A review by skitch41
C. S. Lewis: A Life: Eccentric Genius, Reluctant Prophet by Alister E. McGrath

4.0

At the time of C.S. Lewis' death in 1963, many, including the man himself, believed that he would be forgotten fairly quickly. Yet over 50 years after his death, C.S. Lewis is just as relevant today as he was at his peak, perhaps more so. How did this British professor of English literature from another time and generation become so popular? In this illuminating biography, Mr. McGrath peels back the life and works of C.S. Lewis to reveal a complex picture of man and his imagination. Starting with his life in Northern Ireland, Mr. McGrath investigates all the major events of Lewis' life from the death of his mother to his service in World War I, his slow conversion from Christian faith to atheism and back to Christian faith, his academic struggles as a student, tutor, and professor, and his complicated relationships with his closest friends and family. As a biographer, McGrath takes investigates closely Lewis' conversion to Christianity, arguing that it happened a year later than Lewis recalled. He also takes a close look at two very complicated female relationships he had with Mrs. Janie Moore, the mother of one of Lewis' war buddies who died in World War I, and Joy Davidman, the married former Communist from America who converted to Christianity, became infatuated with Lewis after reading his apologetic works, and became his wife in the last few years of his life. Some of the insights that Mr. McGrath reveals may not sit well with Evangelical Christians who know about Lewis only through his written works. But this book is not solely a biography. Mr. McGrath also takes time to examine the themes and arguments of Lewis written works as they appear in this biography. In particular, he devotes two chapters solely to examining Lewis' best known works, [b:The Chronicles of Narnia|11127|The Chronicles of Narnia (Chronicles of Narnia, #1-7)|C.S. Lewis|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1449868701s/11127.jpg|781271]. Thus, this book is a great work of literary criticism as well a biography. In fact, I would say that those who are about to engage with Lewis' written works should read this book alongside them in order to gain insight and context. Yet this is a surprisingly accessible book and can be a breeze to read, perhaps too breezy at times. The chapters after Lewis' reconversion to Christianity tend to move a little too quickly, leaving out a lot of details that are filled with Mr. McGrath's examinations of Lewis' written works. The pace of the book particularly picks up speed in the chapters after World War II. I certainly wouldn't have minded if Mr. McGrath had taken a little more time to explore Lewis' life and university work during this period. Still, this is a great biography as well as a great examination of his work and legacy that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in C.S. Lewis.