I love the book. It has the best quotes from all the chronicals.
A good item for collecters.

Kathryn Lindskoog is one heck of an author. I have greatly enjoyed reading her books. Journey into Narnia is no exception. In fact, I believe she brings the most passion to her work here.

The first half of this volume, "The Lion of Judah in Never-Never Land" is a masterpiece. It is like a theology of Lewis' Narnian tales. Lindskoog is not just another fan of Narnia, she is an insightful scholar. She demonstrates her deep knowledge of Lewis' other work while examining Lewis' views on Creation, Humanity, and God as expressed in the Narnian stories.

I must make mention here that one should read Lewis' books at least once all the way through before reading this book...a lot is given away (The conclusion is quoted within the first fifty pages). So don't spoil Narnia for yourself...read the books before you read this.

Part two is a book by book look at the stories. It has trivia questions, things to ponder, and benedictions based on each story (I love the one for The Magician's Nephew). The most startling thing I took away from part two is how much Lewis owed and made allusion to E. Nesbit's children's stories within the Narnian books.

The Chronicles of Narnia are some of my all-time favorite books. Mrs. Lindskoog has added to my appreciation of them. I recommend this book highly...may the Great Lion be with you.

Chronicles of Narnia is a set of books that adults readers want to reflect on, to figure out what it all means. Lindskoog knows these books at many levels---the concrete and story-line connections across stories, how the connections were put there by the authors who did not write the books in chronological order, and the connections between story elements and philosophical and religious themes. All adult readers of the Chronicles should also read this book. Teachers who want to include any of the Narnian books in their classrooms will really benefit from the insights and the instructional aids provided by Lindskoog.

Christian Mythmakers is a good overview of some of the thoughts and ideas of various Christian fantasy writers. While the chapter on John Bunyan is basically little more than a summary of Pilgrim's Progress, the rest of the book is interesting and thought provoking. The chapter on Charles Williams is a "must read" for anyone interested in or confused by Williams' work.

This book is a fascinating look at ten Christian mythmakers, that is authors who have used the power of myth to convey Christian truths in a new way. The narrative begins with John Bunyan and his seminal Pilgrim's Progress, continues through George Macdonald, G.K. Chesterton, Charles Williams, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and finishes up with Madeleine L'Engle, Walter Wangerin, Robert Siegel, and Hannah Hurnard.

Professor Hein begins with a short biography of the author, and then proceeds to explain the author's work, examining its theology and significance. I found this book to be quite fascinating, with the author giving me a look at these masterpieces of Christian literature in a way that I had never thought of before. If you are a fan of any of the authors above, then I highly recommend that you get this book!

I had the privilege of taking courses under Dr Hein in the early 90's at Wheaton. He is a very knowledgeable teacher and has great affection for the people he is writing about in this book. If you have any interest in these authors, this book is a must read. I wasn't aware that he had written this book when I came across it looking for books on George MacDonald and C.S. Lewis. As an Economics major, I somehow ended up taking four Lit. classes from Dr Hein because he is such a good instructor and passionate about his subject matter.

I received this book as a gift in elementary school and at the time found it much to deep even though I thoroughly enjoyed the books. However re-reading it several years later it gave me a lot of insight into the Narnia series and made me enjoy them more as I got older. I would recommend this book for anyone who loves the books.

The Chronicles Of Narnia carry you off into a new, magical world full of interesting characters, enthralling storylines and fantastic places. Although they are recommended for children, anyone with a vivid imagination who loves fantasy will probably like these. One must wonder about the genius of Lewis - to create a whole world is unusual, to say the least. Narnia is a brand new world at the beginning of the first book, The Magician's Nephew. In the course of the chronicles the country is saved numerous times by a group of children from our world - England from about 1900 to 1950 to be precise. Lewis' writing is subtly witty and at times profoundly moving (especially in the first and last two books). Well worth a read - or several. The one bad thing about these books is that they instill a sense of wistful nostalgia in anyone who believes in the ability of people to destroy our world.

The Land of Narnia is a good book that tells about C.S. Lewis' life and how he came to write the Chronicles of Narnia. This book tells who Aslan and the Witches are and tells what gave C.S. Lewis the idea for Reepicheep, the warrior mouse. This book contains summaries for the seven books as well. This is an excellent book to read if you have just finished reading the Chronicles of Narnia. It helps you to understand the books and the characters a little better if you don't know what they mean. You also learn about C.S. Lewis' childhood and how this was a major factor in creating the Narnia books. Reviewed by Joshua Bixler *****stars

Whether you are a seasoned "mere Christian" or simply want to read the man you have heard so much about, this book is worth its weight in gold.

Author Colin Duriez has given us this book to encourage exploration of the mental and imaginative world of C. S. Lewis, both scholar and storyteller. As the title suggests, it is composed in A-Z format for quick reference and casual perusal.

Each entry is extensively cross-referenced giving the reader seemingly unlimited avenues to explore. We are also provided with an exhaustive list of his works (fiction and nonfiction), recommended readings, and more.

Author Colin Duriez is General Books Editor at InterVarsity Press in England and a major authority on C. S. Lewis and his circle. He has done an outstanding job compiling this work.

The Bottom Line: Even if you are not a fan of C. S. Lewis, you owe it to yourself to pick up this volume. An excellent companion or entry point to one of the 20th century's greatest creative minds.

This is a must read.

An indspensable achievement: deft, fair, thorough, accurate, convenient, and graceful beyond anything one has a right to expect in a reference work. Duriez both instructs with his easy-yet-encompassing erudition and delights with his deep understanding of Lewis. Most impressive is the detail, whether about essays and books, themes and images, or Lewis's life and the lives of others around him. In short, the worthy complement to Hooper's Companion & Guide.

With a mind as brilliant as that of C.S. Lewis, you know there's plenty to analyze and Colin Duriez does a magnificent job. This book is a valued accet to my collection of all things Lewis, and though I already knew a great deal about him I am learing more. Covering subjecets as broad as his love of George MacDonald's Phantastes, his friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien, or his views on spiritual longing, Colin Duriez helps us to see inside the mind of the greatest author of all time. This book is a must for any Lewis fan!

C.S. Lewis' The Four Loves was not a book that I expected to reshape my thinking. I first picked it up while following the reading guide at the end of Lindskoog's Mere Christian. I thought it would be a fun read during valentine's season. One often is most vulnerable to the trap when one is not alert...

And so, once more, C.S. Lewis has changed my thought on a broad portion of life. He's done it to me before--the Narnian Books, Mere Christianity, An Experiment In Criticism--have all been books that have greatly shaped me. Now I can add the Four Loves to the list.

One does not often sit down and ponder the different kinds of love. One may have generalized "loved ones" such as family and friends, we may "love" certain activities or places, we may even say we are "in love" ... but do we stop to consider our words?

Lewis spends time surveying the lay of love's different lands. Building on blocks of seemingly deepening emotion, he moves from looking at affection to friendship to erotic love (Eros) to the love of God (Agape). Each is looked at in detail, their meaning and impact on life is explored.

The most helpful thing about this book is that Lewis allows the reader to think about how they deal with their own loves in life. Does one stress a certain kind of love in an unhealthy way? Do we ignore the possibilities of one love because another kind holds too much sway in our lives?

I believe Lewis makes the case that God's love should be primary in the lives of humans. The other loves, though they can be wonderful in their place, can be used unnaturally and ineffectively to try and fill in for Agape if it is not felt. A healthy life will involve all four loves. Yet they must be rooted and grounded in Agape.

My own favorite passage in this book is in the friendship section. Dispelling the myth that an intense friendship between two people is always the best, Lewis notes that after his friend Charles (Williams) died, his friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien was something less than it was when Charles was still around--he could no longer appreciate Tolkien through the eyes of Williams. The passage is personal, poignant, and true to my own experience.

The Four Loves is a remarkable book. I give it my full recommendation.

For those parents who have "encouraged" their teenage children to read "I Kissed Dating Goodbye", I would recommend "The Four Loves" far more. I am sixteen, and I read this book not long ago - I was absolutely speechless when I finished the last page. It is, by far, one of the most profound books I have ever read on ANY subject, not just love. C.S. Lewis seems to get stronger with each page, and his observations about today's understanding of love are right on. His insight as he places the four loves in priority with God and fellow man is astounding. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

Trust is fragile and does not come without an open heart. C.S. Lewis' book on the four loves: affection (between a parent and a child), friendship, romantic love, and charity or love towards God is truly a remarkable piece of work. Professor Lewis writes with an easiness rare amongst writers, speaks deliberately and with wisdom in his words. He speaks of trust and of hearts, of humanity and humility. Truly, this is a moving book (or was for me) as well as a book which takes the seriousness of love rather lightly and playfully, for good reason. The seriousness and playfulness of love are but opposite sides of the same coin. Read this book with an open, honest, yet vulnerable heart. One needs to take risks in the matters of the heart. And you shall experience the best of dark and bright. --spaceboy

Personally I feel I should point out that a wise man would not buy this book -- not for spiritual reasons but for economic ones. MERE CHRISTIANITY opens with this book, THE CASE FOR CHRISTIANITY, and has two other books with it that provide a central thesis for the skeptics and believers alike. Don't buy this edition -- buy MERE CHRISTIANITY

That being said, this work gives in detail how there simply must be a God, and how athiesm simply does not hold water. It also talks about dualism, the belief of the Ying and Yang, where good and evil are contained and balance out one another. To all you Star Wars fans, this abolishes the Force and all its false theological implications.

C. S. Lewis's cool clear logic, well founded arguements, and easy-to-read writing style make this one of the best of witnessing tools. This is a book anyone can read and understand, and stands as one of the great apologetics of the 20th Century.

Mike London

Some of us want for others to believe in what we believe in. But we must not force it on them...

How does a Christian, then, deal with the atheism of so many? How is a Christian to respond to a bitter atheist, like Sartre, or Shopenhauser? And, lastly, how shall a Christian present Christianity to an unChristian group, without there being derision, hostility, misapprehension?

Almost too simply the answer is within THE CASE FOR CHRISTIANITY, by C.S. Lewis.

You see, there is a trend among young persons not to "believe" in God, I feel. Atheism becomes a compound of arrogance and fear, as though belief in something higher than one's self is compromised by a fear in the inability to comprehend. A weirdness. People want to be God, and want what they want for them, not "what God wants" of them. Yet, if a Perfect Being knows what is best for you, is He/She/It not more likely in the right than your own misguided imperfect self? Just a thought...

And, for them to consider religion at all in a serious light is mocking, insulting. Many without having read the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ, or Christian mysticism, assume to know what Christianity is. They ask of the theist to explain himself.

C.S. Lewis asks the atheist to explain himself on rational grounds. He argues thus:

(1) Why, he wonders, does man have a sense of Right and Wrong, even though he does not properly follow it?

(2) Why does anything exist to begin with? (3) Is not atheism too simplistic to be true?

But Lewis has here gently offered Christianity in so rational a light, without anger. He himself was a atheist. And now he has changed. There will be no jumping to conclusions, or quoting from the Bible for "proof" of an argument. He will surpise you.

Every atheist MUST read this work, as it will remind them that religion, whether for them true or not, is not easily dismissed as is commonly supposed. It has uncanny depth.

C.S. Lewis has something to say, ladies and gentlemen. Every theist, every atheist, every deist must own this book.

As was stated in another review, this book is the first third of mere Christianity. That said, Lewis is at his best here. Truly the ability to write with any sort of lucidity and laconicity about Christ and Christianity is a most admirable trait. I don't like to recommend many books beyond the Bible for Christians, but this one that I will. Do read.

I'm glad I bought this book. The layout and binding are attractive, and it is interesting how well the Lewis style comes across in Moynihan's translation. Nevertheless, I would rank _Latin Letters_ relatively low in importance among Lewis's books, somewhere below _Letters to an American Lady_. The letters are not terribly "meaty", and most of the substantial comments in the letters were also made by Lewis elsewhere. The book is only a little over a hundred pages, and taking into account the fact that roughly half those pages are taken up by the original Latin and that the remaining half has a generous amount of white space, there's really not a whole lot there.

In this book you can find a real cuantity of ecumenism, an a exceptional exaple to our world about it. This letters between an Anglican (Lewis) and a Catholic (Fr. Calabria), are full of the real God and love.

I, extremly recomend this Book!

I am deeply disappointed with Janine Goffar's index of C.S. Lewis's writing. On the very first page of this book, Goffar catalogs seven entries under the specific topic of "abortion" suggesting that C.S. Lewis would support a pro-choice position.

Upon closer inspection, we determine that Ms. Goffar takes academic liberty in applying the "ideas" of C.S. Lewis to topics that he did not even address. This is not scholarship, it is simply the propagation of a personal agenda under the cover of scholarship. A thoughtful reading of "The Abolition of Man" might have obviated such an extrapolation against Lewis's ideas.

In spiking this book with her own agenda, Ms. Goffar has been unjust to Lewis and the student who buys it. After reading page one of this book, I had learned much about Ms. Goffar, and very little about C.S. Lewis. As an index this book may be useful, but for a summary of Lewis's ideas buy his books, and not this one.

Mr. Merkel finds that Goffar takes "academic liberty" in applying some of Lewis's words to topics that he did not address. So far as it goes, this is a perfectly legitimate concern. He further believes that this constitutes the "propogation of a personal agenda", which is an interesting position given the quotes which she has selected under this heading.

It is, I think, a mis-reading of the Index to imply that all seven entries under "abortion" suggest that Lewis would have supported a pro-abortion position. Certainly some of the entries make such a suggestion (or at least lean in that direction), but others suggest the opposite (the references to God's view that birth is important, that death is an evil, that many sins also harm others and should thus be illegal).

In my view, all but one of the entries under the heading of Abortion were reasonably placed. They do not directly address the topic, and Goffar makes that very clear, both by the ** notation, and by parenthetical references to what Lewis _was_ writing about. The reader would never get the idea that Lewis had been actually writing about abortion, but does see some ideas of Lewis's that may shed light on the abortion controversy, which is the value of such entries.

On a topic about which Lewis wrote in volume, such as the nature of Christ, there is no need to extrapolate his ideas. On a topic about which he did not write at all, however, such extrapolation gives an idea as to how he might see the issue, or general concerns which might apply to one position or another.

As a final note, should the reader wish to read only those remarks of Lewis which directly address the topic at hand, this is easily done, as the others are conspicuously marked. No "close inspection" is required.

As an indivual who likes to read and quote C.S. Lewis, I have often thought about tackling the task that Janine Goffar has accomplished with this volume. Organized alphabecially, like a concordance, usually with a brief quote on the topic at hand, the reader is referred to one or more works by Lewis where the subject is covered in more detail. This volume would be a welcome addition to the collection of any serious reader (or quoter) of the theological works of Lewis, who introduced many to the concept of "mere Christianity."

The Pilgrim's Regress, Lewis's first book after his conversion to Christianity, is among his lesser known works. This in spite of the fact that it is highly readable and contains a good deal of insight into the problems of belief and unbelief. In short, it's the story of a boy (John) who searches for the answer to a longing he has had from his childhood, which leads him to (and past) many philosophies that were current in Lewis's time (and some of which still linger today). The allegory is thinly disguised - actually, it's not disguised at all. Characters like "Reason" and "Mr. Enlightenment" pop up all the time. Some of the references are a little out-of-date but generally the work is successful. This book is best read in conjunction with his other works, of course.

C. S. Lewis says more with one letter than some people say their entire lives!

This book requires two pre-requisites: "Pilgrims Progress" by Bunyan, and "Surprised by Joy," by Lewis. You will be lost with out this background. It also helps to be a genius, but I don't believe I can be of much help in that area.

This is an allegory of Lewis eventual conversion to Anglican Christianity. It presents Lewis's own story in the story of a young boy John and his struggles with religion, and how he wanders here and there trying to find God and what He is about.

The chapters are usually short, but in typical Lewis fashion, he packs a lot of thought in a small sentence. And the surprising thing is that he is so readable. There is no academic or philosophical mumbo-jumbo. It is all to rare straight talk!

This book is not just a journey to Christianity and to Christ, but also a vary biting commentary on the worldly and secular philosophies current in the world. Pay close attention, and see how many of the pundants and professors you see pasted in the story!

This is Lewis's first book, and it his his "Q" document--the source for much of his corpulent corpus of writing. It is is a good overview to Clivian thought!

I have read almost everything C.S. Lewis wrote, including letters to the editor, all three space novels, Till We Have Faces, and many others. One thing I really enjoy is seeing how bits from one work will spill over into others, and how each writing reflects on his life. I have read the Pilgrim's Regress now 4 times, and every time I see more in it. And not just about Lewis: about the development of thought up throught the years between the wars.
Overall, this is a book that is well worth reading. It gives the best explanation I've seen (better than Surprised by Joy, IMO) of his idea of Joy, and of the "Island" (image from Regress) that drove him to finally find Christ. Passages from the "Heaven" chapter of The Problem of Pain are close, but I thought in Regress he uses the allegory of the Island most effectively to explain his concept of longing and Joy.
At first, I must admit, Regress is difficult to understand for somebody without much background in fiction or allegory such as myself, and without much background in the philosophical movements of pre-war Europe. There are, however, two things in the book that are very helpful: (1) the afterword where Lewis explains his background; and (2) the explanatory headings on the tops of the pages that track the allegory.
Lewis said he wasn't sure this was a good idea of his, but I don't agree. Now, even not being a student of allegory, I would not read the headings first, or even primarily (as a kind of Cliff's Notes of the book). Read that way, they detract from the book. Rather, I read the whole book through the first time without the headings; only then, after I finished a section, going back and reading the headings on that section. Kind of like reading the Cliff's Notes along with the book itself; very useful, but hardly anybody does it.

This is not a novel and not really an autobiography, but rather a first-hand account of one man's journey from atheism to a belief in God (Christianity came much later and is not covered in this book--for that read his many religious works). I discovered this little gem while living and working as a graduate student in Scotland, at a time when I was neck-deep in the pit of atheism and feeling almost totally lost. I don't know why I was moved to take it off the shelf and buy it, but it was to be only the first of Lewis's books that I read. It's still my favorite because its theme is so close to me.

What makes Lewis's book so remarkable is its unashamed honesty and willingness to shed all masks in the face of reality, no matter how unpleasant or frightening that reality may seem. Lewis did not want to find God, and we feel with him that burning desire to run away once God has been discovered. The wonderful lightness and love that characterize many of Lewis's later works are not found here. Instead we see his defenses against God shattered one by one as he follows an intellectual path to belief. He tries his best to argue his way out of it, fighting every step of the way and using all the trivial excuses that human beings do, but we feel God's presence bearing down on him step by step like a great weight until he realizes that there is no escape. Lewis sees that it IS a burden at first if one has come to it honestly, because with it comes the realization that we are required to abandon ourselves and submit to God's will in order to find eternal peace. This is not an easy road for a human being to follow--indeed, it is the most difficult thing in the world for us to do, and Lewis knew that very well. We feel with him the pain and weight that came when he realized that there IS a God: the account of his final days as an atheist is absolutely excruciating for a reader who has had the same experience. One must actively and willingly choose to become what one is not by his very nature--what could be more difficult, particularly in this secular world?

Lewis's account of his spiritual journey shows that God can be discovered in the most unlikely places and in the most unlikely ways, no matter how hard we try to avoid Him. When we think we have trumped God, we find that He has in fact trumped us, always remaining well ahead of us on the path. Lewis's account often reads like a great chess match between one man and God, but it remains familiar because it is a match that we play again and again. As always, Lewis's honesty is disarming, his insight staggering, and his humor refreshing. I cannot recommend this book enough, but if you are looking for a biography of Lewis's life, this will not provide it. For that I recommend George Sayer's "Jack," but the best way to find out who Lewis was is to read his books.

"Surprised by Joy" is C.S. Lewis' auto-biographical book about the early, formational years of his life, which began with a vaguely religious upbringing, led into devout Atheism, and ended in Christ's drawing Lewis home. This book is excellent as auto-biographies (Christian or non-Christian) go as C.S. Lewis was one of the 20th Century's best story-tellers and an amazingly well-read professor at Oxford as well. Whether the reader is a Christian or not, C.S. Lewis makes this story entertaining and thought-provoking.

For those readers who have come to believe in Jesus Christ as Man's only possible salvation, this book will leave them marvelling repeatedly at how Christ works in the lives of those he calls. Any Christian reader of "Surprised by Joy" will find numerous similarities in the path C.S. Lewis' salvation took him down, and a Christian reader can't help but want to join him in praising Christ for his awesome goodness in the lives of human beings he touches.

One fascinating element in C.S. Lewis' life, which is so encouraging for Christians in a post-Christian era, is that Lewis was raised by brilliant men to be constantly curious but always logical... always seeking the truth. One of the men Christ used the most in saving C.S. Lewis was a staunch Atheist; a dry, pensive, professor who demanded a rigid adherence to logic in any belief or action. This man, the "Great Knock", as Lewis, his brother, and their father called him, was so influential in Lewis' mental development that Lewis devotes a whole chapter ("The Great Knock") to discussion of him. How fascinating that whereas many today believe a rigorous pursuit of knowledge and facts leads to agnosticism, in the life of the greatest Christian apologist of the 20th Century it led to a belief in the sovereignty of Jesus Christ.

This is a book that I would recommend to anyone, but as "a must" to any Christian. While "Mere Christianity" is C.S. Lewis' best-selling book, and arguably has initiated more paths to Christ than any other book outside the Bible, "Surprised by Joy" presents a more complete understanding of those paths and their ultimate result.

As much as C.S. Lewis hems and haws in his preface about how suffocatingly subjective and uninteresting this book will be to many readers, there are few books in Lewis' corpus that I have gleaned more joy and help from. Lewis takes us on a tour through his adventures in joy, that peculiar longing for something that is itself more enjoyable than the thing longed for, this desire that he found ultimately only has its fulfillment in Christ, as joy is merely a longing for the heavenly. He brilliantly analyzes his earlier life, exposing his childhood follies and rejoicing in his youthful literary loves; several times I found myself laughing out loud about similar mistakes and mishaps I had fallen into. He scatters his typically brilliant social commentary and theological insight throughout the work, and a chapter never goes by without gaining a preciously helpful understanding of some important topic. This book is easily among the top three autobiographies I have ever read.

"I have tried so to write the first chapter that those who can't bear such a story will see at once what they are in for and close the book with the least waste of time." Go ahead and read that first chapter. You won't want to stop.