The Screwtape Letters (with Screwtape Proposes a Toast) (1942)

This is a series of letters from Screwtape a demon in the lower echelon of hell, to his nephew a demon on earth that tempts people. They are one sided letters, you never see the nephew's responses. For the most part I could easily figure out what Screwtape was referring too, but occasionally I would have to stop and read things again. At the end of the letters there is a speech that Screwtape gave to the graduating class of temptors college. I love C.S. Lewis and have always wanted to get around to reading this book. I am very glad I read it. ( )

I don't know where to start with reviewing The Screwtape Letters. Perhaps with the fact -- probably already well-known to people who get my reviews in their inbox -- that I am not a Christian, but a Unitarian Universalist. But I do love reading C. S. Lewis' work: I think he was very good as using cool intellect and reason to examine himself in his faith (not just the faith of others, which would likely be unbearably holier-than-thou), a process myself and other UUs tend to value highly. He was ready to think about his faith, and seek answers -- or understanding, at least -- of things others deem unfathomable, the whys of things.

The Screwtape letters is a fictional frame for more of that work, really. He examines the ways that people are lead away from their faiths, not just through large sins like unchastity but through being proud of humility, for example... And the way he puts this makes it not only an examination of Christian goodness, but general moral goodness.

Definitely worth a read for that, and amusing in it's own way, as well -- old Uncle Screwtape's unfortunate transformation, for example. ( )

4 copies

I really liked this book overall, but I would have liked it even more if it weren't for Lewis's doctrinal differences. The major difference is that Lewis apparently believed people could lose their salvation. This belief drives the plot of the book. (The devils are trying to get the Christians to lose their salvation.) ( )

I didn't particularly care for this book. I'm not a religious person -I fall squarely into agnostic territory- and I have a hard time accepting the idea that my afterlife choices are A) to get into "Heaven" or B) to be the main course in "Hell".

There were some funny parts, namely where Screwtape is describing the girl that Wormwood's patient is in love with. But overall, I felt like this book was a little too serious for my taste.

On the other hand, if viewed entirely as an examination of human nature, this book was very interesting, especially the section pertaining to the Generous Conflict Illusion. I can't say that I would recommend the book on the basis of the religious aspects, but the human nature aspects were insightful enough to bump my rating up to 3 stars. ( )