Rating: 
Summary: Light but Intelligent Reading for any Christian
Review: My friend gave me this book as one of her recommendations, and as I read it, letter by letter, I discovered the difficult but fascinating and creative mind of C.S. Lewis. Every letter has a theological point for every Christian wanting to learn more about how to be firmer in the faith, while at the same time being entertained by a twisted story of two demons sharing how to deceive this one young man. C.S. Lewis' intellect, satirical humor and creativity make this a great book to read. It is a good combination of Christian theology and fiction -- much like his Chronicles of Narnia. I highly recommend reading it letter by letter during devotional time. Each letter is packed with things to learn if you read closely, so it is best to digest it little by little. If you like wit and you think deeply, get this book!
Rating:
Summary: An amusing moral satire on the war between good and evil
Review: This C.S. Lewis novel is a moral satire about an old experienced demon, Screwtape, and his letters trying to help his young nephew Wormwood, a rookie demon, to lead humanity astray. Wormwood's work is focused on a particular young man, whose heart he will try to convince. The idea of a little devil sitting on your shoulder that some people might instantly think of is adequate, but in this case, there is no little angel. We get to see the fiend trying to lead astray the poor man's soul, but we never directly see the forces against him, only his annoyance at how they seem to be pushing them out of business.The way the demons seem frustrated and the way they behave and relate between themselves is in one word, comic. Screwtape might at times seem extremely dedicated to his nephew, showing some kind of love, but a few letters ahead, when his apprentice is screwing up, he is almost odiously ready to punish him in some sort of demonic betrayal, turning him in as incompetent. Not even a demon can trust another demon. Lewis also had fun making up some sort of hierarchy and all the bureaucracies demons have to face, having to explain their failures, make reports and all sorts of problems you might have at work, in this case, one can clearly say "work is Hell", complete even with a secret service department (which always seems to frustrate poor Screwtape, since those incompetents never really manage to find out what God is up to). Lewis obviously focuses the whole work on Christianity. Screwtape is clearly referring to the Christian God as "the enemy", but this book will be interesting to anyone curious about the spiritual warfare that we all have to face everyday, no matter how we see it or what we call it; Atheists and followers of other religions will probably still find it amusing and interesting. Some thoughts of Screwtape might be a bit dry, but most of the book is a delightful voyage into the human soul and its potential dark side of pride, hate, envy, self-importance, resentment and how it all conflicts with some sort of set of moral laws. When I read it, it was interesting how Screwtape tells his nephew to attack flaws in humane nature that I thought I probably had myself, that's part of the brilliance of C.S. in this clever book; he will not only amuse you, but he will make you stop to question your own behaviour and the way you deal with other people. You will never look at that little devil on your shoulder in the same way again. :-)
Rating: 
Summary: A review of "The Screwtape Letters" By: C.S. Lewis
Review: "The Screwtape Letters" is the absolute best book I have ever read. It is a very well written book. It really makes you think. C.S. Lewis' style is exquisite. He paints with words as an artist paints with pictures and a musician with notes and rhythms. While still being the best book I have ever read, it is also one of the strangest. Screwtape, an experienced devil, teaches his nephew, Wormwood, how to win a soul over from the so-called "Enemy", who is the Lord Jesus Christ. While he is doing this, he teaches the reader about the techniques that Satan uses to distract Christians away from God. Therefore, he is teaching us how to live better Christian lives and avoid giving in to temptations. He shows us through the example of his nephew, Wormwood, trying to win over a particular Englishmen. He tries to make him think that what he is doing is not sin. Even though, in the end, the man is not won over, we see how so many people go astray without even realizing it. This is an excellent book and I would reccomend it to anyone looking for a challenging book to read.
Rating:
Summary: The Screwtape Letters (Audio Addition)
Review: I am going to go out on a limb and say that listening to John Cleese read Screwtape Letters is more enjoyable than reading it yourself. His continual insertion of pauses, snorts, intonations, etc. made Screwtape come completely alive as exactly the devil that was described in C.S. Lewis' wonderful book. Normally, I view audio books as a last ditch effort to keep myself awake when driving. This audio book is worth playing in your living room.
Rating:
Summary: CS Lewis with one of his best writings
Review: I approched this book some years ago with trepidation due to it's content and ended up enjoying it. To coin a pharse the humour is somewhat black at times, and it can dampen smugness by rading a Chapter smugly and then thinking 'Oh! I tend to fall into that trap!' But That is part of it's appeal and it serves as a piece of entertainment and as a warning
Rating:
Summary: Evil at its worst, Lewis at his best
Review: In the last 100 years, there might not have been anyone who understood how to write devils like C.S. Lewis. "The Screwtape Letters" is a chilling foray into the world of Hell and its hierarchy of greed, deceit, and decay. Watching Wormwood and Screwtape's conversation descend into outright carnality is breathtaking, especially when one realizes Lewis' intent; to show the other end of the reality, that Christians are pursued by demons but loved by God even more. I read this book once a year and it still has the power to freeze my bones and turn my stomach.
Rating:
Summary: A SHINING LITERARY & THEOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Review: By means of correspondence between two devils, Lewis describes the invisible reality of spiritual warfare, as well as the temptations facing believers in a hostile well. The variety of temptations gives much food for thought about the spiritual warfare that is going on in the reader's own life (Eph. 6). The premise of this novel has been used by Randy Alcorn in his recent book "Lord Foulgrin's Letters". Although I haven't read Alcorn's book personally, it's my understanding that this is a readable and successful contemporary version of the Lewis classic. Nobody, not even Alcorn, however, can expect to surpass the shining literary and theological achievement of C.S. Lewis in "The Screwtape Letters." An essential classic!
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece by the master
Review: Isn't it amazing that this book still ranks in the top 2,000 books on Amazon? How many other books that are half a century old can boast such sales? I believe this is one of C.S. Lewis' best work, perhaps in a close race with Mere Christianity. The simple yet precise style of Lewis makes for a very interesting read. Screwtape and Wormwood will say things that will get you to think about your own personal life and walk with God. You will wonder if, perhaps, the adversary actually works in such a way. As an English teacher who has used this book in classes, I know that this is a book enjoyed by teens as well as adults. I've read it 5 times, which for me is quite a lot since I usually get bored with a book the third or fourth time through. Not this one. Trust me. It's worth the time and effort.
Rating:
Summary: Lewis' Most Insightful Work
Review: This is Lewis' most insightful work. He understands the soul of man and often "hits the nail on the head" when it comes to understanding man's struggles against himself (seen through the written correspondence of Screwtape and Wormwood). A must read.
Rating: 
Summary: self-satisfied screed
Review: For those who do not share Mr. Lewis' smug Christianity these letters are likely to quickly lose their charm. Mr. Lewis' religiousness is of a very narrow, cloistered, sort. It arrogantly dismisses practically all worldly conditions and concerns that we may look to religion to address. Neither does it have the depth or feeling one associates with mysticism. It is a religion of the self-satisfied and elect. The conceit of having letters from Screwtape to a favored demon nephew palls at about letter V, there are XXXI. What wittiness there is fades as Lewis settles into his screed. In fact it occurred to me that the work is a satire on the self-satisfied perspective it appears to represent. If so Mr. Lewis has brilliantly fooled a lot of people.
|
