The Screwtape Letters
 | Average Customer Rating: Recommend Now available unabridged on cassette and CD--C.S. Lewis’ classic Screwtape Letters--the engaging correspondence between two devils. Read by Joss Ackland.… Product details and pricing info |
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373 Customer Reviews Posted
- Ongoing Battle
- While I can't say that I LOVED this book, I certainly enjoyed it because it brought me face-to-face with some of my own dealings with Screwtape's master. Its truth hit too close to home for me to LOVE it.
Screwtape's advice and commentary to his nephew Wormwood made me squirm a little (a lot) as I realized that perhaps other relatives of this evil duo had been visiting in my home...and mind. For instance, on the first afternoon of reading the "letters," I was annoyed with my husband about some silly,insignificant little thing he had said. My soul said "Ouch," when I read these words from the 3rd chapter: "When two humans have lived together for many years it usually happens that each has tones of voice and expressions of face which are almost unendurably irritating to the other. Work on that...." Was Wormwood working on me???
This is a classic, timeless book that will speak to anyone who's ever wondered about the battle between good and evil. It reminds us that Satan and his minions are ever closeby...and very seductive and powerful. - 2008-04-10, 1 of 1 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Read it FIVE times in my life, and plan to read it again!
- In examining my limitless collection of books, and with complete intellectual honesty, I declare that this book is my absolute favorite book of my entire life. I find myself surprised by that, because there have been so many wonderful, awe-inspiring books that I have devoured--but if I had to pick only ONE book as my favorite, it would have to be this one. It was in thinking about what to write in this review that I have come to this conclusion.
C. S. Lewis held such a brilliant God-given imagination, that ALL his works tickle the mind in places that one didn't even know existed! This book will have you laughing until you hurt one minute, and the next minute so full of spiritual sobriety, that the on-going, unseen (yet very "felt") battle raging around us becomes crystal clear.
It is far and few between that a book will call me back to it when I walk away. It is not often that I find such joy and delight when I can finally pick it up again--almost feeling a guilty pleasure when there are so many chores to do and work to be done!
What a brilliant mind this author had. What a blessing he was to our planet! My children love his works.
So yes..............I am reading it yet again, and I'm 100% positive it won't be my last time.
Carrie Lynn Jones
Author of: It All Began... When Jesus Gave Me Sneakers - 2008-03-27, 4 of 4 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Screwtape
- Lewis presents delightful and penetrating insights into the human condition and real temptation. A great book for discussion of Christian themes in a secular setting.
- 2008-03-02, 0 of 0 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- A Mirrored Presentation of Lewis' Theology
- The Screwtape Letters primarily covers Lewis' theology of virtue. The dark, wry humor in Screwtape's letters to his nephew Wormwood works well as a framing device for what is largely a series of essays on temptation and virtue. There's no real plot as such and Wormwood's target is never more than a cipher, as Screwtape would hardly have cared, but doing otherwise - perhaps with letters from Wormwood as well - would have been a different book. This one works remarkably well, funny and thoughtful.
It is flawed, though; Lewis dismisses some things too carelessly when they conflict with his own thoughts. A bit more ambiguity from Screwtape would have suited the work, particularly when he treads outside of the central conceits of the book. Screwtape Proposes a Toast, included at the end of the book, suffers from this particularly; showing a broader aim rather than the temptation of a single person, it veers into the political. Screwtape's musings work more effectively in other matters, though they remain entertaining to the end. - 2008-02-28, 0 of 1 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Minus two stars for being incomplete.
- In older editions of this book, there's a fascinating preface by Lewis in which he talks about, among other things, his view of the nature of demons and angels and how they have been mis-portrayed in popular art and literature. That preface is not included in this edition.
- 2008-02-16, 3 of 4 people found this review helpful, Rated:
