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Saturday, July 24, 2010

Clive Staples Lewis (1898 - 1963)

My son Chris gave me the book Yours, Jack by C.S. Lewis to take a look at. And I began to do just that this morning. From the jacket:

"C.S. Lewis spent a good portion of each day corresponding with people via hand-written letters. Over his lifetime he wrote thousands of letters in which he offered his friends and acquaintances advice on the Christian life, giving away a bit of himself to each of these correspondents as he signed his notes with a heartfelt and familiar, ‘yours, Jack.’ Most of these letters are currently only available in their entirety – a collection consisting of three hefty tomes. Yours, Jack features the best inspirational readings and sage counsel culled from C.S. Lewis’s letters, offering an accessible look at this great author’s personal vision for the spiritual life.”

I am always taken back by the lengthy and detailed letters that were once almost common place; carefully crafted hand written missives detailing both ordinary life as well as the most private of thoughts. I believe this will be an interesting book to read as C.S. Lewis, the man, emerges.


15 June 1930 [age 32]

“We read of spiritual efforts, and our imagination makes us believe that, because we enjoy the idea of doing them, we have done them. I am appalled to see how much of the change which I thought I had undergone lately was only imaginary. The real work seems still to be done. It is so fatally easy to confuse an aesthetic appreciation of the spiritual life with the life itself – to dream that you have waked, washed, and dressed, and then to find yourself still in bed…”

Yes, this will be an interesting – and inspirational - read.

~~~

2 comments:

  1. I have to admit Brenda I've never read a complete work of his - only bits and pieces, here and there. I think now, though, it's time I do that!

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