and I am eagerly awaiting reading those as well. I am reminded of the scene in the movie “Shadowlands” where Hopkins dismisses the minister serving up “answers” about suffering. Heartbreaking movie but I re-watch it often.
All good books, so this next is a difficult judgment call: I just finished rereading Surprised by Joy for the umpteenth time and as good as Screwtape or the Narnia books are, they would just be edged out by his own account of his life. His autobiography is the man himself as he saw himself. Also, if a whole book is too big a bite, the essays in The Weight of Glory are all excellent.
The Screwtape Letters and Uncle Wormwood will worm its way into your memory as you listen to people henceforth. Have also read Surprised by Joy. This makes me want to reread Lewis as it has been awhile and new insights will arise.
That Hideous Strength is a very interesting read and completely different than the other books in his space trilogy.
A list about "Where to Start With C. S. Lewis" should never end.
Till We Have faces should be up in the top four or so, IMO.
In the 5th grade, I came across "The Horse and His Boy" in my school library. As I was reading it, I realized : This is a REAL BOOK ! (for years, I had been reading horse stories written for kids) And now, as an old woman, I realize that my mother introduced me to real books when she read me bedtime fairytales. Not to mention the recital of poems ("Dark brown is the river....")
Thank you, CS Lewis, and The Culturist.
Great list! With 50 or so books written, it’s helpful to narrow that down a bit. I’ll have to check out the couple I haven’t read yet.
The Abolition of Man is a very strong choice for readers who want Lewis at his most philosophical, and I appreciated your emphasis on its link to Aristotle and Aquinas. What Lewis adds, I think, is the modern urgency of the problem: virtue is no longer simply neglected; it is often redescribed as conditioning, taste, or social inheritance. That shift matters because it changes the purpose of education. If there are no objective goods to perceive, then the teacher is no longer training judgment but arranging impulses. Lewis’s warning is severe, but not gloomy. He still believes the chest can be formed, which may be the most hopeful and demanding claim in the book.
I would add: The Last Battle
Good list thanks. I’ve read mere Christianity and all of the Narnia books. I was only able to finish one of the Perelandra trilogy. The second book was I hate to say it boring
I have to agree with you about Perelandra. But the third is worth reading even if you don't finish the second. It's dark and in places darkly funny. Very strange and worth the effort
Thank for for sharing. I have always been curious about C.S. Lewis but never knew where to start with his work. Now I do!
Thank for for sharing. I have always been curious about C.S. Lewis but never knew where to start with his work. Now I do!
Thanks for this thoughtfully compiled and annotated list. I did not know the backstory on the writing of _A Grief Observed_. Interesting that he chose a pseudonym for this one. Does anyone know why?
I've read them all except Narnia. I read Mere Christianity twice, which helped me to understand Lewis's style and his message.
Thank you so much for this list. I’ve read Screwtape but none of the others and I am eagerly awaiting reading those as well. I am reminded of the scene in the movie “Shadowlands” where Hopkins dismisses the minister serving up “answers” about suffering. Heartbreaking movie but I re-watch it often.
Now discuss his lifelong fantasy fondness for whipping young women's bottoms.
thanks for this.
did Screwtape (great) and Perelandra trilogy (dreamy and interesting) and working through Mere (echoes of Chesteron, fo sho).
Toss up between Lion and Great Divorce next....