The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Screwtape Letters
Book Review: "Timeless, yet ahead of his time"
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Screwtape Letters with Screwtape Proposes a Toast," C.S. Lewis, ISBN 0-06-065293-4, Harper Collins, NY, 2001, PC 209 pgs., includes 31 'Letters', Preface & 'Toast'.
A distinguished author of 30+ books, Cambridge Chair of English Literature & Oxford Fellow, Lewis was an influential literary genius also responsible for "The Chronicles of Narnia." Lewis' writings are timeless, transcending by decades a coming-of-age of polical correctness in 'new' education where exams constructed so dunces & idlers won't feel inferior to intelligent, industrious pupils (read - Calif. graudates all of its dunces).
"The Screwtape Letters" is compendium of correspondence betwixt devilish Uncle Screwtape to novice Nephew Wormwood, aspirant demon. Written with brilliant, witty satire, Screwtape reviews diverse methods to entice Christians in times of weakness, fatigue, & immaturity into sin for consumption by the Devil. Lewis demonstrates a distinctive & novel prose & notable clarity in describing moral-ethical issues Christians of diverse age groups face in love, wealth, poverty, friendships, gluttony, cowardice, sameness & idle minds. It is not a book to be glossed over, but requires some patience for digestion of remarkable prose with much to learn about bending of minds & seeing motives in common & uncommon people.
Book Review: "The heart is deceitful above all things"
Summary: 3 Stars
I love C.S. Lewis and I think this is an important subject. However, I was disappointed with the concept. Why does Christianity continue to point fingers at the Devil and/or demons?Lewis uses an interesting format (letters written from a ficitious demon named Screwtape to his aspiring nephew Wormwood) to convey an important message, namely temptation. Christians must be very aware of temptations that confront them in everyday life, and Lewis does his usual, masterful job of inserting wit and humor into a very serious subject. He provides many useful insights into temptation and often helps the Christian see why things are not always what they seem at first glance.
That being said, I'm frustrated with Christianity's repeatedly blaming Satan and his demons for our own sins. The Bible teaches us that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Man is wicked enough on his own to fall head first into a horrendous life of sin. We need no assistence from the evil one. Maybe I'm reading too much into Lewis' work, but in today's church, when angels and demons seem all the rage, I think many may miss this message's true intent.
Book Review: -
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is an utter treasure of irony, reverse psychology, and a wondrous view of just how human nature works. There is nothing better than to find a story that makes you laugh at yourself and think, and this book really fits that bill. I love how proper demons can be, and it is truly scary how aware of human nature they can be. This is a great little reminder of how to be a good Christian and just what little holes are waiting in your armor.Book Review: A Bit of Instruction For Nephew Wormwood
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a delightful dialogue between two devils. The primary devil is Screwtape, a high level Tempter who is doing his best to teach his nephew Wormwood, a novice tempter, the ins and outs of exploiting Wormwood's "patient."The goal? The goal is to feast on the patient's soul. And if that doesn't work, Wormwood's soul will suffice. Unfortunately for Wormwood, he needs a lot of instruction. C.S. Lewis provides the details of Screwtape's instruction. The first lesson in tempting is not to create an evil for a person but to exploit the weaknesses already in the patient.
A practised devil should be able to exploint the good in a person by corrupting just enough to make it an evil. And so, Uncle Screwtape proceeds for a short time until he's had enough of his flunky nephew.
Though comical to the extreme, this book provides a bounty of instruction. I surmise that it would not be unusual for most readers to view themselves as somewhat easy targets even for Wormwood. And that is Lewis' point.
And so, if you would like to spend a couple of hours enjoying the wit of C.S. Lewis and get some good instruction at the same time, you must purchase this book. You won't regret it, and old Screwtape would be flattered that you thought him so clever!
Book Review: A Challenging and Inspirational Must-read!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a creative collection of letters that were sent by one of the "upper management" demons of Hell to a "lower-level" employee tasked with tempting a particular human so as to win a soul for the Devil. What is interesting about this book is the way in which Christianity, God and humanity are portrayed. God is referenced as "the Enemy" while Humanity is both despised - out of jealousy - and admired by the demons.
There is much to take away from this book. While it is sold under the category of "Christian inspiration", and rightly so, I argue that this novel is of value to any person regardless of their personal faith and convictions. There is much revealed about human reaction and nature.
This is a must-read.