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agrandreflection's review
5.0
Incredible insight, and not only for writers. I now consider it an indispensable resource.
lizshayne's review
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Self inflicted homework.
I have a love/hate relationship with Lewis and this collection just brought that into extremely sharp focus.
On the other hand, when Lewis talks about writing for children and writing not for a purpose but for a picture...*chef's kiss*
I particularly like when he's annoyed at "someone is wrong in the newspapers".
Also the bit where he complains about how much the moon would become boring if we ever were to actually get there slayed me.
I have a love/hate relationship with Lewis and this collection just brought that into extremely sharp focus.
On the other hand, when Lewis talks about writing for children and writing not for a purpose but for a picture...*chef's kiss*
I particularly like when he's annoyed at "someone is wrong in the newspapers".
Also the bit where he complains about how much the moon would become boring if we ever were to actually get there slayed me.
quoththegirl's review against another edition
5.0
Top to bottom, all of the essays were fascinating. I never read Lewis without a pencil; if I try, I end up deeply regretting my inability to underline every other paragraph. I particularly liked his essay on Lord of the Rings, which was a beautiful tribute to his friend’s work. He says, ”Here are beauties which pierce like swords or burn like cold iron; here is a book that will break your heart.” While these essays contain a fair bit of literary criticism, they are also hilarious at times. Lewis tells the story, ”Once in a hotel dining-room I said, rather too loudly, ‘I loathe prunes.’ ’So do I,’ came an unexpected six-year-old voice from another table. Sympathy was instantaneous. Neither of us thought it funny. We both knew that prunes are far too nasty to be funny.” In another essay, he condemns the bad science fiction or fantasy books ”which leap a thousand years to find plots and passions which they could have found at home,” a trait that had been particularly annoying me of late but which I did not know how to properly vituperate until reading Lewis’s description.
toniapeckover's review against another edition
3.0
I'm giving this three stars for the hidden gems in these essays. No one can argue with Lewis' brilliance. It IS fascinating to get into the mind of a writer talking about his own craft and the work of fellow authors, but I felt like someone cleaned out Lewis' broom closet, put everything even remotely about writing in a pile and then published it in a volume. Not my favorite collection of his work.
notafraidofvirginiawoolf's review against another edition
5.0
Very, very good. Good, solid, interesting points--always nicely laced with that quiet, understated humor of his. Wonderful defense of Chesterton.
rmarcher's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
These essays were a genuine joy to read. Lewis had a depth of thought that seems uncommon these days, and it's refreshing to read writing by authors like Lewis or Tolkien or others with similar worldviews and experience that depth. He also has a great wit, and in his response to James Stephens' criticism of Chesterton it was so much fun to see Lewis thoroughly dismantle Stephens' criticisms while still making it abundantly clear how much respect he held for Stephens' work in general. It also makes me happy to read Lewis and Tolkien's thoughts in regard to each other's work; it's fun to catch a glimpse of how thoroughly they supported each other and how genuinely they enjoyed each other's stories.
I'll likely reread this collection when I can next take a break from my TBR.
I'll likely reread this collection when I can next take a break from my TBR.
rox74's review against another edition
4.0
Lewis' essay collections are always well worth reading. This collection centres around literature and reading.
rlangemann's review against another edition
4.0
A collection of essays, articles and reviews by C. S. Lewis. I really enjoyed it--writing about a favorite subject by a favorite author is fairly sure to be a success. :) Of particular interest were the reviews on The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.