Product Description

An ECPA 2003 Gold Medallion Finalist!Listed in Booklist's Best Adult Religion Books of the Year in 2002!His books have sold millions, including classics like Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Yet C. S. Lewis was not always a literary giant of Christian faith. How did he leave behind a staunch atheism to become one of the most beloved and renowned Christian authors of our time?Other biographies of Lewis explore his childhood or his dramatic conversion to Christianity. But as David Downing reveals in this fascinating book, the rarely discussed period from Lewis's childhood to his early thirties took him on a tumultuous journey of spiritual and intellectual exploration before he became a "most reluctant convert." It was not despite this journey but precisely because of it that Lewis understood the search for life's ultimate meaning so well and went on to become one of the most compelling authors of the twentieth century. Weaving the people, places and events of Lewis's life together with excerpts from Lewis's own writing, Downing shows how Lewis's spiritual quest can also light the path for other seekers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1755761 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Since C.S. Lewis himself wrote two accounts of his conversion to Christianity (one being allegorical), is there any need for another? Downing, an English professor and noted Lewis researcher, answers this question well in the course of this very thorough work. While covering the same ground as Lewis's own Surprised by Joy, Downing focuses on the interior developments in Lewis's thought rather than retelling his conversion story. This difference in intent makes for a drier tone, but it also allows for a much deeper analysis. Downing's careful research uncovers many relevant passages for Lewis's various stages of thought, particularly from unpublished letters. He convincingly shows how reflective themes from Lewis's earliest days imagination and analysis, progress and tradition, flesh and spirit were developed, challenged, held in tension and resolved. In exploring the impact of Lewis's mother's early death and his strained relationship with his father, Downing keeps closely to the primary sources. This spiritual biography will function as a series of excellent explanatory notes alongside Lewis's narrative account, giving the sort of detail that true fans delight in. A pleasant surprise awaits readers at the end of the book, as Downing abandons his unadorned tone in favor of an imaginative exploration of Lewis's actual "final" conversion. Although he admits to its speculative nature, the narrative's firm foundation in Lewis's thoughts makes it a plausible and joyful creative journey.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Over the years, a number of good biographies of Lewis, the perennially popular Christian apologist, have been published. George Sayer's Jack: A Life of C.S. Lewis is probably the least controversial of them, while A.N. Wilson's C.S. Lewis: A Biography is likely the most. This portrait by Downing (English, Elizabethtown Coll.; Planets in Peril) is unique in that it treats one aspect of Lewis's life: his conversion from atheism to Christianity. Focusing on his subject's inner journey, Downing considers the effect on Lewis of his mother's death; his estrangement from his father; the influence of a rationalist, atheistic, but well-loved mentor; his early interest in the occult and paranormal; and the trench warfare he experienced in World War I. Making use of both published and unpublished writings, Downing shows a deep understanding of Lewis and writes in a flowing style. For more than 25 years, Nicholi (psychiatry, Harvard Medical Sch.) has offered a course in which he compares the thought and life of the atheist Freud with that of Lewis as a way to consider questions about the existence of God, love, sex, and the meaning of life. Nicholi generally maintains a balanced view, letting Freud's and Lewis's words and actions speak for themselves. He examines why Freud remained an unbeliever (though not an unthinking one) and why Lewis accepted Christianity. While his sympathies obviously lie on the side of faith, Nicholi nevertheless offers a balanced view of Freud. Both books are well written and worthy additions to the rapidly growing literature on Lewis, although Nicholi's will probably appeal to a broader audience. Augustine J. Curley, Newark Abbey, NJ
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile
A C.S. Lewis scholar and professor of English, Downing offers a thoughtful examination of the great man's journey from disbelief to eloquent proponent of Christianity. The cultural and religious climate in his native Northern Ireland, his childhood and boarding school experiences, and the loss of his mother at age 9 all affected Lewis emotionally and complicated his ability to settle into a religious faith. Filled with interesting detail about the intellectual and spiritual communities that surrounded Lewis, the analysis is impressive without sounding academic or intellectual. A degree of suspense pervades the narrative as Lewis bobs and weaves around his conflicts, eventually finding his life's passion and purpose. T.W. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine