The Screwtape Letters

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Summary: We get to read ol' Splitfoot's mail.
Review: In the original preface, Lewis says "There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight."
Lewis had what I consider, a very biblically orthodox and, if I may say, HEALTHY conception of "devils". For him, the devil was NOT an equal power opposite to God, or in any way self-existent from all eternity. The devil was, and is, a created being... originally good, but fallen. An angel, who by the abuse of free will became an enemy to God, and as a corollary, to us. As such, he is the opposite not of God but of Michael (the Archangel).
Anyhoo... in the summer of 1940 Lewis set out to write this book which "would consist of letters from an elderly retired devil who had just started work on his first 'patient'. The idea would be to give all the psychology of temptation from the other point of view."
The result is this collection of thirty-one intercepted letters between the senior devil (Screwtape) and his nephew Wormwood who has been assigned the damnation of one man's soul.
It is brilliant.
Here we see how the everyday life of the 'patient' looks from the viewpoint of Hell... how the many daily temptations are designed to chip away at the very foundation of who he is... to lead him not toward Heaven, but away from it. What is notable is the subtle nature of the temptations... ie., to be picky about what you eat, to hop from church to church, to argue, etc., rather than (for instance) to go out and shoot your neighbor. All is "good" in Screwtape's world as long as it leads ever so gradually downwards! Throughout the course of the letters, the state of this particular patient's soul undulates as he experiences a conversion, doubt, dangerous friendships, war, love, and finally, in death, oneness with God.
The theology latent in this work of fiction is undeniably Christian. Those readers with even the slightest Christian sensiblilties will be further convinced that there are unseen forces presently at work in all of us, whose goal is to sap life in the here AND after! For other readers, as Anthony Burgess once said, "Lewis is the ideal persuader for the half-convinced, for the man who would like to be a Christian but finds his intellect getting in the way."
And, oh yes, "Readers are advised to remember that the devil is a liar. Not everything that Screwtape says should be assumed to be true even from his own angle."
Remember whose mail we're reading after all!

Rating:
Summary: Beware of Temptation!
Review: In a brief book comprising 31 hypothetical letters from a wise-old demon, Screwtape, to his nephew Wormwood, C.S. Lewis gathers a wide host of temptations common to our own lives, and portrays them as bits of advice from Screwtape to his nephew. Screwtape is advising his nephew in how best to catch his prey, by various cunning means. The young man of whom Wormwood is given charge to tempt, could easily be any one of us, and the ways that Wormwood was advised to use in numbing the man to sin are certainly recognizable to our own existence. Two of the particularly notable things I pulled from this book were the way Screwtape suggested encouraging Flippancy and the false impression of Unselfishness in the young victim. The former is taking serious matters too lightly by making jokes of them, which dulls our senses to their import; and the latter is the dishonesty we enter into when we disguise our irritations to "seem" agreeable and unselfish, all the while harboring personal resentments. I wouldn't call this book a masterpiece, but it is well worth reading, and certainly awakens us to the need of living prayerful and watchful lives, asking for Christ's protection in our weakness and temptation, that we might remain faithful. Also, the addition of "Screwtape Proposes A Toast" at the end of my edition, was not nearly as interesting as the rest of the book.

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Summary: How the Devil wins his souls
Review: This wonderfully witty work of CS Lewis brings to light many weaknesses of the human race, and especially those pertaining to Christians. In a masterful style of satire, the book consists of a series of "letters" written from a high-ranking devil to a low-ranking one. The latter, Wormwood, has just received his first "patient," a young man, and Screwtape, his uncle, corresponds with him, giving advice and pointers as to how Wormwood can effectively conquer this man's soul.
The genius in this book lies in the advice Screwtape provides. Rather than counsel Wormwood to tempt this man into large sins which would instantly destroy his soul, Screwtape takes a subtler approach. Letter after letter outlines ways in which Wormwood can turn the man's triumphs into tragedies, progress into hindrance, and virtues into vices. Instead of trying to tempt the man into quitting church, for example, he advises persuading him to visit a number of churches, thus insuring that he will become a 'comparer' of churches rather than a follower of one specific doctrine.
The obvious message of this book is a warning against the old "frog in hot water" idea. If you throw him in hot water, he will jump out, but put him in cold water and gradually increase the heat, and you will soon have a cooked frog. Lewis's message, masterfully presented and so clearly thought out (as is typical of him), is that Christians need to stop looking beyond the small things, to see the error in so many of their seemingly insignificant actions. Perhaps the beauty of this book is that it shows just how easy it is to lose one's soul.
CS Lewis was a master of Christian thinking. This book is a product of his genius, a masterpiece full of invaluable advice.

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Summary: It'll scare the Hell out of you (literally)
Review: There are piles of books on conversations between man and God. I even recall one aimed at Junior Highers that was structured around e-mails from Heaven. All of the books contain encouragments for work, life and love. 'The Screwtape Letters' also contains much encouragment and advice, but of a much differant kind. Screwtape is an old, wise demon who's spent many years tempting, distracting and leading humans astray. Wormwood, a much younger demon, and Screwtape's nephew, has a 'patient' that is causing him trouble. The tone of the book is what struck me first. It isn't really devious or noir at all, it's very matter-of-fact and quite often bright, almost cheery. You get more of a picture of a slightly withered old man writing to his nephew by fire light with a quill and ink rather than the more expected gargoyle scrolling gothic letters with a claw dipped in human blood. The book's purpose is to bring the ways of demons to light, and the tone helps a lot. Though it may seem like the light, friendly tone would deminish the serious subject, it does not, rather it illuminates the most base element of deception: trust. This friendly speech of familial love is disarming and shows how Screwtape was so successful. Most Christians can see the truths of what is said, we've all experienced this kind of temptation, those who "haven't" are in denial. Something that not a lot of writers when speaking of Hell and demons really plays on is the relationship between Heaven and Hell. The relationship couldn't be more plain here, or more truthful. In the introduction, Lewis sights that the Devil is the father of lies. And reading the book you come to the obviousness of the truth about him: How can he lie if doesn't know the truth?

The greatest value of this book is not empathy. It is not a book designed to exhort you by saying 'everyone goes through this'. It is a guide, a warning, a class on the tactics of demons in order to prevent their working. If Demons are the terrorists of the soul, then think of 'The Screwtape Letters' as a sort of Spiritual SWAT class.

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Summary: BEST place to start reading Lewis...
Review: This is the BEST place to start reading Lewis. If you enjoy the philosophy, you can move to Mere Christianity or A Grief Observed. If you enjoy the presentation you may try The Great Divorce, Space Trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandrea, That Hideous Strength) or Narnia.

The book is short, innovative. When read together it forms a short story but each letter can be read on its own. I like to pick it up from time to time and read a random letter or two.

I read each letter twice when I first read it. First so I could understand the letter and a second time to meditate on what was said. It is not terribly hard to understand--there is just so much to think about in each letter...

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Summary: The Hell's-Eye View
Review: C.S. Lewis has said that he found it painful to write this book since it required him to spend days on end thinking upside-down. But it is lucky for us that he did, since the result is a book that both delights and enlightens.

THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS documents the correspondence between Screwtape, a senior devil, and his nephew Wormwood, a novice tempter. Wormwood's mission is to win a soul for the underworld, and Screwtape offers him the accumulated iwdom of Hell on how to accomplish it. The result is a well-laid out map to the pitfalls to which we humans are all-too prey. Lewis' had great insight into human weakness, especially the uncanny way ou pride pops into almost every thought we might have. He is also alert to the ways our unquestioned assumtions can lead us astray. As Socrates said, the first step towards wisdom is to "know thyself" - and the tempters in this book do all they can to prevent that from happening.

Lewis, of course, is a Christian, but THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS are useful to any person who is seriously engaged on the spiritual quest. I read this book about once a year, and am always chagrined to find that Screwtape is still one step ahead of me! (And he is unfailingly eloquent to boot.)

This volume includes "Screwtape proposes a toast" which employs the same technique to discuss modern education. I find this a weaker part of the volume. It seems Lewis could have done more with the concept, but his arguments about the failings of modern education are much sharper in his book, THE ABOLITION OF MAN.

Still, this is an invaluable volume. It is the book that I most often give away to people - it is laugh-out-loud funny, and sadly all-too true.

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Summary: Engaging and Important Lessons in Humility
Review: In this book C.S. Lewis conveys guidance on moral and spiritual improvement, engagingly and creatively packaged in the form of a series of letters from an "uncle" devil, senior in the bureaucracy of Hell, to his "nephew," a junior devil charged with tempting a certain individual mortal soul. Uncle Screwtape offers nephew Wormwood fiendishly avuncular advice on how to lead the young man in question astray. Each letter discusses some human vice or flaw from the Devil's point of view (e.g. intellectual vanity, pride, hypocrisy and selfishness) in the context of the young man's daily life in England during the Blitz: living with his mother, joining a church, making new friends, falling in love, and enduring bombing raids.

For me, this book was both enjoyable and uplifting. It reminded me, in a light but pointed fashion, that being good, and becoming better, demand constant vigilance, discipline and care. Lewis skewers neatly the petty vanities and cruelties that we can fall into -- using an impatient or unkind tone with one's mother; snickering at the dowdy outfit on the person in the next pew; feeling a little too self-satisfied about having the coolest laptop on the plane. If you are one of the many who strive for virtue, yet sometimes fall into sin, you can learn from this book, whether or not you have the faith that Christian doctrine generally posits as necessary for salvation.

The device of having a devil explain morality in reverse creates amusing ironies, though eventually it gets tiring -- like trying to make out a photographic image by looking at the negative. Also tiring is that the main speaker is inhumanly unattractive (of course), and no appealing characters appear in the foreground at all. As a result, there is not enough dramatic tension or human warmth to carry the reader for very long, but that is not too much of a fault because the book is quite short. Substantively, I was disappointed in Lewis's dismissive attitude toward the question of an individual's responsibility with respect to larger social issues (was there an irony that I missed?). He handles this better in other works such as That Hideous Strength. In closing I would note a metaphysical question that stumped my book group: if humans go to heaven or hell when they die, and angels enjoy eternal life, where do dead devils go?

For those who want to try more C.S. Lewis, I would recommend the Perelandra Trilogy, especially That Hideous Strength. Another unconventional and charming interpretation of Christian notions of right conduct that may interest those who enjoyed this book is Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger.

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Summary: A look-from the 'other' side
Review: With this book C.S. Lewis gives his version of what hell, demons, temptation, life, humans, God, look like from a demon's perspective. This book really shifts the paradigm of why things happen, to more, who or what causes these things to happen. The author does a masterful job of looking at human's and how they struggle through life, conversion experiences, change, success, failure and a wide range of human emotions.

The thing that sets the Screwtape letters apart is the format of how Lewis accomplishes his task. He sets this book up as a series of letters from an mentor to a mentee, and it is all focused around one human who the mentee is trying to tempt and lead down the wrong path. The mentor does his best to show the mentee how humans can be tripped up.

This book is good for a wide audience, from skeptics to believers, from Christians to Hindus. It looks at the human spirit, and how God created us to function, and how we can easily screw it up. I highly recommend this work if you want an intellectual challenge and a clever read.

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Summary: BUY THIS BOOK
Review: This book is good for Christains and laychristains alike. CS Lewis manages to make you think about your life with out judging. It is an interesing read by an amazingly talented author and I would I highly recommend this book to anyone.

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Summary: The Screwtape Letters
Review: This book is about the devil writing a letter to his nephew. His nephew is a beginner of doing evil things and tempting bad things. The nephew's name is Wormwood and the devil's name is Screwtape. Wormwood needs advice frome his uncle, Screwtape of what to do to temp people to do what he wants them to. Screwtape tells Wormwood about what to watch out and what to go for target. As a person reads this book, they should be careful what the devil looks for and what he hates. Screwtape tells Wormwood what to do by writing letters to him. This book is interesting because what C.S. Lewis is saying is true.

The setting of this book is probably in Hell, writing to Wormwood. I think my favorite part was when Screwtape explained to him about the temptations of evil is not easy to not do because when people want to do something they want to do but its illegal, they fall into the greatest sin and that is temptation. I get these temptations too by either playing games when I'm not supposed to and other temptations. I like this phrase because I think in my life, temptation is the most sin I lack on. I think that I have to watch out for this sin because it is not good to fall into temptation.

i chose to read this book because my teacher and my sister wanted me to read this. When I looked at the pages and the words, I was shocked and didn't want o read, but when I read the first few pages, the book was getting intereasting. As I read this book, I knew I was living my life wrong. This book tells me what to watch out for and what to do to get the devil out of my life. This book is like the advice Screwtape is telling Wormwood.