David C. Downing

C. S. Lewis was a complex person. On the one hand, he was an intellectual Christian apologist who published Mere Christianity, Miracles, and The Four Loves. On the other hand, he's probably more famous now for his Chronicles of Narnia and Space Trilogy.

In Into the Region of Awe, Downing traces the mystical influences in Lewis' writing. Drawing not only on his major published works, but also letters and marginalia from Lewis' own library, he shows the influence that mystics like John of the show more Cross and Julian of Norwich had on his Christian life and thought.

Especially interesting for me was the chapter dedicated to Lewis' Space Trilogy. I read these books in high school but much of the theological and mystical depth was lost on me. Downing's survey of these books makes me want to return and read them again.

As you might expect from such a rigorous thinker, Lewis didn't swallow all forms of Christian mysticism uncritically. Fortunately, he was able to avoid the stifling skepticism that so often plagues intellectuals.

If you read C. S. Lewis, you will likely enjoy Downing's Into the Region of Awe. show less

This is a diverting enough adventure story - a sort of Dan Brown-esque quest for Arthurian legends, sprinkled with a little bit of Christian intellectual thought from the Inklings, and, of course, a will-they-won't-they romantic sub-plot.

The whole concept is pretty preposterous: two Americans in Oxford in 1940 both just happen to reach for the same book in Blackwell's (possibly the best bookshop in the world, btw). Tom is a doctoral student writing a guidebook on Arthurian sites in the UK, show more and Laura is living with her aunt to look after her during the war. But she also just happens to have 5 recurring dreams involving crosses, knights and abbeys. As you do.

As Tom and Laura travel around various sites of interest in a sort of grail quest there are shadowy figures lurking in the background following them, and a dapper Dutchman who is fond of religious relics. Somehow, Tom gets invited into the fold of the Inklings, the Oxford group which included CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien and Charles Williams, amongst others, and where the novel works best is in these moments. Lifting quotes from letters, books and other sources, Downing creates a very real sense of the intellectual banter and the astonishing learning of these men. The discussions on Christianity and myths is often poignantly set against the 1940 setting, as Britain struggles to hold off the Nazi menace.

Like Dan Brown (who Downing happily seems to take a few swipes at), this is all hokum. The quest or chase elements are pretty sedentary, to be honest, so if you are looking for a rip-roaring adventure then this isn't for you. It's quite wordy - lots of conversations and deep thinking, which is fine if you are interested in it (which I was), but probably not so much if you aren't interested in the Inklings group.

All in all, this was fine. Nothing startling, quite diverting, but also pretty much as predictable as you can imagine. Harmless fun, with the benefit of some decent research and a loving nod to the Inklings. 2.5 stars, rounded up because of my interest in the Inklings! show less

There’s so much I loved about this book…

- Lewis, Tolkien, and the other Inklings. I loved the author’s imaginings of how they would be, talk, and interact in real life.
- All the Arthurian legends and references. It really brought back memories of my own college studies, books read, and travels throughout England.
- All the references to places in England I’ve been before, especially Oxford and Glastonbury.

… and so much I struggled with.

- The commas outside quotation marks when they show more should have been inside. Every. Single. Time.
- Tom as a character. Talking over Laura and sometimes in direct opposition to her wishes.
- Plot points and nuances others have already mentioned (and more effectively than I would have done).

So, 5 stars for general Inklings geekery; 3 stars for grammar, plot, and characterization. show less

If "Surprised by Joy" was C.S. Lewis's spiritual autobiography, then "The Most Reluctant Convert" is his spiritual biography. David C. Downing covers much the same ground, taking the reader through the various stages of his spiritual journey, from atheism through idealism, materialism, spiritualism, etc., to theism and then, in mid-life, to Christianity. What Downing adds is amplification gleaned from other books by Lewis, as well as from his many letters to friends during his long struggle show more to find something he could believe in. show less