On my last poll, I asked "what book would you like to see reviewed next?" I had 2 votes. :-) One was something else--that person suggested something more familiar than what I've previously been writing on. The second vote was for a biography. So in a sort of compromise I've decided to review a biography on C.S. Lewis. Eventually, I hope to review the Chronicles of Narnia series--so this is sort of a preview of more to come on C.S. Lewis. :-)
Title: C.S. Lewis (in the Men of Faith Series)
Author: Catherine Swift
Published: 1989 by Bethany House Publishers
Background Information: This series "Men of Faith" also has another series called "Women of Faith." Catherine Swift, the author, has also written some other biographies in these two series. Mom bought a dozen or so of these biographies several years ago, for educational purposes. :-) The books in the series are fairly small and this particular copy has only 12 chapters with 127 pages, making them a quick and easy read.
I have to admit, I don't usually read biographies, it's not that I don't like them, I just don't find ones that interest me very much. However, I do enjoy this series of biographies a lot. (be sure to pass on good biography titles to me though--I'm always open for new book ideas! :-) )
The books are good for adults and teens/youth.
Biography on C.S. Lewis...
On November 28, 1898, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, a future Christian apologist, scholar, philosopher, and writer was born--Clive Staples Lewis. His parents were Albert and Flora and he had a brother, Warren, who was three and a half years older than himself. Clive--preferred to be called Jacksie, although, after his mother died, when he was 9 years old, he wanted to be called Jack instead. (if I had a name like Clive...I'd want to be called something else too! :-) ) The Lewis's were a middle class family and the book describes Jack's parents as: "Flora was a loving, serene, yet cheerful woman. On the other hand, Albert was extremely pessimistic, irritable, and prone to melodramatic outbursts." (p 8).
In the book we learn about how "Jack" loved Beatrix Potter stories, the various schools he attended and the trials he had there, his close relationship with his brother, (Warren and C.S. were very close through their whole lives, and C.S. was devastated when Warren had to go away to boarding school at the age of 10.) and his, what I'd call "up and down" relationship with his father. Jack also was influenced by his nurse as a child, Lizzie Endicott, who told stories of Irish folklore and how Jack and his brother loved to "hear stories of leprechauns, and giants, of mythical beasts and gallant knights rescuing damsels in distress." (p. 9) Jack was also interested in Norse legends and other strange things as he grew older.
We also learn about how Jack was a large and clumsy child--characteristics that continued into adulthood. As a result of this, he didn't like the typical boyish sports and felt that he was only capable of writing and drawing. Jack and Warren also served in WWI, during which, Jack was injured and returned home.
What I like best about the book though, is how C.S. comes to Christ. He did not get much religious education as a child, and as he grew older, he became more interested in the Norse legends and other things, and proclaimed himself to be an atheist. He avoided Christians as much as he could, even though he kept running into them at school, on the battlefield, or in the books he liked to read. He scoffed at "those fools who rely on religion for moral support" (p 92) and when he kept running into more Christians he thought--"Was there no escape from the wretched faith?" (p 102) Once when talking with an atheist friend, the friend said--"It's a strange thing, this story about God. A very strange thing! You could almost believe what the Gospels say really did happen. Very strange, indeed!" (p 102)
Around 1928 his father died, and several weeks later he "became aware that his great battle was lost." (p 108) "At the age of thirty-one, after years of struggle against "the power" the dreaded "God" with his unavoidable net had finally closed in on him" (p 109).
After this, he began writing, and speaking on Christianity--he specifically wanted to help the atheists, skeptics, etc. to find the Lord.
My favorite chapter in the book, is chapter 11 entitled--"Who is Aslan?" In this chapter we first learn of his beginnings for the idea of the Narnia series. During WWII, Jack had three children come from London to stay at his rural home, to avoid the bombings. While they were there, they constantly asked about what they could do. As a result, he began thinking again about writing a children's story involving animals. He had ideas in the past, but the only thing he had come up with so far, was as the book describes: "So far, all he had was the image of a faun with an umbrella walking though a snowy wood." (p 114) Jack continued to think of what exactly the moral should be. The books says:
"Then, one day, quite unexpectedly he knew."
The wood was to be set in an imaginary country he called Narnia which could only be reached by passing through a--what? Ah, yes a wardrobe. One of the main characters would be like Jack as he once was, misguided confused, searching and critical of those who didn't share his beliefs." (p 115) "There would be the wicked Snow Queen, too, and--the story would ultimately lead its readers to the good Aslan. But who or what was Aslan?" (p 115)
Having three children in the house helped him as he continued to write--they helped to critique the story. :-) The "Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" was printed in 1950 and even though it was very popular--it was almost 10 years later when he wrote another story in the Narnia books.
Once he had mentioned the idea of the faun and the umbrella, to a college friend, John Tolkien (author of the Lord of the Rings series) and Tolkien's response was: "he thought it was a recipe for disaster. He hated everything about it to the point where he asked a mutual friend, "Does Jack know what he's talking about--a faun with an umbrella?" (p 114) (I love that! :-) )
Jack married a woman by the name of Joy Helen Gresham, she had been previously married and had two sons. Their story is an interesting one. :-) However, I won't go into many details here. They were married for a fairly short amount of time, Joy battled cancer, and although it went into remission, it came back and they were only married for about 4 years.
C.S. Lewis died, on November 22, 1963, six days before his 65 birthday. His autobiography is called "Surprised by Joy."
C.S. Lewis has written a variety of books, and I have to admit, the only ones I've actually read are the Chronicles of Narnia series. :-) I'd love to hear about some of the other books he's written if you read them, or your favorite C.S. Lewis quote, or any other good biographies about him. Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Title: C.S. Lewis (in the Men of Faith Series)
Author: Catherine Swift
Published: 1989 by Bethany House Publishers
Background Information: This series "Men of Faith" also has another series called "Women of Faith." Catherine Swift, the author, has also written some other biographies in these two series. Mom bought a dozen or so of these biographies several years ago, for educational purposes. :-) The books in the series are fairly small and this particular copy has only 12 chapters with 127 pages, making them a quick and easy read.
I have to admit, I don't usually read biographies, it's not that I don't like them, I just don't find ones that interest me very much. However, I do enjoy this series of biographies a lot. (be sure to pass on good biography titles to me though--I'm always open for new book ideas! :-) )
The books are good for adults and teens/youth.
Biography on C.S. Lewis...
On November 28, 1898, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, a future Christian apologist, scholar, philosopher, and writer was born--Clive Staples Lewis. His parents were Albert and Flora and he had a brother, Warren, who was three and a half years older than himself. Clive--preferred to be called Jacksie, although, after his mother died, when he was 9 years old, he wanted to be called Jack instead. (if I had a name like Clive...I'd want to be called something else too! :-) ) The Lewis's were a middle class family and the book describes Jack's parents as: "Flora was a loving, serene, yet cheerful woman. On the other hand, Albert was extremely pessimistic, irritable, and prone to melodramatic outbursts." (p 8).
In the book we learn about how "Jack" loved Beatrix Potter stories, the various schools he attended and the trials he had there, his close relationship with his brother, (Warren and C.S. were very close through their whole lives, and C.S. was devastated when Warren had to go away to boarding school at the age of 10.) and his, what I'd call "up and down" relationship with his father. Jack also was influenced by his nurse as a child, Lizzie Endicott, who told stories of Irish folklore and how Jack and his brother loved to "hear stories of leprechauns, and giants, of mythical beasts and gallant knights rescuing damsels in distress." (p. 9) Jack was also interested in Norse legends and other strange things as he grew older.
We also learn about how Jack was a large and clumsy child--characteristics that continued into adulthood. As a result of this, he didn't like the typical boyish sports and felt that he was only capable of writing and drawing. Jack and Warren also served in WWI, during which, Jack was injured and returned home.
What I like best about the book though, is how C.S. comes to Christ. He did not get much religious education as a child, and as he grew older, he became more interested in the Norse legends and other things, and proclaimed himself to be an atheist. He avoided Christians as much as he could, even though he kept running into them at school, on the battlefield, or in the books he liked to read. He scoffed at "those fools who rely on religion for moral support" (p 92) and when he kept running into more Christians he thought--"Was there no escape from the wretched faith?" (p 102) Once when talking with an atheist friend, the friend said--"It's a strange thing, this story about God. A very strange thing! You could almost believe what the Gospels say really did happen. Very strange, indeed!" (p 102)
Around 1928 his father died, and several weeks later he "became aware that his great battle was lost." (p 108) "At the age of thirty-one, after years of struggle against "the power" the dreaded "God" with his unavoidable net had finally closed in on him" (p 109).
After this, he began writing, and speaking on Christianity--he specifically wanted to help the atheists, skeptics, etc. to find the Lord.
My favorite chapter in the book, is chapter 11 entitled--"Who is Aslan?" In this chapter we first learn of his beginnings for the idea of the Narnia series. During WWII, Jack had three children come from London to stay at his rural home, to avoid the bombings. While they were there, they constantly asked about what they could do. As a result, he began thinking again about writing a children's story involving animals. He had ideas in the past, but the only thing he had come up with so far, was as the book describes: "So far, all he had was the image of a faun with an umbrella walking though a snowy wood." (p 114) Jack continued to think of what exactly the moral should be. The books says:
"Then, one day, quite unexpectedly he knew."
The wood was to be set in an imaginary country he called Narnia which could only be reached by passing through a--what? Ah, yes a wardrobe. One of the main characters would be like Jack as he once was, misguided confused, searching and critical of those who didn't share his beliefs." (p 115) "There would be the wicked Snow Queen, too, and--the story would ultimately lead its readers to the good Aslan. But who or what was Aslan?" (p 115)
Having three children in the house helped him as he continued to write--they helped to critique the story. :-) The "Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" was printed in 1950 and even though it was very popular--it was almost 10 years later when he wrote another story in the Narnia books.
Once he had mentioned the idea of the faun and the umbrella, to a college friend, John Tolkien (author of the Lord of the Rings series) and Tolkien's response was: "he thought it was a recipe for disaster. He hated everything about it to the point where he asked a mutual friend, "Does Jack know what he's talking about--a faun with an umbrella?" (p 114) (I love that! :-) )
Jack married a woman by the name of Joy Helen Gresham, she had been previously married and had two sons. Their story is an interesting one. :-) However, I won't go into many details here. They were married for a fairly short amount of time, Joy battled cancer, and although it went into remission, it came back and they were only married for about 4 years.
C.S. Lewis died, on November 22, 1963, six days before his 65 birthday. His autobiography is called "Surprised by Joy."
C.S. Lewis has written a variety of books, and I have to admit, the only ones I've actually read are the Chronicles of Narnia series. :-) I'd love to hear about some of the other books he's written if you read them, or your favorite C.S. Lewis quote, or any other good biographies about him. Thanks for reading and have a great day!
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