Reviews for Collected Letters of C.S.Lewis: Books, Broadcasts, and the War 1931-1949, Vol. 2

The average rating for Collected Letters of C.S.Lewis: Books, Broadcasts, and the War 1931-1949, Vol. 2 based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-08-20 00:00:00 Virginia Parrotta This was a very pleasant read. I feel like I know something of the nuances of CS Lewis's character, and such knowledge was delivered in quick glimpses that helped me to not over-focus on the fact that I was reading a very long book. The tone of his correspondence is friendly, but his thoughts come out fully formed.

Review # 2 was written on 2011-01-01 00:00:00 George Taylor CS Lewis' Letters 1931-1949 are what you're looking for if you'd like an intimate look at Lewis' state of mind in the days when he first became a Christian, until those days when he was becaming a popular Christian apologist. Obviously, this volume is not for the casual Lewis reader, and it is good to have a Lewis biography or two handy whenever reading a letter. Nor is it a book one would read from cover to cover unless for some special project. But if you're big on CS Lewis quotes and want to see the full context for some of them, or perhaps you'd like the occasional insight into CS Lewis' day to day activities, or you simply can't get enough of Lewis' unique writing style, you can't beat this definitive volume. One note on "definitive", though. The picture of Lewis that we get from reading his letters and diaries is not complete. For one thing, there's always the possibility of a new letter turning up in someone's attic with a new detail, a new insight, into Lewis. For another, there is the fact that quite a number of Lewis' letters were destroyed before he died, probably in an effort to preserve the privacy both of Lewis and those close to him who might have disclosed sensitive personal information to him. That, and two more things: first, a written record of one's life is not necessarily a definitive record of what actually happened, as the task of writing definitively skews one's perspective; and second, this is only one half of the record - letters FROM Lewis, not TO him. In spite of all those caveats, I suppose these volumes are necessary parts of any collector's library. If only for bragging rights. Although I'm quite certain Lewis would have adamantly objected to that idea. One last note: my edition is a paperbound one, bundled with Volume 1 (1905-1931) and placed in a box. The box is too tight. And holding on to the box means one chooses not to have the volumes covered in a protective plastic sheet. I would definitely recommend a hardcover edition if you could find one. RE de Leon 8:26 PM January 1, 2011 Agoo, La Union