The Screwtape Letters

Rating:
Summary: Devilish State University
Review: Great book. Lewis has taken this difficult subject ("How the Devil works") and put it in a format that everyone can read and enjoy. Well, some people may not enjoy it, but you can't help but learn from it. This is one of the few books that I can read over and over again (partly because it is pretty short, but mostly because it is so thought-provoking). If you liked this one, I might also suggest Lewis's space trilogy ("Out of the Silent Planet", "Perelandra", "That Hideous Strength") - which are very good, but not so well known. Lewis is one of my favorite authors and this is one of my favorite books of his. You can't miss.

Rating:
Summary: Hanging Out in the Enemy's Camp.
Review: THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS is a series of letters written from an older temptor demon to a younger one. The book consists of a total of 31 letters and is one of the most profound extrapolations of how demons work in the world. Set against the backdrop of WWII Great Britain, Screwtape's "nephew" is Wormwood, a newly elevated demon that has been given his first patient. Each of Screwtape's letters provide advice to Wormwood on how best to bring his patient into his camp and then when the patient becomes a Christian, advice on how to keep the man from living his faith. We never read Wormwood's responses, but each of Screwtape's letters provide an almost uncanny insight into what is essentially demonic thinking. Much of what is written is rooted in Biblical scripture, though Lewis ties in many events of the 1942 world. The book, though full of challenging and thought-provoking ideas, is fairly easy to read. In fact, outside of THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA it is Lewis' most easy-to-read work.

C.S. Lewis referred to THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS as being the most difficult work he had ever written. He said writing from the perspective of a demon was too draining and darkened his life. Lewis was a popular author throughout most of his life, but very few of his works ever reached the audience that THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS did and does (the CHRONICLES OF NARNIA series and MERE CHRISTIANITY being the only exceptions). The book vaulted Lewis from being an occassional literary personality, to a celebrated world-famous author. The book was so popular that the publishers courted Lewis for years to write a sequel. He never fully gave in because he couldn't bring himself back into the "diabolical ventriloquism" mindset. However, Lewis did acquiesce somewhat nearly a decade letter with the very short "essay" SCREWTAPE PROPOSES A TOAST. This edition of the book includes a nice introduction by Richard Gillman. Overall, THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS is a great book and one of the best that I can recommend when one is trying to understand the nature of evil.

"In the long run either Our Father of the Enemy will say 'mine' of each thing that exists, and specially of each man....At present the Enemy says 'mine' of everything on the pedantic, legalistic ground that He made it." (Letter XXI)

Rating:
Summary: A devil of a book
Review: Entering the world of demons, gives perspectives from a darker side of religion. Mentor Screwtape instructs his devilish nephew, Wormwood in ways to lure people from God. The Screwtape Letters is creatively and intelligently written. C.S. Lewis definitely captivates his audience on every page. There is such realism in human nature within this work that I found myself relating, feeling at times embarrassed and even laughing at myself.
C.S. Lewis is a master at writing, not only captivating the imagination, but also stirs the reader to think and explore their own character.
A devil of a book.

Rating:
Summary: Corruption is Hell's only option.
Review: That's the initial impression of this book which is on my list of all time favorites. A series of letters between Screwtape, an undersecratary, and his nephew Wormwood, an apprenctice tempter in charge of securing the damnation of a young man. The "story" takes place during the second world war with the young man being a young englishman.

The book is so well written because we're given insites to his own life, his own realistic experience, which make what Screwtape is advising that much more haunting. Everything from the man's relationship with his mother and his work to his relationship with his girl are given time.

Screwtape regularly rakes his nephew over the coals for asking stupid questions he should know the answers to or just for being to naive.

In the intro to the book Lewis says that nothing Screwtape says can be taken to seriously. That is most clearly seen when Screwtape talks about how when God wouldn't reveal the reason why he was making the "human vermin," "Our Father Below" ceased his support of "The Enemy" and removed himself a great distance from him resulting in that ridiculous story that he was "forced" out of Heaven. A lot of what Screwtape talks about is how to corrupt what God has already created. Things like prayer and even going to church are attacked.

My two favorite lines:

"The truth is that whenever a man lies with a woman, there, whether they like it or not, a transcendental relation is set up between them that must be eternally enjoyed or eternally endured."

"He made the pleasures: of of our research so far has not enabled us to produce one. All we can do is to encourage the humans to take the pleasures which our enemy has produced, at times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He has forbidden."

After the Letters are over, there is also a prolonged speech in which Screwtape dispenses advice on how politics can be used. It shows many of things that plauge our society. How we don't encourage acheivement in a the larger sense.

This is my favorite book because of the satirical nature of the book that's as relevant today as it was when it was first written.

Rating:
Summary: An enlightening, though not pleasant, read
Review: In the foreword C.S. Lewis notes that this book was not fun to write. I would argue that it is not fun to read, either. You are likely rechecking how many stars I rated this book, and yes, I meant to give it 5. I regard it highly because this book forces us to see how in even this simplest of things we can be neglecting God. While it is not enjoyable to hear about how even the simplest things one does can hurt others, or play into the hands of evil, it is highly valuable. Don't expect to smile as you read this book, but expect to learn more about yourself.

Rating:
Summary: Temptors
Review: The Screwtape Letters are a unique perspective on Christianity in that the faith is seen through the eyes of those who have given their soul to Satan. It is interesting to think of the faith from the perspective of those trying to undermind it.

Uncle Screwtape mentors Wormword, through a series of letters, in Wormword's attempt to make his "patient" fall away from the faith. Through Screwtape's letters, we see a broad range of topics discussed including coming to faith, life in the faith community, love and sex, and other ideas on life. These topics make interesting reading when discussed from the perspective of how to fail in your faith.

The Screwtape Letters at times are a tedious read as nothing really happens in the story. The good thing is that it is a short read. It never hurts to think a little more about your faith.