The Complete C.S. Lewis Signature Classics
by C. S. Lewis
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Book Reviews of The Complete C.S. Lewis Signature Classics
Book Review: His major religious works, collector quality
Summary: 5 Stars
Clive Staples Lewis, better known as C. S. Lewis was one of the most influential Christian thinkers of all time. Whether through symbolism in the Great Divorce, biting satire in the Screwtape Letters, or unflinching logic in Mere Christianity his brilliance shows through clearly. "The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics" contains his seven most popular works - Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, Miracles, The Great Divorce, The Problem of Pain, A Grief Observed, and The Abolition of Man. While I read many of these years ago as a young Christian and college student this is the first compendium that I have reviewed. Make no mistake about it; this is a collector's edition in all respects - hardbound, nice dust jacket, crisp quality printing, and even an attached ribbon bookmark."Mere Christianity" presents the basic tenets of Christianity. C. S. Lewis breaks the book up into four parts - Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe, What Christians Believe, Christian Behaviour, and Beyond Personality: Or First Steps in the Doctrine of the Trinity. This book is one of the most commonly recommended books for new Christians and those who want to understand basic Christian doctrine from a well-rounded apologetics point of view.
"The Screwtape Letters" has been one of my favorite books for many years. While it is fictional it soon becomes quite clear that we are dealing with real world problems. Through thirty-one letters to his nephew, Wormwood, Screwtape consoles and instructs him in how to keep his "patient" from becoming a Christian or at least from becoming an effective one. Using the vehicle of these letters C. S. Lewis examines various issues and problems of the Christian life. For example, he points out to Wormwood that if he can make his "patient" start going all over town looking for a church that "suits" him instead of being loyal to his local church it will reduce his effectiveness. By searching for the "suitable" church he learns to be a critic of churches instead of a pupil of Christianity. Not to mention that the "congregational principle" makes each church into a kind of club for a specific type of person and eventually that becomes a faction. Each letter points out one or more of the insidious ways that a Christian or church can be slowly changed into nothing more than an ineffective shell.
"Miracles" is an examination of the possibility that supernatural events happen in the world. Within the pages C. S. Lewis develops a compelling argument for the existence of miracles and God's personal interaction with the world. Lewis examines miracles not only in the light of Christian belief but also addresses the positions of agnostics and rationalists and shows why their view is less tenable than the existence of miracles.
"The Great Divorce" is another fictional tale in which the narrator takes a bus ride and visits both heaven and hell.
On this fanciful trip he meets supernatural beings and those who have passed on to be consigned to one or the other. Through discussion and observation he soon realizes that the people who are consigned to hell are there because they refuse to give up even minor sinful thoughts for the greatness of heaven. It is sure to challenge your concept of sin, heaven, and hell.
In "The Problem of Pain" C. S. Lewis examines one of the most common questions of Christianity. If God is all-knowing and all-loving then why is there pain and suffering? He deftly deals with that question from a generic point of view and does an excellent job. You have to realize that it is not specific and so will not answer why something happened to someone in particular. However, reading it does help provide a positive understanding of how pain and suffering can actually be a tool to grab our attention and to purify us for heaven.
"A Grief Observed" is one of the best books on grief and working through the effect that it can have on your faith. After losing his wife, C. S. Lewis comes to face grief and the feelings of anger and doubt toward God that often accompany such a loss. Here we see a strong Christian and apologeticist having his faith shaken to the core and come to understand that these feelings are a normal part of grief. However, over time he comes around to working through his grief to a stronger understanding and deeper relationship with God.
"The Abolition of Man" examines moral relativism and education. C. S. Lewis argues that all morals are not relative, some are absolute. His examination of the issues also applies very well to today's concerns with situational ethics. Lewis points out that due to poor education, bad logic, and the advances of science mankind will eventually destroy itself.
If you would like a collection of some of his best known works in a solid collectible single volume you will want to add this one to your library. "The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics" is a very highly recommended purchase whether to read for the first time or as a quality edition for the C. S. Lewis enthusiast.
Book Review: Good book, but the contents need to be reordered
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is perfect for the life-long Lewis fan, or the new Christian. It seems more like a gift book that you place on the shelf in a public place, and do your "hammer and tongs" stuff with the paperbacks.
The only problem I have with this book is the order of the contents. |The book does not have a rhyme or reason to the selection. There is a precise internal logic to So get the book, and then read it in this order:
1. Start with THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS. This gives you a broad overview to Lewis's intellectual leitmotifs, his voice, and his typically wicked British sense of humor.
2. The next book is ABOLITION OF MAN, which is a preface to Mere Christianity, and makes Lewis's case for moral absolutes. It is a mere three chapters long, but, like a good German chocolate cake, it is dense and filling
3. MERE CHRISTIANITY is probably Lewis's second most famous book, and continues his discussion of moral absolutes, and the "mere" or "essential" elements of Christianity.
4. PROBLEM OF PAIN is a smaller theological work and is the standard Christian work on dealing with this trick and sensitive issue.
5. MIRACLES is a thicker and more esoteric books dealing with another "tricky" issue of Christianity. If you find this book too thick, then skip over it and come back to it later.
6. After reading THE GREAT DIVORCE for the first time, I was surprised that more dictatorships have not banned this book. It is so true it hurts. It is about the divorce from God and life in Purgatory, and has nothing to do with marriage counseling.
7. A GRIEF OBSERVED seems a bit out of place in this collection. I think it was included as a tie-in to the film "Shadowlands." The book makes more sense when you actually are grieving than as a detached philosophical work.
If you loved what you have read so for, then I suggested the following books for you next reading binge:
* WEIGHT OF GLORY, which is a selection of scholastic papers, including his essay "Learning in Wartime."
* GOD IN THE DOCK, which is British for God in the Docket, God Takes the Stand, or God on Trial. It is also a selection of many of his cultural essays, so it has a "fruit salad" or smorgasbord taste to it.
* CHRISTIAN REELECTIONS is the last of his collected papers dealing with various issues.
His autobiography SURPRISED BY JOY was helpful, and should be read before PILGRIMS REGRESS. And after reading all of this, you can finally move on to the NARNIA books and the SPACE TRILOGY.
Book Review: Looks great, more filling!
Summary: 5 Stars
C. S. Lewis is remarkable in his depth of faith and logic while remaining consistently humble about his opinions. Also, he purposefully avoids denominational battles or speaking on denominational doctrines, focusing on Christ instead. When he discusses Christianity, he makes every effort to avoid advancing a denominational agenda and focuses on the things that unite Christians instead. CS Lewis is a refreshing breeze to those who believe that we should be presenting a united front to the world.Contents:
MERE CHRISTIANITY: An excellent exposition on the necessity of a good, personal God based on observational and philosophical evidence. He then moves to an argument that Christ is a "personality" of that creator God and that Christianity follows "naturally" from what we have already acknowledged to be true. His arguments are 100% as true and effective today as they were when written - I find myself using them today (and surprisingly, belief systems that portray themselves as more "rational" have not yet responded to these criticisms in the past 75 years or so...)
THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS: one can chillingly find the demon Screwtape's suggestions being carried out in our own actions on a regular basis. CS Lewis has an intuition of human nature!
MIRACLES, THE PROBLEM OF PAIN: these two didn't thrill me, but we each respond to different things. Lewis at least develops these ideas very well and that development was interesting.
THE GREAT DIVORCE: This was my favorite work. Lewis displays once again a keen insight into human nature, set in the backdrop of arriving at Paradise from Purgatory and having to shed their old selves before they are willing to enter Heaven.
A GRIEF OBSERVED: This chronicles the spiritual journey of CS Lewis after his wife's [end of life]. It is very open and honest, and thus very painful to read. Sometimes we benefit by reading of others' trials as well as their triumphs.
THE ABOLITION OF MAN: A fascinating analysis of post-modernism and where it will lead us.
Book Review: Excellent Collection!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is an excellent collection of seven of the major theological writings of the Christian apologist C.S. Lewis. I have used this book several times for a class I teach on C.S. Lewis. Rather than having students purchase multiple books, I help them save money by requiring this text.
The dimensions of this book are indeed larger than standard book sizes. It is about the size of dictionary, an encyclopedia, or as other reviewers have mentioned, a coffee table book. It can indeed be cumbersome to tote it around and it may sometimes feel like you're reading an encyclopedia.
However, that withstanding, I still think this book is worthy of purchase. First and foremost, the collection itself is, as I mentioned before, excellent. It contains all the major theological writings of C.S. Lewis--including both fiction and non-fiction.
"A Grief Observed" is not as academic as the other non-fiction books included in this collection, and so it might seem a bit out-of-place. However, this piece of writing, which C.S. Lewis composed after the death of his wife, reveals Lewis' deep theological struggle with God and the problem of pain. It's a marked contrast from the book "The Problem of Pain" (also in this collection)in which he rationally defends the idea of an all-loving, all-knowing God despite the existence of pain and evil. In "A Grief Observed", we see where the rubber meets the road for Lewis. It's one thing to rationally defend a theological proposition; its altogether a different story when you have to work out that proposition in the context of an incredibly difficult and painful world.
I highly recommend this book to both avid fans of Lewis looking for a collector's-quality edition of Lewis' theological writings and beginners wanting a good intro to his major works.
Book Review: One of the most important books I own
Summary: 5 Stars
Next to my Bible, my copy of the Catechism, my copy of the Didache, and some other writings from the early church, this is the most important book that I own. C.S. Lewis is one of the English speaking world's greatest treasures, and his work is a contribution to all of humanity. That might sound over the top. But it is simply true. This book contains 1) Mere Christianity, which is adapted from a series of radio shows Lewis did. If this book does not lead you closer to Christ, I don't know what will. 2) The Screwtape Letters, my favorite book by Lewis, which is a satirical look at how the enemy tempts us away from God. 3) The Great Divorce, which is a masterful discussion about the problem of good and evil. 4) The Problem of Pain, an equally excellent look at why a loving God allows suffering. 5) Miracles... I challenge you to read this and remain a cynic. 6) A Grief Observed. Heartrending and helpful for anyone who has suffered. 7) The Abolition of Man, a scary look at where we are headed when we loose our values.
I have read Screwtape several times, and have checked out every other book in this collection at least once. If you are looking for solid, sane philosophy grounded in reason, to help you through your journey, get this book. It is the only MUST own I have ever recommended next to the Bible. (okay, one of two MUST owns. If you are Catholic, you MUST own the Catechism too)
The book itself is beautiful in hardcover, with a partially cloth cover and a ribbon marker. A suitable package for this quality of writing.