I have read "Screwtape Letters" and "Mere Christianity" before. Recently, listening to the audio books has once again rekindled my enjoyment of this great thinker and writer. A few years ago, when I read "Screwtape Letters" with a friend, he remarked that Lewis could be regarded as prophetic in certain aspects. Now, as I listen to "Screwtape Letters" again, I truly understand what he meant, especially concerning the decline of individuality and excellence in the name of equality. ("I'm as good as you" = envy, as seen in "Screwtape Proposes a Toast").
By listening to all four books within a relatively short time frame, I have gained a deeper understanding of Lewis's theology. Although he was not orthodox (his statements about total depravity are un-Calvinistic yet highly thought-provoking to me), I highly appreciate his insights (I would even go so far as to say his brilliance) and imagination. I truly wish he were still alive, giving lectures. However, we should be grateful to God for the printing press and recording equipment, which allow us to still access and enjoy his works.
I've only listened to The Screwtape Letters up until now, and that was the primary reason I decided to pick up this particular work. The reader did an outstanding job of portraying a sense of superiority and creepiness, which truly enhanced the overall experience. This was an extremely interesting piece of Christian philosophy, presented in a truly one-of-a-kind manner. The afterword, where Screwtape gives a commencement address to the Tempters College, is such a scathing criticism of the state of modern education. It should be mandatory reading for all those individuals in Congress and the Legislature who pass laws regarding schools yet have absolutely no idea about what actually goes on within them. I'm really looking forward to delving into and reading some of the other books within this collection.
I have recently finished reading "THE PROBLEM OF PAIN". It was a rather challenging read as it requires one to pay close attention. There are numerous "psychology logic operators" such as "if then", "or" and "while" etc. One can easily get lost if a "Logic Operator" (a term I coined myself, not sure if it's a real one) is missed and the context is accidentally reversed. So, one really has to take it slow. However, for some people, it might be easier.
Currently, I am reading "The Screw tape Letters" which is written in the first person from the perspective of the Devil. This makes it a bit difficult as everything that is said has to be taken as the opposite. For example, the Devil might say "we want the Patient to be in a good state of mind so they are easily made jealous of each other". To understand what's really going on, one has to be an active reader and reverse everything in their head. Or when it says "We want the Patient to have good friends to help him", it actually means a bad group of friends to lead him astray. It's kind of tricky, but it's a really good read for Christians.
"Mere Christianity" was by far the most amazing book I have read to date. At 27 years old, I have never come across anything as remarkable as this. This book lays it all out and answers a lot of tough questions. CS LEWIS is simply amazing and I don't know what else to say. There has never been a book quite like this before. I highly recommend it to everyone.
"The Great Divorce" was also a great book. It was kind of light-hearted and had some funny parts in it. Although it was a fictional book, like all of CS LEWIS's works, it had underlying meanings about heaven and hell. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to get started on my next CS LEWIS book.