Product Description
Now available unabridged on cassette and CD--C.S. Lewis’ classic Screwtape Letters--the engaging correspondence between two devils.Read by Joss Ackland.Amazon.com Review
Who among us has never wondered if there might not really be atempter sitting on our shoulders or dogging our steps? C.S. Lewisdispels all doubts. In The Screwtape Letters, one of hisbestselling works, we are made privy to the instructionalcorrespondence between a senior demon, Screwtape, and his wannabediabolical nephew Wormwood. As mentor, Screwtape coaches Wormwood inthe finer points, tempting his "patient" away from God.

Each letter is a masterpiece of reverse theology, giving the reader aninside look at the thinking and means of temptation. Tempters,according to Lewis, have two motives: the first is fear of punishment,the second a hunger to consume or dominate other beings. On the otherhand, the goal of the Creator is to woo us unto himself or totransform us through his love from "tools into servants and servantsinto sons." It is the dichotomy between being consumed and subsumedcompletely into another's identity or being liberated to be utterlyourselves that Lewis explores with his razor-sharp insight and wit.

The most brilliant feature of The Screwtape Letters may belikening hell to a bureaucracy in which "everyone is perpetuallyconcerned about his own dignity and advancement, where everyone has agrievance, and where everyone lives the deadly serious passions ofenvy, self-importance, and resentment." We all understandbureaucracies, be it the Department of Motor Vehicles, the IRS, or oneof our own making. So we each understand the temptations that slowlylure us into hell. If you've never read Lewis, The ScrewtapeLetters is a great place to start. And if you know Lewis, but haven'tread this, you've missed one of his core writings. --PatriciaKlein ... Read more

Customer Reviews (428)

It was a great example of everyday life.
Screwtape Letters I think, is a great example of everyday life and how Satin tries to tempt us through everything we do.

Screwtape Letters is about a new christian, "the patient" and how he was tempted by Screwtape and his nephew Wormwood. They were trying to get the patient off the path to Heaven and onto the path of Hell. This is exactly what Satin tries to do with us; because he doesn't want us in the Kingdom of God. Satin will do everything in his power to steal us away from God and have us go the opposite direction. We need to realize what Satin is tring to accomplish and not let it happen. If we have done something wrong in this time we need to ask God for forgivness. For example, the patient was living with his mom and Satin got in a place of his life were it caused them to argue over little problems which turned into bigger ones. Slowly, the patiant was backing away from God. He then realized what he was doing and repented.

Satin tries to get into a part of our lives where we aren't as strong with God and starts bringing us down. Everyone sins, it is part of our human nature, but we as christians need to realize it, repent, and move on from our mistakes. In the end it will only strengthen our relationship with Christ.

It was a great example of everyday life.
Screwtape Letters I think, is a great example of everyday life and how Satin tries to tempt us through everything we do.

Screwtape Letters is about a new christian, "the patient" and how he was tempted by Screwtape and his nephew Wormwood. They were trying to get the patient off the path to Heaven and onto the path of Hell. This is exactly what Satin tries to do with us; because he doesn't want us in the Kingdom of God. Satin will do everything in his power to steal us away from God and have us go the opposite direction. We need to realize what Satin is tring to accomplish and not let it happen. If we have done something wrong in this time we need to ask God for forgivness. For example, the patient was living with his mom and Satin got in a place of his life were it caused them to argue over little problems which turned into bigger ones. Slowly, the patiant was backing away from God. He then realized what he was doing and repented.

Satin tries to get into a part of our lives where we aren't as strong with God and starts bringing us down. Everyone sins, it is part of our human nature, but we as christians need to realize it, repent, and move on from our mistakes. In the end it will only strengthen our relationship with Christ.

Falling or Standing Strong, Loved it!!!
I would recommend this book, The Screwtape Letters to pretty much anyone, but specifically new born Christians.I have been a Christian all my life and never really understood what everyone meant by Satan temps you.Yes, I knew that he tries to pull you farther and farther away from God, but I didn't realize how hard Satan and his friends try.This book is an amazing book and will definitely awaken you on what Satan is really doing.
Inside of me I kind of regret not reading this book sooner because already, in my short life I have been tempted so many times by Satan and haven't know what to do.I feel like this book was written just for me.For a while I have actually been struggling with Satan and his temptations and this book definitely awakened me on what I should be doing.
In the book, Screwtape, the uncle, tries to teach his nephew, Wormwood, how to tempt his patient in so many ways.They both try so hard to tear the patient away from God.They try to tempt him with girls, smoking, drugs, sexual immorality, and by the end of the book they soon realize God is more powerful in all things. No wonder why some many people fall into their traps because they don't stop until they get what they want, but always remember, God will be there for you always.He will be there through any temptation Satan or his friends throw at you.
Again I highly recommend this book to everyone.I think everybody needs to realize what Satan is doing and how we can stop it.Everybody deserves to know how important it is staying on a straight path with God.
The one thing that I wasn't all for, was that the whole book was letters.At times I got a little confused because Wormwood's letters didn't show.I think that really was the only thing I would change. Overall great book, great message!!

Falling or Standing Strong, Loved it!!!
I would recommend this book, The Screwtape Letters to pretty much anyone, but specifically new born Christians.I have been a Christian all my life and never really understood what everyone meant by Satan temps you.Yes, I knew that he tries to pull you farther and farther away from God, but I didn't realize how hard Satan and his friends try.This book is an amazing book and will definitely awaken you on what Satan is really doing.
Inside of me I kind of regret not reading this book sooner because already, in my short life I have been tempted so many times by Satan and haven't know what to do.I feel like this book was written just for me.For a while I have actually been struggling with Satan and his temptations and this book definitely awakened me on what I should be doing.
In the book, Screwtape, the uncle, tries to teach his nephew, Wormwood, how to tempt his patient in so many ways.They both try so hard to tear the patient away from God.They try to tempt him with girls, smoking, drugs, sexual immorality, and by the end of the book they soon realize God is more powerful in all things. No wonder why some many people fall into their traps because they don't stop until they get what they want, but always remember, God will be there for you always.He will be there through any temptation Satan or his friends throw at you.
Again I highly recommend this book to everyone.I think everybody needs to realize what Satan is doing and how we can stop it.Everybody deserves to know how important it is staying on a straight path with God.
The one thing that I wasn't all for, was that the whole book was letters.At times I got a little confused because Wormwood's letters didn't show.I think that really was the only thing I would change. Overall great book, great message!!

I have read better books
The book The Screwtape Letters by C.S Lewis was unlike any other book that I have read.I have only been understanding how God helps us through life, and encourages us. It was a change for me to read a book that shows me Satan's side, and how he tempts us. It also showed me what Satan and his followers do to tempt us, and how they feel when a person gets closer to God.
This book gives good details. For example, when someone became a Christian, Uncle Screwtape ( one of Satan's higher followers) yelled at the follower in charge of keeping that person away from God. He was also giving advice on how to pull the person back away from God.
One of the things that I didn't like about this book, was the fact that the whole book was set up as letters. There wasn't really any narraration. It got boring for me to keep reading the same beginning of"My Dear Wormwood", and the same ending of " Your Affectionate uncle Screwtape." Personally I think it would be better if some of the chapters started and ended different, and if there was some narraration.
Overall this was a pretty good book. I would reccomend this book to teenagers of either genders. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (94)

To love at all is to be vulnerable
Reading C.S. Lewis has for me always been like eating a rich dessert: you can't gulp it down in large mouthfuls or you'll miss the flavor. This analogy applies most of all, I think,to The Four Loves.Lewis has such a gift for unpacking complex topics with all the learning of an Oxford professor without coming off as condescending. Yet he never short-changes his readers - he challenges just enough to keep you walking with him as he explores the human heart and that part of it that is knowable in the Divine.

Like most of Lewis' works, you can pick any paragraph at random, and you will find a quote with the ring of Eternal Truth:

"Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell."

"Suppose you are fortunate enough to have "fallen in love with" and married your Friend. And now suppose it possible that you were offered the choice of two futures: "Either you two will cease to be lovers but remain forever joint seekers of the same God, the same beauty, the same truth, or else, losing all that, you will retain as long as you live the raptures and ardours, all the wonder and the wild desire of Eros. Choose which you please." Which should we choose? Which choice should we not regret after we had made it?"

"[Affection] is indeed the least discriminating of loves... There need be no apparent fitness between those whom it unites. I have seen it felt for an imbecile not only by his parents but by his brothers. It ignores the barriers of age, sex, class and education. It can exist between a clever young man from the university and an old nurse, though their minds inhabit different worlds. It ignores even the barriers of species. We see it not only between dog and man but, more surprisingly, between dog and cat. Gilbert White claims to have discovered it between a horse and a hen."

Christians, especially those who have marveled at the thirteenth chapter of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians,should not go through life without at least one trip through this book.

Interesting book, makes you think.
The Four Loves by CS Lewis has taken me a while to get through but is very interesting and challenging. CS lewis is a very deep thinker.

Kindle Version not edited after OCR
I'm trying to read what should be an excellent book on my Kindle Reader on my iPhone 4. The punctuation is missing on half the sentences. For a paragraph or two, this might be readable, but I can't do this for a whole book! I'm sending it back if possible.

Great book.Dreadful ebook!Truly pathetic work by the publisher.
I am excited every time a book by C.S. Lewis is released in either Kindle or Apple iBook format.Make no mistake: THIS IS A GREAT BOOK.I would give C.S. Lewis 10 stars for the original writing, if possible. However, Mariner Books recent release of this as a Kindle book is absolutely dreadful!

By the time I read just the first few pages I had found SO MANY typos that it is wholly distracting.Countless sentences lack a period at the end.Many words are improperly capitalized or hyphenated. It is patently obvious, Mariner Books did not assign anyone to proofread this text prior to its release in ebook format.It is shameful, and an affront to the great man's legacy.

MARINER, STEP UP TO YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A PUBLISHER!FIX THIS AND ISSUE AN UPDATE TO ALL WHO PURCHASE THIS BOOK!

AMAZON, HOLD YOUR EBOOK PROVIDERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR PRODUCT QUALITY!
-----------
UPDATE

When I first submitted my review (above) it was the ONLY review for the Kindle version.Since then Amazon has buried my review among a tidal wave of older hard copy reviews.Amazon, this is inappropriate!!!

Lovely insights
I'll admit that I haven't read a ton of work by Lewis, but of the work I have read, The Four Loves felt the most scholarly, moreso even than my recollections of Mere Christianity.In The Four Loves, Lewis breaks down the concept of love and analyzes it from a moral and Christian perspective.

He uses familiar scholarly concepts from Plato's day by breaking love into the same four main segments that the Greeks used:Affection, Friendship, Eros and Charity.He adds to this the Christian scriptural reference that "God is Love" and then explores the religious aspects of love.

Some of the scholarly breakdown twisted my brain a little bit and took multiple readings to try and untangle...as he expounded on "Need Love" versus "Gift Love", I was right there with him, but when he started putting forth various in-depth analysis between Venus (sexuality) and Eros (romantic 'being in love'), things started to get muddled...and when he broke into the chapter on Charity, there were a number of theoretical and rhetorical leaps that were difficult for me to follow at times.

Overall though and in spite of moments of confusion, the general message of the book was good and well presented.He provided great insight into the differences between each of the categories presented.The concept of Affection vs Friendship in terms of what makes a 'real friend' was rather intriguing, especially as he continued his examples through love's progression to show how and why friendships are formed or fail to be formed, how and why friendships can grow into romantic relationships or not, and what aspect Charity plays in all of this.

As with Lewis's other books, there is plenty of theological discussion going on.I don't agree with everything he had to say, which is fine, but I think he made some great points.During the last chapter or so as he speaks on Charity, he provides some great nuggets for us to think on as we think about our own charitable behaviors.He also talks about the idea of Charity being both a 'need love' and a 'gift love' and that as we engage in that paradox, we are growing nearer to God's love.

I enjoyed the message of the book and the well thought out and well expressed arguments Lewis makes.The tone of the book was a little too scholarly at times which made it occasionally hard to read (since I've just finished school and am enjoying the break *grin*).

Still, I really like Lewis's insights, research and writing.I enjoyed "Mere Christianity" and "Screwtape" and I'm looking into a few of his other 'theological'/'scholarly' works.He has a nice style and presents great messages without being overly preachy.

****
3.5 out of 5 stars ... Read more

Product Description
A stunning new edition of this timeless allegory of heaven and hell, repackaged and rebranded as part of the C.S. Lewis Signature Classics range.C.S. Lewis's dazzling allegory about heaven and hell and the chasm fixed between them, is one of his most brilliantly imaginative tales which will appeal to readers of all ages. Lewis communicates deep spiritual truths through the sheer power of the fantastic.In The Great Divorce the writer in a dream boards a bus on a drizzly afternoon and embarks on an incredible voyage through Heaven and Hell. He meets a host of supernatural beings far removed from his expectations and comes to significant realisations about the ultimate consequences of everyday behaviour. This is the starting point for a profound meditation upon good and evil. "If we insist on keeping Hell (or even Earth) we shall not see Heaven: if we accept Heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell."Amazon.com Review
The Great Divorce is C.S. Lewis's Divine Comedy: thenarrator bears strong resemblance to Lewis (by way of Dante); hisVirgil is the fantasy writer GeorgeMacDonald; and upon boarding a bus in a nondescript neighborhood,the narrator is taken to Heaven and Hell. The book's primary messageis presented with almost oblique tidiness--"There are only two kindsof people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' andthose to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.'"However, the narrator's descriptions of sin and temptation will hitquite close to home for many readers. Lewis has a genius fordescribing the intricacies of vanity and self-deception, and this bookis tremendously persistent in forcing its reader to consider theultimate consequences of everyday pettiness. --Michael JosephGross ... Read more

Customer Reviews (265)

Brilliant
I bought this book several years ago because it was on sale at my local Christian bookstore, and because I had read and enjoyed so many other C.S.L. books. I never cracked it open until last week. I absolutely loved it. I read it three times in one week and will probably read it again soon. It's that good! I can't even begin to describe the insight and wisdom Mr. Lewis displays in this little book. If you've read anything of his, you know what I'm talking about and you also know that he does not need an endorsement from any of us. This book changed the way I think about heaven, hell, judgement, and God Himself. You will not be disappointed by this book.

Wonderfully imaginative & thought provoking
A short fantasy about various souls being sorted out after death. He specifically says he's not trying to describe what he thinks happens immediately after you die, but instead gives you examples of other people's troubles and how they make choices (even those choices made by people who think it's an option to not make a choice) about their afterlife; don't try to make theological sense out of it. He's instead trying to show you that the choice is yours to make now, before you die. You don't have to, and shouldn't, wait for purgatory (if you happen to believe in purgatory). It's definitely worth reading, especially since the investment in time isn't that great (under 200 pages).

Awesome allegory of life after death
If you aren't familiar with C.S. Lewis, he has an amazing way of turning seemingly complicated topics into understandable truths.In the Great Divorce, the reader gets a short, sweet and spectacular glimpse into what heaven and hell might look like.

Amazing insight
I listened to this book on cd by Lewis quite some time ago.I have read several of his works.The Screwtape Letters, excellent book, was, however, difficult to digest.I found that I had to take that one on in bites to get the full benefits of its insights.This book, however, was something I could just wrap my mind around and indulge my imagination with.Rather than read the book I tried the cd's on a whim and was not disappointed.The narration is so well done.Lewis is such a gifted writer and minister of the Word of God.He presents it in a way that is understandable and engaging in this particular piece.

Anyone could benefit from the lessons taught.It is essentially a battle between good and evil no matter how you spin it.As individuals we face a choice in every moment as to which side we are going to pick.The latter is made out to be so appealing...an addiction that plagues your thoughts and actions, clinging on for dear life.The Great Divorce plots out a course to free yourself of that wolf in sheep's clothing and be free to experience something so much greater.

Give it a try.You will not be disappointed.

Great book
I highly recommend this book.It was in good condition, and the book itself is very well written.It's a compelling visualization of heaven and hell, in a somewhat symbolic manner.C.S. Lewis is a genius. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Screwtape Letters 3 copies
As has been written by many more people more learned then me, The Letters are priceless. I got multiple copies for my teenage grandsons. They have never been exposed to anything like this and both are just eating the books up. One is not quite getting it but the other is laughing with the joy that - at last - here are the real goods at least in one field. At the age of 17 years he is saying, yes, I know what he means with this part. Yes, I understand that. G.K. Chesterton is still alive. And how much else would they drink up with joy if it was available. I;m going to find out. Thank you Amazon.
Irishpat77

THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS by C. S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters is Lewis's classic collection of diabolical correspondence. In it, a senior devil gives continued advice to his protégé on how best to tempt his victim and keep him from salvation.

Lewis does not propose any concrete doctrine on devils here, and this is not his point. Rather he focuses on highlighting the ways, both large and small, that Christians are distracted from God. Lewis explores the dangers of not being purposeful toward God and life, as well as what happens to people when they give in to temptation.

The book is presented as a collection of letters, all from Screwtape to Wormwood. But Lewis does a good job of making the conversation not feel one-sided, and he does a fantastic job with the devils' personalities. In fact the book is rather deeper than this, as there are two other plots going on. First is the fate of Wormwood's man. Second is the relationship between the devils, and the fate of Wormwood.

The Screwtape Letters is deeper than it appears, and is thoroughly thought-provoking. Most every reader will find elements in it to which he or she can relate. Christians of all maturity levels can benefit from this book.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
... Read more

Customer Reviews (661)

The Chronicles of Narnia
Book arrived ten days before estimated delivery date.Book in very good condition. Plot was filled with fantasy, excitement and was a quick read.

A sonnet review (from All-Consuming Books)
"The book that started all the wonder,
mystery and magic of Narnia trips
could easily be shelved and buried under
"Kids Books," "Fantasy," or "Christian Lit,"
but really, it's all three and more: designed
for younger readers, full of quests and peril
and talking beasts, but older folks will find
this simple story hides an entire barrel
of serious talking points and epic themes.
Sin needs redemption; Aslan's sacrifice
and resurrection must occur. He seems
to be a God who's good, but never "nice."
A longtime favorite, I love everything
about it, most of all, its lion-king."

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has been around for sixty years, and it's so popular that it's individual title is more recognizable as a brand name than "The Chronicles of Narnia," the series to which it belongs. The story begins in a dark place. It's set in England in WWII, and the four Pevensie children have left their home in the city to stay in the countryside during the London bombings. They're displaced, which puts them in the perfect frame of mind for adventures, since they're already outside the normal order of things as guests in a strange place. They aren't too sorrowful or afraid after their big move, partly because they are avatars for the reader. One of the things I like about the recent film versions of the Narnia stories is that they fleshed out the characters and tried to give them distinct personalities.

The kids go exploring Professor Kirk's big house, and the youngest girl Lucy steps into a wardrobe in a spare room, just because it's there. She walks through the wardrobe into a snow-filled wonderland where she meets a goat-footed man who invites her over for tea (don't do it, Lucy! He's a stranger!). Lucy finds that she has stumbled into this alternate dimension at a really bad time--they're in the middle of a hundred-year winter brought about by a despotic Witch. In addition, there's the prophecy saying that four human children who come into Narnia will overthrow the Witch, so there's a price on Lucy's head. But goaty little Mr. Tumnus soon decides that he can't hand Lucy over to the Witch to be turned to stone, so he lets her go. She runs back to tell her siblings what she's discovered, but unfortunately, the wardrobe is an interdimensional portal that doesn't always work, so when she tries to show the older kids they just see an empty wardrobe.

But Lucy's brother Edmund later finds his way into the wardrobe, too, and instead of meeting a friendly woodland creature, he comes across the evil Witch herself, who makes him promise to come back to see her, bringing his brother and sisters with him. If he does this, she promises that she'll make him a prince of Narnia, and Edmund's very vulnerable to any suggestion that he's special and should be in a position of power. Of all the children's characters, Edmund's is perhaps the most consistent. In early passages, his dialogue reflects his status as an antagonist to the others: he's always mocking Lucy, contradicting Susan, and challenging Peter, so he can't be accused of playing favorites--he's equally huffy with all his siblings. He teases Lucy mercilessly about Narnia, even after he learns the truth, and his eventual betrayal and defection to the Witch are just the next logical step in his character arc. He's by no means an outright villain, but he is selfish and spiteful and prone to self-deception. I think his bad attitude attitude may have something to do with his position in the family--he has no defined place and no responsibilities. Peter is the commander, Susan is the nurturer, and Lucy is the wide-eyed, joyful baby of the group, but Edmund has no role to fill. And I think it's important to note that though Lucy is treated like she's very much the baby of the family, Edmund is said to be only one year older, so his maturity level has only progressed a tiny bit past hers, if at all.

Back to the story. All the Pevensies go into the wardrobe to hide from a group of tourists who are combing through the house, and they get to Narnia where they find that Mr. Tumnus has been arrested, hauled off, and potentially turned to stone already. Then they meet Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, who lead them to safety as they run from the Witch's wolf guards. The kids learn more about their own role in the prophecy, and about Aslan, the king of Narnia, whose return is much anticipated by the animals and other creatures. Edmund gives his family the slip and sneaks out to join the Witch. The remaining three kids run for their lives, worry over their brother, celebrate the coming of spring which signals Aslan's return, and side with the Narnian forces who are gearing up for the big battle against the Witch.

Blatantly awesome elements: 1. Father Christmas gives swords, bows, daggers, and a life-restoring cordial to the kids because they're heading for battle. When was the last time Santa gave out anything so cool and yet so practical? 2. Co-opted mythology. Greek/Roman creatures like fauns, nymphs, dryads, and Bacchus himself are all mentioned, and it gives me the idea that Narnia potentially contains characters from all myths and legends, adopting them and enfolding them into its own structure. 3. The Witch's hall of statues. It's creepier than you'd imagine, and seeing all the stone forms of creatures who have angered her marks the moment that the reader knows how deadly serious a situation Edmund has gotten himself into. 4. Permanency. The kids don't solve all Narnia's problems in a week and go home. They become a four-person monarchy and righteously rule the land for something like twenty years. 5. Peter duels with a wolf. Nothing else need be said.

I don't have any complaints, except that I wish there were more to the story. It's under 200 pages, the perfect length for a children's book or Mid-Grade, but as an adult I'm longing for more detail. Seven books just isn't enough to satisfy a Narnia fan!

If you spent some portion of your childhood as I did, trying to get to Narnia through closets, cabinets, laundry nooks, and even the cracks between sofa cushions, you already know the lasting impact of the story. It's not a one-to-one Christian allegory like Pilgrim's Progress where every fictional character, location, and object has a direct biblical equivalent, but it is a fantasy set in a Christian universe, where Jesus/Aslan is someone you can know, even if you can't always see him, and where good triumphs over evil, but only after a long and costly struggle. It's not rose-colored-glasses children's literature--it's powerful, moving, and worth multiple reads.

Wonderful item !
I brought this book as a gift for my Grandaughter. She was thrilled, it arrived in great condition. I will buy from this seller again.

Heartache with Pleasure
Dear All who read this...

I recently ordered this book, and was happy about the price.I only spent $.01 on the book!I think it is ironic that the shipping cost more than the book, but it was a lot cheaper than driving across the country to get it.I love books.For me, books are a life source.I was going to rate this a 5 star purchase, but I wasn't fully satisfied.When I bought the book, the discription said it was in excellent condition.Well, I was not pleased to find that there was writing in the cover and on the page sides.Plus, and I don't understand why, the company put a sticker on the cover that tore as I was trying to remove it.You see, I collect books.The set that this book belongs to is now complete, however, this book is slightly damaged and now defaced.I am happy about having it, but I would have liked it to be free of writing and stickers.Overall, the company who sent me the book is very professional and quick to reply.They were friendly, and I didn't have to wait too long for the book.I believe I got it in like 4 or 5 days.So, that is why I only rated it with a 4.However, I was happy with the company overall.I will buy from them again.

Thanks,
Sir Romeo Mango

Must Read
I've read this book two times and it hasn't gotten old at all. The more times you read it the better it gets. This is an all time classic. Its a must read. ... Read more

Product Description
Love is the commonest these of serious imaginative literature and is still generally regarded as anble and ennbling passion. Love has not always taken such precedence, however, and it was in fact not until the eleventh century that French poets first began to express the romantic species of passion which English peots were still writing about in the nineteenth century. This book is intended for students of medieval literature from A-level upwards. Anyone interested in the `Courtly Love' tradition. Fans of C.S. Lewis's writings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A review for readers of OHEL
Lewis's volume in the _Oxford History of English Literature_ series ("OHEL", as he called it) is still in print, while _The Allegory of Love_ (AoL) is not.Therefore, there might be some shoppers who have read the former and are wondering whether they should read the latter.This review is for those shoppers.

In short, if you liked OHEL, I think you will probably like AoL.Some specifics:

1)Lewis began working on AoL when he was in his 20s, and _Collected Letters_, vol. 1, reveals a mindset in the young Lewis less appealing than that which would later help to make him beloved by his readers.Does this mindset mar AoL?No, not at all.Lewis was approaching 40 when AoL was published, and in it his voice is essentially indistinguishable from that of the later Lewis.

2)I haven't yet read _Boxen_, but I'm guessing that it gives ample evidence that Lewis's writing style developed substantially over time.Is AoL an early enough work that it exposes the rough edges in Lewis's prose?No, it is not.

3)While both OHEL and AoL are written for literature scholars, I found OHEL to be reasonably accessible and AoL even more so.

4)AoL is far more focused and coherent than OHEL, making for a more pleasurable read.

5)AoL was for Lewis a labor of love--no pun intended--while there was a reason he gave OHEL its nickname.

For me, OHEL was a 5-star work.If it also was for you, I think you'll give AoL 5 stars, too.

A Milestone in the Lewis Canon
"The Allegory of Love" is an academic work that, among other things, traces the concept of love in literature, particularly the concept of courtly love in medieval literature. In the "Encyclopædia Britannica," it is listed before all the other works of Lewis as "his finest scholarly work." This shows the book's importance in making Lewis a respected literary critic.

The main point of the first part of the book is that the concept of love changed in the literature of France in the eleventh century and has influenced the arts up to our day. Many years later, however, in "The Four Loves," Lewis admits that he had treated the concept of love too much like a literary phenomenon and failed to see that many characteristics of erotic love which he had attributed to eleventh-century France are in fact characteristics that lie in the very nature of erotic love (e.g., the tendency to make love into a god who sanctions any crime committed in its name).

Having said this, "The Allegory of Love" is still a great academic work that delights as much as it instructs - a milestone in the Lewis Canon.

Ian Myles Slater on A Critical Masterpiece
This is the book which made C.S. Lewis' reputation as a critic of medieval and renaissance literature; in the original, medieval, sense, it was the "piece" that marked his transition from Apprentice to Master. It was first published in 1936, and has been reprinted many times. (I have 1960s copies of Oxford's 1958 "Galaxy Book" paperback edition; the cover of the recent Oxford Paperback is a great improvement.) As originally written, it covered the development of allegorical narrative from late classical antiquity to the Elizabethan poet Spenser's "Faerie Queene," with particular attention to the "Allegorical Love Poems of the Middle Ages" (the working title).

Unhappily for the book's long-term reputation, Lewis was persuaded to add to the planned text an earlier summary of modern theories of "courtly love" in medieval life and literature. Lewis himself noted that this theoretical construction did not quite fit the texts he analyzed in detail, and the whole approach is now regarded as at best problematic, and by many as simply wrong. Since Lewis presented the material with unusual clarity and wit, however, he has come to be treated as an authoritative source on "Courtly Love" theory by some, and attacked as such by others.

The rest of the book, being based on original studies of primary sources, retains much of its value. Later textual studies and shifts in crticial theory have only slightly diminished its value, and his discussions of such now-obscure writers as Martianus Capella remain among the most inviting of introductions. Lewis' treatment of"The Romance of the Rose" is still illuminating (and the point of departure for many recent re-considerations). His chapter on "The Faerie Queene" is regarded by some competent scholars as the foundation of modern study of the unfinished epic.

Although Lewis never looses sight of the entertainment value of many of the works he discusses (and some of them never had any), he is concerned to show that they addressed real problems of human behavior and emotions, and their presentation in narratives. Norman Cantor (not, on the whole, a great admirer) reports from first-hand experience that the book helped make the study of medieval romances respectable in academic circles. My own reading of the secondary literature (pre- and post-Lewis) brought me to a similar conclusion.

It is probably of interest to note that, according to Lewis himself, the "Chronicles of Narnia" didNOT arise from his studies of allegory, and that their allegorical implications arose spontaneously in his mind. One has to wonder whether he would have written "The Allegory of Love" differently after, rather than before, those experiences.

Serious students of English literature, and medieval literature in general, will find "The Allegory of Love" more than worth their time. So will those who simply enjoy reading Arthurian literature, and several other types of story. For many who are familiar only with Lewis the fantasist, or Lewis the Christian apologist, it will open new perspectives.

Allegory of Love
While most associate Mr. Lewis with an assortment of tomes of otherworld fantasias (Narnia, Lion, Witch and Wardrobe, etc) or contemporary crisis, Allegory of Love is a very well written and scholarly study of medievalperiod (he once wrote that while the Renaissance was always a personlizedventure for scholars, the dark ages belonged to boyhood), replete withreferences to not only incubala but extensive Greek, mystics, andShakepeariana. It's nearly in the stylization and tradition of Fraser's"Golden Bough" with the precision of someone devoted to writingon, say, Milton or Donne. I hadn't really expected as fine and as much fromthis, but found withoutreservation it to be one of the hundred (perhapsfifty) best books I've ever read. Strongly recommend

A scholarly look at literary romantic literature
A difficult book to rank as it was not written for the general reader (like myself).Erudite?Absolutely.Witty?In parts.Sustainable interest?Here is where the student of allegory and medieval romantic tradition would probably rate the book a 10, while the laymen will rank it a 3.I compromised with a rating of 6.Definitely worth a look for literary scholars interested in this field of study or Lewis devotees interested in perusing his academic work. ... Read more

Product Description
All 7 Individual books:1 - The Magician's Nephew,2 - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,3 - The Horse and His Boy,4 - Prince Caspian,5 - The Voyage of The Dawn Treader6 - The Silver Chair7 - The Last Battle ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1123)

Beautiful book, but heavy
A beautiful book!But it was cross-listed with the paperback boxed set books, so I thought I was ordering smaller hardback books in a set.This large one-book volume has nice illustrations and the same great C.S. Lewis tales, but weighs heavily in the lap.A more precise distinction should be listed when this book and the boxed set are shown together.

Narnia Book Set
This is a very good set.My teenagers read it over and over.Great price, makes a nice gift.

1
I love these books, they are purely amazing. Their tale incorporates a wondrous adventure, that takes the reader away. They strike a deep feeling within, they become part of your life after you read them, if you fully understand them

My Family Loved These!
We took a family vacation with our two young boys and listened to three entire stories during the hours and hours we spent on the road. My boys LOVED these stories! The actors do such an amazing job at making each character come to life. Kenneth Brannaugh was a favorite of ours. I would encourage anyone with small children to buy this set, especially for long drives.

review for the used item
I thought by being in used good condition they would be what I considered "good" for used.I keep my books very well kept.These look very very very used. ... Read more