What’s your favorite C.S. Lewis book?
Last year, while looking through my local bookstore for a particular book by C.S. Lewis, I stumbled across several books of his that I wasn’t at all familiar with. I’d venture to say that most English-speaking Christians (and no doubt many non-English speaking ones as well) know Lewis’ Narnia books quite well. And some of his more overtly theological books, like Mere Christianity or The Great Divorce, are well-known and easy to find.
But the subject of Lewis’ lesser-known works came to mind again today when I came across a lengthy analysis of one of Lewis’ more obscure works of social commentary. It sounds fascinating—and it makes me wonder what other Lewis books are worth tracking down. A check of Wikipedia confirms that Lewis authored a truly huge number of books and essays.
What’s your favorite C.S. Lewis book? Is it one of his Narnia classics, or a work that has so far passed under the radar of mainstream notice? If you’re a Lewis expert, what books of his would you recommend to someone who has read his well-known works and wants to explore his ideas further?
His Space Trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength) is a must read.
Till We Have Faces is a difficult an powerful book.
I require all my high school students to read the above and The Great Divorce.
My latest favorite (I had never read it till last month) was Letters to Malcomb: Chiefly on Prayer.
I loved the Screwtape Letters. It’s an altogther lovely book and perhaps is among the most readable Christian book.
The Problem of Pain has been a great help to me, & to others to whom I have introduced it. I am a huge fan of his, & have been for many years, but this seems to be the time for this book to step forward from my library.
I loved the Narnia Chronicles, but Till we have Faces was very powerful.