Review
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To the question of whether the world really needs another biography of C.S. Lewis, McGrath's lucid and
unsentimental portrait of the Christian champion responds with a resounding "yes." The year 2013 marks the 50th
anniversary of Lewis's death, and times have changed and evangelical sentiments have matured. McGrath offers a new and
at times shocking look into the complicated life of this complex figure, in a deeply researched biography. The author
takes us headlong into the heart of a Lewis we've known little about: his unconventional affair with Mrs. Jane Moore;
his hostile and deceptive relationship with his her; his curiosity about the ity of cruelty. McGrath navigates
the reader through these messy themes, ultimately landing us onto the solid ground of Lewis's postconversion legacy. He
shows with skill, sympathy, dispassion, and engaging prose that Lewis, like the rest of us, did the best he could with
the hand he was dealt. But he got over it, as must all those who would prefer a Lewis without shadows.--Publishers
Weekly
McGrath does this so limpidly, so intelligently, and so sympathetically that this biography is the one Lewis'
admirers--especially those who, like him, believe that books are to be read and enjoyed--should prefer to all
others.--Booklist
A thoroughly researched yet very readable, chronological account of C.S. Lewis' life, his literature, and his journey
from atheism to Christianity. Fifty years after his death, the words of Lewis continue to inspire many, and McGrath's
biography may help to unravel some of the mystery behind his eccentric mind. Staff Pick--ForeWord Reviews
An excellent scholarly read encompassing new ideas for Lewis devotees or those interested in religious argument.--Kirkus
Reviews
Rather than canonizing Lewis, McGrath's meticulously detailed book succeeds in humanizing him.--Patheos.com
There have been plenty of biographies of Lewis--I once wrote one myself--but I do not think there has been a better one
than Alister McGrath's. He is a punctilious and enthusiastic reader of all Lewis's work--the children's stories, the
science fiction, the Christian apologetics and the excellent literary criticism and literary history. He is from
Northern Ireland, as Lewis was himself, and he is especially astute about drawing out the essentially Northern Irish
qualities of this very odd man. And he is sympathetic to the real oddness of his story.--A. N. Wilson, TheDailyBeast.com
On the 50th anniversary of his death, this new C. S. Lewis biography succeeds in deepening the appeal of his works...The
most abiding gift of "C. S. Lewis: A Life" is its fierce curiosity about the novels, letters, and books of popular
philosophy that are Lewis' most substantial legacy. McGrath's biography promises to introduce new readers to those
works--and inspire veteran C. S. Lewis fans to visit them again.--Christian Science Monitor
If you're looking for a lively, general introduction to this multitalented thinker and writer, Alister McGrath's new
biography is a good place to start.--Washington Post Book World
Alister McGrath's "C. S. Lewis: A Life" now supplies a welcome balance, along with some significant discoveries. Mr.
McGrath is well placed, culturally speaking, to understand and sympathize with Lewis. . . . One comes away with a
renewed sympathy for a provocative, perceptive, contrarian and somewhat tormented soul--Wall Street Journal
McGrath is not intimidated by Lewis nor overly reverential of him; but he shows him a professional respect that ought to
silence those who dismiss Lewis as a theological amateur. He points out that under its clothing of reasoned argument,
Lewis' theology is always founded on a profoundly aesthetic effort: to draw us a picture of the Christian universe and
our place in it that moves, attracts and persuades us, so that we say: yes, this is what life is really like, and how
much more real it is than we ever imagined. A powerful achievement.--The
From the Back Cover
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In honor of the 50th anniversary of C. S. Lewis's death, the celebrated Oxford don Dr. Alister McGrath
presents us with a compelling and definitive portrait of the life of C. S. Lewis, the author of the well-known Narnia
series. For more than half a century, C. S. Lewis's Narnia series has captured the imaginations of millions. In "C. S.
Lewis--A Life," Dr. Alister McGrath recounts the unlikely path of this Oxford don, who spent his days teaching English
literature to the brightest students in the world and his spare time writing a bestselling fantasy series for children.
Dr. McGrath uses his extensive research and thorough examination in chronological order of Lewis's correspondence and
archival materials to present a new picture of Lewis's life. This definitive biography paints a portrait of an eccentric
thinker who became a compelling, though reluctant, prophet for our times. You won't want to miss this fascinating
portrayal of a creative genius who inspired generations. Alister McGrath is Professor of Theology, Ministry, and
Education at King's College London and head of its Center for Theology, Religion and Culture. Before moving to King's
College, he was Professor of Historical Theology at Oxford University and is currently Senior Research Fellow at Harris
Manchester College at Oxford. Dr. McGrath is a bestselling author of more than 50 books and a popular speaker, traveling
the world every year to speak at various conferences.
