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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow. C.S. Lewis is a masterful writer and thinking. There’s so much to process from this one. I haven’t re-read this book since early high school, and I gained so much more from this time around. I especially enjoyed Lewis’s analysis of the relationship between the individual and the democratic state and how it affects the spirituality of the individual. So much to chew on.
I hate to say it, but the Christian apologia was really good guys. I know, big news coming from a Catholic, but I always assumed that Christian apologia was overbearing and irritating. I suppose it being rather entertaining is how they get you.
This book made me think about a lot of stuff. It made me think about worrying excessively about the future and how that blinds people to the enjoyment of now. It made me think about how asking for strength in a hypothetical blinds you to the need for strength now (big thing for anxiety nonenjoyers everywhere like myself). It also made me think about how being a good person is so horrifically difficult. But in the end I think the goal is to love people and enjoy the here and now, which isn't so bad.
I'm not saying that Lewis was a particularly charitable person. He thought that sex before marriage sent you to hell which, tbh, I don't agree with. But not all his points were bad. This is kind of horrifying to discover though. I may have to read the rest of his works, and I don't frankly want to become a mouthpiece for Christian Apologia. Too much of that already in the world. I guess we'll have to just be careful.
Also I understand the Oh Hellos' Dear Wormwood now more than ever. Great album.
This book made me think about a lot of stuff. It made me think about worrying excessively about the future and how that blinds people to the enjoyment of now. It made me think about how asking for strength in a hypothetical blinds you to the need for strength now (big thing for anxiety nonenjoyers everywhere like myself). It also made me think about how being a good person is so horrifically difficult. But in the end I think the goal is to love people and enjoy the here and now, which isn't so bad.
I'm not saying that Lewis was a particularly charitable person. He thought that sex before marriage sent you to hell which, tbh, I don't agree with. But not all his points were bad. This is kind of horrifying to discover though. I may have to read the rest of his works, and I don't frankly want to become a mouthpiece for Christian Apologia. Too much of that already in the world. I guess we'll have to just be careful.
Also I understand the Oh Hellos' Dear Wormwood now more than ever. Great album.
Get the audiobook version read by John Cleese. And remember: No matter what you think about Christianity, a lot of really brilliant people spent a lot of time thinking about it. There are pearls of wisdom and philosophy, regardless of your starting point.
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What attracted me The Screwtape Letters as a kid is what made it harder for me to connect to it as an adult. When I took my first run at it as a teen, I came as a fantasy fan. I was mildly interested in Lewis' thoughts on Christianity, but was much more curious about his fantastical mechanism for delivering those ideas. The epistolatory format ultimately didn't grab me though, so I gave up and probably read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe again.
This time, I showed up for Lewis' theology after loving Mere Christianity. But where I eagerly slurped up Mere Christianity, the Screwtape format put another layer or two of difficulty on top of the work of absorbing Lewis' understanding of God. It's a clever exercise and translating Screwtape's hellish perspective into heavenly terms is part of the fun; I just didn't approach it with the right mindset. If felt like cracking open a tough nut and digging for the edible morsels I was after.
But the morsels are good. There's a lot in Screwtape that I related to and learned from. I may go back to it with a more relaxed attitude at some point, just to enjoy it for what it is. But I bet I revisit Mere Christianity sooner.
This time, I showed up for Lewis' theology after loving Mere Christianity. But where I eagerly slurped up Mere Christianity, the Screwtape format put another layer or two of difficulty on top of the work of absorbing Lewis' understanding of God. It's a clever exercise and translating Screwtape's hellish perspective into heavenly terms is part of the fun; I just didn't approach it with the right mindset. If felt like cracking open a tough nut and digging for the edible morsels I was after.
But the morsels are good. There's a lot in Screwtape that I related to and learned from. I may go back to it with a more relaxed attitude at some point, just to enjoy it for what it is. But I bet I revisit Mere Christianity sooner.