Beloved by children and adults worldwide, the writings of C. S. Lewis have a broad and enduring appeal. Although he is best known for the iconic Chronicles of Narnia series, C. S. Lewis was actually a man of many literary parts. Already well-known as a scholar in the 1930's, he became a famous broadcaster during World War Two and wrote in many genres, including satire (The Screwtape Letters), science fiction (Perelandra), a novel (Till We Have Faces), and many other books on Christian belief, such as Mere Christianity and Miracles. His few sermons remain touchstones of their type. In addition to these, Lewis wrote hundreds of poems and articles on social and cultural issues, many books and articles in his field of literary criticism and history, and thousands of letters. At Oxford University he became a charismatic lecturer and conversationalist. Taken together, his writings have engaged and influenced, often very deeply, millions of readers. Now Lewis societies, television documentaries, movies, radio plays, and theatrical treatments of his work and life have become common, and he is frequently quoted by journalists, critics, and public thinkers. This Very Short Introduction delves into the vast corpus of C. S. Lewis's work, discussing its core themes and lasting appeal. As James Como shows, C. S. Lewis's life is just as interesting as his work. A complex man, he came to his knowledge, beliefs, and wisdom only after much tortuous soul-searching and many painful events. Moving chronologically through Lewis's life, Como provides throughout a picture of the whole man, his work, and his enduring legacy. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

C. S. Lewis: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

Biographies & Memoirs

Como, James

Arts & Literature

Oxford University Press

Reading WHY I BELIEVE IN NARNIA provides a panoramic view of C. S. Lewis' multi-faceted genius and its application in fields as diverse as social criticism and children's literature. WHY I BELIEVE gathers reviews and essays that span Prof. James Como's many years as a preeminent Lewis scholar, to which the author of Remembering C.S. Lewis and Branches to Heaven has added several new entries. Chapters range from reviews of critical books, documentaries and movies to evaluations of Lewis's books to biographical analysis. In addition to close-up looks, Como reflects on the "big picture" of the most important contributions Lewis has made, not just in literature, but as a social philosopher and reformer. For the serious student of C. S. Lewis, WHY I BELIEVE IN NARNIA is an invaluable tool for appreciating the breadth and depth of Lewis' thinking. "By this book, Jim Como shows himself to be the Babe Ruth of C. S. Lewis critics. With each reading of these forceful essays I gain a greater insight into the man behind the books." Walter Hooper, Literary Adviser to the Estate of C.S. Lewis, author of: C.S. Lewis, A Companion and Guide. "A valuable, wide-ranging collection of essays by one of the best informed and most astute commentators on Lewis' work and ideas." Peter Schakel, professor, Hope College, author of: Imagination and the Arts in C.S. Lewis "Lewis remarked that the more the Bible is translated, the less people read it. It would be possible that the more people write commentaries on Lewis, the less we read Lewis himself. That cannot be said of these reviews and essays. Como is the rare man who has so absorbed Lewis that one senses the man through him. I cannot think of anyone whose critiques would have pleased Lewis more." George W. Rutler, pastor, Church of Our Savior, NYC, author of Coincidently: Unserious Reflections on Trivial Connections. "James Como writes enthusiastically and vividly. His love of C. S. Lewis shines through every sentence. This book should be read by all Lewis fans as well as by the general reader who would like to know more about Lewis." Ian Ker, John Henry Newman scholar, Oxford University, author of: Mere Catholicism.

Why I Believe in Narnia: 33 Reviews & Essays on the Life & Works of C.S. Lewis

Literature & Fiction

History & Criticism

Winged Lion Press, LLC

Of Edmund Spenser, C. S. Lewis wrote, "his work is one, like a growing thing, a tree with branches to heaven and roots to hell. And in between these two extremes comes all the multiplicity of human life." This book seeks to demonstrate the aptness of that quotation when applied to Lewis himself. From his deepest emotional and psychological landscape, to his prevailing temperament, and then to his training, Lewis marshaled his magnificent rhetorical skills on behalf of his vocation: to make Christianity a reasonable and inviting alternative to doubters. In this--and through the many genres of which he was a master--he never wavered. These are the branches--"the available means of persuasion," as Aristotle put it. Sources, influences, experience and his very self: these are the roots. A close look at these, with a combination of argument, critical analysis, and some fresh connections, finally yield an unexpected portrait. C. S. Lewis and his work are indeed one, with deeper roots and loftier branches than the current reputation of the master and his avuncular persona suggest.

Branches to Heaven: The Geniuses of C. S. Lewis (C. S. Lewis Secondary Studies)

Politics & Social Sciences

Philosophy

Wipf and Stock

Inthis intimate, candid, and sometimes surprising community biography of the celebrated author and Christian apologist, twenty-four men and women who knew C.S. Lewis?as teacher, colleague, friend?offer their reminiscences and impressions of the complex man behind the critical and academic acclaim. Through their recollections, we see “Jack” Lewis dazzling Oxford as he takes on atheists, materialists, and a host of other challengers. Most poignantly, we see him in everyday settings: striding up and down the platform at a railroad station, presiding over leisurely dinners with students, expounding on the virtues of the pub. “The net effect of this collection,” said the Catholic Review, “is to make us feel that we know Lewis as well as [his] friends.” And to quote the New Yorker, “The heterogeneity of the contributors assures a variety of Lewises, but certain traits appear in all these accounts: intelligence, imagination, gusto, a sense of fun, and, most frequently, magnanimity.”

Remembering C.S. Lewis: Recollections of Those Who Knew Him

History

Ignatius Press

One of the twentieth century's most widely read writers and its most influential Christian apologist, C.S. Lewis has nevertheless eluded the understanding of the numerous scholars who have approached him only as a religious thinker and man of letters. A new book by a leading Lewis authority explores the full range of his manifold genius and finds for the first time the surprising secret of Lewis's enduring literary and spiritual achievement. 
It will astonish Lewis's admirers and critics alike to learn that he was far from the settled convert he appeared to be. Yet this very unsettledness, which Lewis himself found alarming, was the source of the appealing tension in his work and of his unrelenting commitment to his apologetic vocation. It was in the service of this vocation that he exercised his overarching rhetorical genius-a dazzling adroitness at suiting word, voice, and argument to a particular purpose-always militant, compelling, and persuasive. As Professor Como explores Lewis's hitherto uncharted inner landscape-the core of both his spiritual insight and his intellectual greatness-there emerges a more complex and integrated figure than we have known before. 
The publication of Branches to Heaven coincides with the centenary of Lewis's birth, an occasion of heightened attention to Lewis and his work throughout the English-speaking world. It is available with a companion volume from Spence Publishing, C.S. Lewis: Memories and Reflections by John Lawlor, a moving and insightful account of the author's thirty-year friendship with Lewis.

Branches to Heaven: The Geniuses of C.S. Lewis

Silence

Spence Publishing Company

In Mystical Perelandra, Como draws us into the mysterious heart of the reader’s experience, living within rather than merely analyzing Lewis’ literary vision. The result is alchemical, poetic, and mercurial, a narrative spiritual theology where we imbibe the transcendent nature of Ransom’s planetary journey through Como’s imaginative, sacramental, life-integrated, mystical experience as a reader. And we are all the richer for his efforts. Como’s reflections on Perelandra transport us, like Ransom, to a world of myth and meaning much greater than a book. Brenton Dickieson, author of the popular blog APilgrimInNarnia.com and Lecturer of Literature at several universities

Mystical Perelandra: My Lifelong Reading of C.S. Lewis and His Favorite Book

Winged Lion Press

"In Mystical Perelandra, Como draws us into the mysterious heart of the reader’s experience, living within rather than merely analyzing Lewis’ literary vision. The result is alchemical, poetic, and mercurial, a narrative spiritual theology where we imbibe the transcendent nature of Ransom’s planetary journey through Como’s imaginative, sacramental, life-integrated, mystical experience as a reader. And we are all the richer for his efforts. Como’s reflections on Perelandra transport us, like Ransom, to a world of myth and meaning much greater than a book." 
Brenton Dickieson, 
Author of the popular blog PilgrimInNarnia.com and Lecturer of Literature at several universities

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Como, James. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Como, James

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Como, James. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

C. S. Lewis: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

Why I Believe in Narnia: 33 Reviews & Essays on the Life & Works of C.S. Lewis

Branches to Heaven: The Geniuses of C. S. Lewis (C. S. Lewis Secondary Studies)

Remembering C.S. Lewis: Recollections of Those Who Knew Him

Branches to Heaven: The Geniuses of C.S. Lewis

Mystical Perelandra: My Lifelong Reading of C.S. Lewis and His Favorite Book

Mystical Perelandra: My Lifelong Reading of C.S. Lewis and His Favorite Book