Status
Available
Call number
Publication
HarperOne (2015), Edition: Reprint, 209 pages
Description
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of C. S. Lewis's death, a special annotated edition of his Christian classic, The Screwtape Letters, with notes and excerpts from his other works that help illuminate this diabolical masterpiece. Since its publication in 1942, The Screwtape Letters has sold millions of copies worldwide and is recognized as a milestone in the history of popular theology. A masterpiece of satire, it offers a sly and ironic portrayal of human life and foibles from the vantage point of Screwtape, a highly placed assistant to "Our Father Below." At once wildly comic, deadly serious, and strikingly original, The Screwtape Letters comprises the correspondence of the worldly-wise devil Screwtape and his nephew Wormwood, a novice demon in charge of securing the damnation of an ordinary young man. For the first time, The Screwtape Letters will be presented in full-text accompanied by helpful annotations in a striking two-color format. These annotations will give fans a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the popular book, providing background information, explanations of terms, historical significance, and excerpts from Lewis's other works that more fully explain the ideas in this volume. For both expert Lewis fans and casual readers, The Screwtape Letters: Annotated Edition will be a beautiful and insightful guide to a beloved classic.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member ComposingComposer
This is an interesting book that really makes you think. I would be listening to it on audiobook when I should've been doing my homework, and I could practically hear Screwtape saying; "While it's best to keep her from doing anything spiritual, if she reads a spiritual book while she should be
This book has so many things that have continued to be relevant today, and maybe is more relevant then it was when it was written. The audiobook had what was basically a commencement address from Screwtape to the demons graduating and moving on to work at tempting humans, and so many of the things that he predicted have been happening lately. The insights on democracy were things I'd never considered before, and it seems rather frightening, but I can see the truth in the statements. C.S. Lewis was a very wise man.
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attending to her other duties, she is not doing what the enemy wants her to." Which was actually rather disconcerting, and would often her enough to make me pause the audiobook and do homework. This book has so many things that have continued to be relevant today, and maybe is more relevant then it was when it was written. The audiobook had what was basically a commencement address from Screwtape to the demons graduating and moving on to work at tempting humans, and so many of the things that he predicted have been happening lately. The insights on democracy were things I'd never considered before, and it seems rather frightening, but I can see the truth in the statements. C.S. Lewis was a very wise man.
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LibraryThing member sparkleandchico
Okay...so I've probably tried to read this book at least ten times over the years and never actually finished it. I started the book again this week and even tried the audio version by John Cleese on Youtube--didn't get very far as I kept thinking about Fawlty Towers, which I happened to have
I'm now analysing what it is about this book that I don't like as I usually know straight away. I'm wondering if I'm not sufficiently intelligent for the mental gymnastics required to see things from a demonic perspective. That does seem to be one of the stumbling blocks as I examine and re-read each sentence carefully reminding myself that I'm now Screwtape and that he is bad which means that everything is reversed.....But is that the key issue--my non-Lewis like brain power?
I mean, I should like this book for all the obvious reasons--it's meant to raise awareness of Satan's work, prevent Christians from falling to temptation, encourage Christians that God is more powerful and that the demons know it etc etc. So what exactly is my problem?
I guess I don't like the idea of a Christian author putting himself into character as the devil--apparently Lewis himself felt uncomfortable, maybe with good reason. I think the humourous, satirical approach undermines the deadly serious subject matter--the battle between good and evil is eternal life and death for all people whether they acknowledge it or not. Maybe Screwtape (despite the author being at pains to avoid this,) will still remind people of caricatures of the horned devil in a red-suit with a pitchfork as he rubs his hands together gleefully whilst composing his letters to Wormwood. Is that a helpful image considering the subject matter?
John Cleese recently stated that he didn't think much of organized religion and told he was not committed to "anything except the vague feeling that there is something more going on than the materialist reductionist people think." The fact that Cleese, a secular comedian and atheist (or at least agnostic) was able to read The Screwtape Letters aloud and find it amusing without apparently being convicted by its content probably speaks volumes more than I could write.
Oh, maybe I do know why I don't like this book after all. I think I will just accept that now and stop attempting to read it.
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watched relatively recently, and therefore couldn't take him seriously as a devil.I'm now analysing what it is about this book that I don't like as I usually know straight away. I'm wondering if I'm not sufficiently intelligent for the mental gymnastics required to see things from a demonic perspective. That does seem to be one of the stumbling blocks as I examine and re-read each sentence carefully reminding myself that I'm now Screwtape and that he is bad which means that everything is reversed.....But is that the key issue--my non-Lewis like brain power?
I mean, I should like this book for all the obvious reasons--it's meant to raise awareness of Satan's work, prevent Christians from falling to temptation, encourage Christians that God is more powerful and that the demons know it etc etc. So what exactly is my problem?
I guess I don't like the idea of a Christian author putting himself into character as the devil--apparently Lewis himself felt uncomfortable, maybe with good reason. I think the humourous, satirical approach undermines the deadly serious subject matter--the battle between good and evil is eternal life and death for all people whether they acknowledge it or not. Maybe Screwtape (despite the author being at pains to avoid this,) will still remind people of caricatures of the horned devil in a red-suit with a pitchfork as he rubs his hands together gleefully whilst composing his letters to Wormwood. Is that a helpful image considering the subject matter?
John Cleese recently stated that he didn't think much of organized religion and told he was not committed to "anything except the vague feeling that there is something more going on than the materialist reductionist people think." The fact that Cleese, a secular comedian and atheist (or at least agnostic) was able to read The Screwtape Letters aloud and find it amusing without apparently being convicted by its content probably speaks volumes more than I could write.
Oh, maybe I do know why I don't like this book after all. I think I will just accept that now and stop attempting to read it.
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LibraryThing member joshrskinner
Loved this book.
LibraryThing member AstonishingChristina
I read this every year for Lent, and always learn something.
LibraryThing member bookandsword
I will be honest, this was not the easiest read. While the book itself is quite small, the old English language and the style is written in, made me reread some paragraphs more than once. That said, this book is full of gems. It makes you think of yourself in a way you might have never thought. It
It is as if someone exposed all of your dirty laundry and made you go through it after, in public. Lewis points all of our human flaws, and he is not shy about it. But he also gives you the reason of those flaws and how to overcome them.
In the end, this book was nothing I thought it would be. It's not a light read, it's more of a "I gotta highlight the heck of some pages" kind of a read. I can't wait to go back and reread some of the hard truth over and over again.
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makes you question all of your choice, because somehow you are finally more aware of them. It makes you question the government and it makes you question how you do life as a person. It is as if someone exposed all of your dirty laundry and made you go through it after, in public. Lewis points all of our human flaws, and he is not shy about it. But he also gives you the reason of those flaws and how to overcome them.
In the end, this book was nothing I thought it would be. It's not a light read, it's more of a "I gotta highlight the heck of some pages" kind of a read. I can't wait to go back and reread some of the hard truth over and over again.
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LibraryThing member vintage-series-Lisa
This was one of the best books I have ever read and recommend every Christian to read it!
I actually listened to the dramatic audio version from Focus On The Family. It was awesome! Sound effects were outstanding!
I actually listened to the dramatic audio version from Focus On The Family. It was awesome! Sound effects were outstanding!
LibraryThing member 064
This is a great book. The original material while written in the 1940's is perfectly relevant today. It is very much a work of apologia, meaning that it is very concerned with indoctrinating the reader into Christianity. That said it is humorous and thought provoking and not really pushy but
I'm an agnostic myself and this book is one of the best read s for someone who wants a primer to Christian thinking. The ideas here are not aggressive, there is abundant wit and humor and the content while clear in it's theology is geared toward addressing questions rather than forcing answers on the reader. It is thought provoking and show s a clearly defined worldview and a way of arguing that shows the thought put into the topic by Lewis.
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clearly focused on the ideas of good and evil and the role that God plays in defining those concepts. The annotations are very nice, they are mainly about explaining language no longer in common usage or referring the reader to other materials. Sometimes this is simply a reference to another work that C. S. Lewis is referencing, sometimes this is to another place in the body of writing Lewis himself did that covers the same topic in more depth.I'm an agnostic myself and this book is one of the best read s for someone who wants a primer to Christian thinking. The ideas here are not aggressive, there is abundant wit and humor and the content while clear in it's theology is geared toward addressing questions rather than forcing answers on the reader. It is thought provoking and show s a clearly defined worldview and a way of arguing that shows the thought put into the topic by Lewis.
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LibraryThing member BubbaO
The Screwtape Letters is written from the perspective of a demon communicating with a fellow demon. He is writing to try and assist the Demons human from turning to God and its about the Demons point of view on why people turn from God. Great book and great writer
LibraryThing member electrascaife
A famous piece of moral/religious satire. I'm glad I read it just to now have knowledge of it beyond the title, but it's really not my thing.
LibraryThing member clamagna
This is absolutely fantastic! It has such a clever premise! It was published during World War Two, but is totally relevant to today. In fact, aside from some references to the war, it reads a lot like a current day novel. This one is a "must read" in my opinion.
Language
Physical description
209 p.; 8 inches
ISBN
0060652934 / 9780060652937