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The Life and Writings of C. S. Lewis cover art

The Life and Writings of C. S. Lewis

By: Louis Markos,The Great Courses
Narrated by: Louis Markos
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Summary

What can we still learn from C.S. Lewis? Find out in these 12 insightful lectures that cover the author's spiritual autobiography, novels, and his scholarly writings that reflect on pain and grief, love and friendship, prophecy and miracles, and education and mythology.

This is your chance to explore a canon of literary work that speaks volumes about the imaginative, emotional, and spiritual power of literature. As you delve into the depths of enduring works such as the Chronicles of Narnia, The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, and Till We Have Faces, you'll consider a range of questions central to truly understanding why C.S. Lewis has had such a profound impact on 20th-century readers.

From the magisterial Oxford History of English Literature to children's fantasy series, how did Lewis write with such brilliance and coherence in so many distinct fields? What were the people, events, and influences that shaped his thought, his character, and the spiritual drama at his life's core? What do Lewis's fictional and factual autobiographies reveal about his conversion and his efforts to explain and defend Christianity? How do his writings help readers come to grips with perennial spiritual questions involving miracles, suffering, sin, and salvation?

Join Professor Markos for an eye-opening examination of why Lewis - the Oxbridge don and self-described, "very ordinary layman of the Church of England," touches millions of readers so deeply and is considered the most widely read Christian spokesman of our time.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2000 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2000 The Great Courses

What listeners say about The Life and Writings of C. S. Lewis

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Too much too fast, nothing like enough on Narnia

This was fascinating and I really enjoyed it. But it went at such a breakneck speed that, on occasions, it gave me a headache and I just had to turn it off for a while. I would LOVE to hear this in more detail over an extra 3 or 4 lectures. I was willing Markos to go deeper into all the Chronicles of Narnia. He definitely left me wanting to know more about CS Lewis but if I had time for research, I wouldn’t be listening to audiobooks!

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Outstanding lecture series!

This has got to be one of my favourite series of lectures from 'The Great Courses' collection. Each one is meticulously researched and so passionately delivered that one cannot help but be inspired by them.

As a fan of C.S. Lewis's work even from a very young age I was compelled to find out more about what inspired him to write such memorable essays and stories for children and adults.

The lecturer, Professor Louis Markos, really knows his stuff and I highly recommend this insightful series to anyone who wants to find out more about this great and prolific author.

Well deserved five stars!

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Very enjoyable

I had read the Chronicles of Narnia as a child and have a certain fondness for them and had stumbled upon a number of Lewis' other books later in life so I had read the books he is well known for but not much more. I found this a thoroughly enjoyable investment of time in finding out a bit more about Lewis and understanding some of themes that tie through his work. The lecturer is engaged in the topic and is clearly a fan of Lewis and this enthusiasm comes through in the presentation. As with all of the Great Course series - I do find that you need to ease into the style and content and it is not comparable to listening to a novel or audio drama - but is so worthwhile once you get into it.

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The enthusiasm is offputting

Professor Markos is a very fine scholar but unfortunately - to my mind at least- his excitability obscures his scholarship when the subject matter borders on the religious. Listening to him giving these lectures is exhausting. It’s like standing near a roadside preacher who is trying every trick he knows to stop you from passing by. And I speak as a Christian.

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Enthusiastic reader made this great

Excellent and entertaining. Learnt a lot about CS Lewis. I hope to hear more Thank you

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Wonderfully reminiscent

Listening to this lecture brought back memories of how listening to them affected my life. I remembered the place and the lessons I learned from the books, this especially for the Narnia books. I hadn't listened to some of the books like the great divorce. I look forward to enjoying more of C.S Lewis.
I know one thing that C.S Lewis is the one referred to in the final quest. That famous writer who wanted to grind up his writings into powder. If Lewis with such wonderful insights says that, how high the standards of God are.

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Offputting

I really enjoyed the Narnia books when I was younger and usually like listening to biographical works, but I should have spotted this came from a Baptist university lecturer. I preferred Narnia when I didn’t know how CS Lewis had used it to portray a basically Evangelical Christian faith. Today Evangelicals are doing all they can to control society and involve themselves in right-wing politics and it is not pleasant.

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Good story, too much preaching

I went into this with a relatively open mind, both eager to learn about CS Lewis, and to be challenged on various points of religious doctrine. But I found that the lecturer often got in the way of Lewis himself. It was unclear what the lecturer wanted to convey and what was really Lewis. He didn’t seem to question and evaluate, but mainly to preach.

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This guy is Passionate about Lewis

I really enjoyed listening to these lectures.

I shall put more of Lewis's works in my library now for sure, not just The Chronicles.

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ENJOYABLE PERFORMANCE, EVEN IF IT DID SEEM A BIT PREACHY!

I didn’t get this for any spiritual reason, just because _ even as some who is born and living in Northern Ireland _ I wanted to know more about him. Enjoyed the performance, even if I didn’t agree with some views and it did seem preachy at times.

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