Screwtape Proposes a Toast: And Other Pieces

by C.S. Lewis

Mass market Macmillan Paperbacks, with a new preface by the author.

Genres: Christian, Fiction, Religion, Theology, Fantasy, Classics, Christianity

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Clive Staples Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954. He was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures.

Lewis was married to poet Joy Davidman.
W.H. Lewis was his elder brother]

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

C.S. Lewis has the gift of discussing large, complicated concepts in plain, clear language. He is able to unmask hidden contradictions, untangle elusive paradoxes and boil things down to their essentials. For instance, in "Screwtape Proposes a Toast," he shows us that "democracy," when taken to unhealthy extremes, is really people saying, "I'm just as good as you are"; what's more, it is a symptom of a deep-seated inferiority complex and can actually lead to the destruction of individual liberty.

This doesn't mean that Lewis' prose is simple. In fact, there were spots where I had some trouble working out his meaning. But these essays are the kind that warrant revisiting and reward repeated scrutiny.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Screwtape Proposes a Toast is not a continuation of The Screwtape Letters. Lewis uses the same form and technique as The Letters, but the subject matter and tone are different. The Letters focused on individual temptation while A Toast is about the nature of government and education and their effects on societal moral development. A Toast is, also, much shorter than the Letters, originally published as a magazine article.


I enjoyed Screwtape Proposes a Toast. As an educator, I found myself in complete agreement with Lewis’ main points about education and excellence. Here is a sampling.

What I want to fix your attention on is the vast, overall movement towards the discrediting, and finally elimination, of every kind of human excellence-moral, cultural, social, social or intellectual.

My criticism of this book is that the arguments didn't always seem to flow seamlessly. I don't think that A Toast was perfectly executed, but, with a little effort, it is accessible. Certainly, what Lewis has to say remains relevant and is worth the effort.

[Sunshine Rodgers · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my absolute favorite books is "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis. So naturally I had to read "Screwtape Proposes a Toast and other pieces" by Lewis. I love reading ANYTHING by Lewis...I can't go wrong with any of his books...his voice/message/content really speaks to me. With that said, even though 'Screwtape Proposes a Toast' was witty and clever...I felt like it didn't *really* have to be written. The original story of Screwtape was perfect as is. The other pieces in this book were sermons, essays and speeches. I must admit, I prefer Lewis' fiction books to these "other pieces." At times, I felt a little bored reading through his essays. I thought "the weight of glory" was the best "piece" which was a sermon message he taught at a church in Oxford. So out of the 120 pages of this book, only 20 are devoted to "Screwtape." Though I won't be re-reading this book...it was enjoyable for when I did read through it....and again, I always love hearing from C.S. Lewis!!

[John Yelverton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The scariest part about this book, is you would think it was written last week about issues facing the world today, which I guess is pretty much the point. Pun not intended, his arguments concerning exceptionalism are true exceptional.

[Tom Sussex · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else"

This book is an interesting collection of short essays from CS Lewis, with some really helpful pictures that describe our faith and earthly struggles.

[David Sarkies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Discourses on Modernism
27 September 2014

It was either 2001 or 2002 when I first discovered this book. My friend and I were exploring the maze in City Basement Books (which at the time was on Elizabeth Street in Melbourne, but has since moved to 342 Flinders Street in Melbourne, a fact that I have only just discovered) when my friend stumbled across this book in the religion section. My friend then exclaimed that 'The Weight of Glory' was his favourite C.S. Lewis essay of all time, and proceeded to purchase it, at which point I then borrowed the book and proceeded to read all of the essays therein.
I would have that say that it was this book that made me realise how great a philosopher C.S. Lewis actually was (because up until that point the only books of his that I had read where the Chronicles of Narnia, the Science-fiction trilogy, and the Screwtape Letters – I hadn't actually read any of his more philosophical works). It was also when I had decided that I would explore more of his philosophy (despite the introduction to the book suggesting that it is theology, my third reading of this book, as I will expound below, indicates that it is much more philosophical) and take an interest in such works. It was basically the beginning of my love affair with C.S. Lewis.
Since this book is a collection of essays, I feel that it may be better to look at each of the essays individually rather than discussing the book as a whole because each of these essays touch on slightly different topics. However, there are a couple of threads that hold each of them together. The first is that they all have a Christian foundation, and secondly they are all criticisms of modernism (and in a way beginning to touch on post-modernism, though at the time of writing post-modernism was still very much in its infancy).

Screwtape Proposes a Toast
Lewis had promised that he would never write anything along the lines of the Screwtape Letters again since he had said that the book itself was very draining upon his psyche. While he suggested that it wasn't necessarily a hard book to write, his inference is in fact the opposite – it was way too easy to write, suggesting that thinking like a demon and writing as if he were a demon, was something that he really did not want to delve into again. However, many years later, and after a lot of pressure to bring Screwtape back, he finally caved in and gave us this little gem.
Unlike the Screwtape Letters, which is a series of letters of instruction to a trainee demon, this is written as a speech given to a graduating class of demons. Also, the focus of the original book was on the life of a young man, where as the focus of this book is towards society as a whole. What we see, and learn, from this discourse, is how Lewis believes demons see modern society, and in particular democracy. Here Lewis holds nothing back, criticising the modern education system (and he is a very harsh critic of the system, especially since he was a lecturer at Oxford University), democracy, and modern society as a whole.
It is interesting to see him raise the concept of the 'Tall Poppy Syndrome', a syndrome that has been suggested is particularly Australian, yet Lewis clearly points out that it is something that also occurs in England. The idea is that society cannot let anybody get ahead, and if somebody manages to get ahead then the rest of society reacts by knocking them back down again. This, he suggests, also extends to education, where the more capable people in the class are held back so as not to allow the less capable feel left out. Mind you, society never turned out the way he suggested, in that the wealthy and the poor were all forced into the same government schools, however as it appears, unless you go to a private school, you tend to find yourself in the situation where the school caters to the lowest common denominator and as such the smarter students are hindered in being able to reach their potential (though Kevin Rudd went to a government school and managed to become Prime Minister of Australia).

Is Theology Poetry?
I will skip a couple of the discourses in this book because, well, there is not all that much to write about them, and anyway I can probably write a lot more about what I consider to be the major ones (and even then there are only two that I am going to skip). This discourse is an exploration of both theology and poetry and through this discourse Lewis does not just focus on Christian Theology but also the theology of Scientific Materialism.
He suggests that poetry is hard to define because it can actually take many forms. For instance Baudelaire wrote what is known as prose poetry suggesting that poetry does not need to take the form of verse nor does it need to use meter. However, my understanding is that poetry is a device that is used to create word pictures, and also a means to explore a concept using literary devices (though I would hardly call a modern essay poetry).
His exploration of Scientific Materialism is particularly interesting since he suggests that it is a form of tragedy that he compares with the life cycle of a human being. In a way that is not surprising because science tends to develop its theories through looking at the world around it, and as such the development of human civilisation is equated with the development of the individual person. In a way there is no room for an advanced civilisation existing prior to our own because from birth a human is always learning and growing until such a time as they reach the peak of their ability and then goes into decline.
Lewis suggests otherwise with Christian Mythology in that humanity started at a peak and then fell into decline, and it is only through the intervention of an outside force that humanity was able to be redeemed. In a way it is like a human who, at the peak of their ability, is suddenly struck down by a nasty disease and unless treatment is provided by a skilled professional, there is no hope for the survival of this particular human. To Lewis, the idea of the cycle of humanity as viewed by the materialists is little more than a tragedy.

On Obstinacy in Belief
This, to me, appeared to be a discourse on the use of language, particularly in relation to the use of the word believe. It is interesting how Lewis points out that the phrase 'I believe' tends not to be as strong as the phrase 'I do not believe'. For instance somebody who says 'I believe that tomorrow is going to be a nice day' suggests that it might be a nice day, but then again it might not. However, if the same person says 'I do not believe that economic rationalism works' the phrase tends to define this person's belief system in a way that no amount of arguments to the contrary are going to change that person's attitude (and yes, I am the person who will say 'I do not believe economic rationalism works', though I will not go into details here).
What Lewis is getting at is the idea that when somebody says 'I believe that Jesus is the Son of God' or 'I believe that Jesus is a good teacher' suggests an attitude that is not all that strong, however I would like to disagree in that regards. I actually don't believe that the two above statements are statements of assumption (on the same level as 'I believe tomorrow is going to be a nice day') but rather in line with the statement 'I do not believe that scientific rationalism works'.
It is funny that people seem to get into a real knot when one starts to explore the use of language to that extent. It seems that many people fear an exposition on the use of language, and I must say that I was one of those people, especially when I first discovered the theories of Wittgenstein. In fact, it appears that Lewis is borrowing from Wittgenstein's work in this discourse. However, I believe that this examination of the use of language is important because language is all about communication, and when people use language to communicate a certain point of view, one's use of language in this regard is very important.
Take for instance Andrew Bolt (who has been described by some as the Liberal Party's Minister of Propaganda) when he writes up his opinions on his blog, or in his column in the Murdoch press here in Australia, or on his television show The Bolt Report. His use of language is exactly what people like George Orwell is getting at, in that the way that he presents his opinions are presented as if they were facts, yet in the end they are little more than a biased opinion. What he does is that he mixes just enough truth into his opinion that when people read his column, unless they are aware of his bias and his political persuasion, are more likely than not to be swayed to his point of view (I could write a lot more in this topic, but instead I will leave it here and move onto the next discourse).

Transposition
This is a discourse on perceptions and worldviews, and here I begin to see elements of post-modernism and relativism. While the book describes it as a 'sermon delivered at Magdalen College' I am still of the opinion that it is more of a philosophical discourse on the idea of perception, or what Lewis describes, transposition.
The idea that Lewis actually explores is how somebody of a certain worldview attempts to reveal a belief to somebody of a different worldview, and this is a skill that many churches try to teach their parishioners when sharing their faith with their friends and colleges. The problem is, as Lewis explains, is that one's worldview limits the concepts that one can understand. For instance, somebody who has never experienced love will have a very hard time understanding the concept of love, just as somebody who has never been shown affection does not know how to show affection. Lewis uses the example of a brute only ever seeing love as an outpouring of lust, however the problem that I see here is that my understanding of what a 'brute' actually is (and I am not referring to the aftershave) does not allow me to see them as being able to show any form of affection whatsoever, even if it is only to feed one's lust.
So, this is where we move onto another concept, and that is the idea of the clash between scientific materialism and theism. What is suggested here is that the scientific-materialist worldview struggles to see anything beyond that which can be determined rationally and experimentally, and that is the problem when it comes to religion, namely it cannot be determined experimentally (though I would argue that it can be determined rationally). While I am not an enemy of science, and in fact believe that science has provided many great things that have enhanced our lifestyle considerably, I do not see it as the be all and end all of anything. There are many things that science cannot prove experimentally because we do not have access to any data that can prove this one way or another. For instance, science cannot prove the existence of the human soul (and as such there are many out there that do not believe in the existence of a soul), and in the same way science cannot necessarily prove the existence of consciousness, despite the fact that we can see the existence of this consciousness everytime we speak to another human (though I believe that advances in neurobiological science is changing that perception).
As such, science cannot prove God, and because science cannot prove God, there are many scientists out there that have determined that God does not exist. However, it is interesting that Jesus equates the existence of God with the wind, suggesting that while we cannot see the wind, we know the wind exists because the of responses of objects to the wind (such as a leaves fluttering, and the feel of the air passing over our face). Thus, it is suggested that like the wind, while we may not be able to see God, we can see the results of God's influence in the word, however, as C.S. Lewis indicates, only those of us who are open to the acceptance of the existence of a God are likely to perceive these interventions – those whose worldviews do not accept the existence of God will no doubt have other explanations for these events.

The Weight of Glory
At one time this was my favourite discourse in this little book (namely because my friend kept on talking it up) however having read this book a third time this particular discourse as fallen down in the rankings. It does not mean that it is a bad discourse, far from it, but rather my focus was on the other discourses in this volume.
The Weight of Glory is, as can be seen from the title, an exposition on the definition of the word glory (and once again we see Lewis exploring the uses of language). What he is doing here is creating another definition for the use of this word beyond what he considers to be the current modern usages. In his mind there are two definitions that enters the modern mind, the first being luminosity (which he considers its use relating to a human being somewhat absurd), and the second equating with fame. His problem with the use in the second definition is that fame is something that equates with pride – thus the glory of a famous person is, to him, an example of pride, something against which we are warned in the Bible.
However, as Lewis explores its usage in the Bible, he comes to understand the third definition, and that is being appreciated by God, and this, as he knows, is something that we cannot earn. In both the second and third definitions, glory is something that is bestowed upon us (by an adoring public in the second definition, and by God himself in the third). However, while the second definition suggests that we earn glory, in the third definition God bestows it upon us not because we have earned it, but rather because he does so in his grace.

Good Work and Good Works
This is the last of the discourses that I will write about, namely because it struck me how there seems to be some influence from the works of Karl Marx here, namely from his treatise The Estrangement of Labour. It is interesting that in church over the past month we have been looking at the Biblical understanding of work (in reference to employment), and that as we discussed these issues in Bible study, we always seemed to come back to this concept that was espoused by Marx (despite the fact that many of us did not realise this).
The idea is that prior to industrialisation, work was carried out by individual people, meaning that the carpenter made the chair and the blacksmith made the saw to allow the carpenter to make the chair. The thing is that the artisan's reputation was based upon the quality of the work that was performed in this instance, meaning that if the artisan did a poor job then the artisan would fail in his (or her) respective trade. However this began to change as industry moved out of the cottage and into the factory. No longer was any skill required to make the chair because the chair would be made on the assembly line, and further, the pride of the manufacturer making the best chair as possible also began to disintegrate.
In this sense Lewis explores the idea of built in obsolescence, namely that things are built to break down, because if they did not break down then the manufacturer would not be able to sell any new components, nor could they sell the latest model. In fact the modern economic system is based upon us buying and selling stuff, which means that if the television that we buy did not break down for ten years then the manufacturer could not continue selling as many televisions. However, there is also the idea of the new model. The manufacturer simply cannot make the best television there is because, first of all, they would run out of money developing this product, but also it would inhibit the ability of the manufacturer to produce better and better products. Taking the television for instance, we see it developed in the following ways:
- the small, black and white, cathode ray tube (CRT);
- the large, black and white, CRT;
- the small, colour, CRT;
- the large, colour, CRT;
- the small flatscreen;
- the large flatscreen;
- the even larger flatscreen;
- the 3d television;
- and finally the curved 3D television.
So, as can be seen, the economic cycle requires us to continue to produce new and better products so that we can not only stay ahead of our competitors, but that we can entice the consuming population to continue to purchase luxuries so that the manufacturer can continue to stay in business and that the executives can continue to have money to fly business class and sip lates at their favourite coffee shop.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kinda reminds me of Orwell's essay

[Leela · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mix of essays - some confusing, some a little out-dated, others as current as ever. The last one particularly spoke to me.

[Tim Plett]

Well worth the reading or rereading. Lewis always makes me think. And his often comes with a prophetic edge.

[Wilde Sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book presents a collection of essays / short pieces by a famous author.

I found this a mixed collection, 'The Inner Ring' grabbed me, but most of the other parts of the collection didn't really engage me.

Overall rating 3.5

[Sasha Ruggiero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lewis discusses all manner of ideas pertaining to Christianity in this collection.

[Maja Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last book of 2022!! I wish I could have read this a few months earlier--Lewis has a couple interesting quotes here about the respective natures of knowledge and belief, as well as dreaming and waking states, that would have been great to refer to or have on hand during my fall term epistemology course. Stunned as always by Clive Staples' faculty for tackling problems I consider (or would have considered) complex into clear, simple, straightforward logic.

My favourite piece in this collection was "On Obstinacy in Belief", which I would recommend as reading for any Christian in STEM who has laboured (as I have laboured) over the question as to whether biblical faith is inherently anti-scientific (or inconducive to knowledge and learning). My favourite quote, however, is from the concluding paragraph of "Is Theology Poetry?":

"I am certain that in passing from the scientific point of view to the theological, I have passed from dream to waking. Christian theology can fit in science, art, morality, and the sub-Christian religions. The scientific point of view can not fit in any of these things, not even science itself. I believe in Christianity as I believe the Sun has risen not only because I see it but because by it I see everything else."

[Caleb Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

His opinion on the original Screwtape Letters in hindsight was really interesting. The part with Screwtape was interesting in what ideas he thought should be added to the original work. His essays also included ranged from of mild interest in 'Good Works vs. Good Work' to absolutely breathtaking in 'The Weight of Glory'. I will definitely be getting to that book soon.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more I re-read C S Lewis the more I am aware of his relevance to the present day. He seems to a man of this era although he died 61 years ago and many of these papers and sermons were written 80 years ago. It may just be that I have acquired a better understanding of the world now than in my early 20s forty years ago, but I think I find his work more relevant now than then. In this volume I would pick out 'Good Work and Good Works' and 'A Slip of the Tongue'.

He will continue being read because he deals not in the passing fashions of the day but with human nature and the thoughts that occupy the minds of his readers.

He is not a theologian but a Christian philosopher of religion. It is my opinion he was a master of spiritual diagnosis as I often understand myself better after reading him.

[Ioana Barcan]

Temporarily abandoned because it was advancing reaaaly slooow (lack of motivation?)... will come back to it someday... maybe...

[Brodie Gron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite it’s predecessor, but still great satire and insights.

[G. Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. I loved the Screwtape Letters, so picked this up. Recommended

[Lucia M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I’ve ever read a Christian writer with such insight into human nature.

[Suad Shamma · Rating 5 out of 5]

"All of our historical beliefs, most of our geographical beliefs, many of our beliefs about matters that concern us in daily life, are accepted on the authority of other human beings, whether we are Christians, Atheists, Scientists, or Men-in-the-Street."

"There are times when we can do all that a fellow creature needs if only he will trust us. In getting a dog out of a trap, in extracting a thorn from a child's finger, in teaching a boy to swim or rescuing a boy one who can't...the one fatal obstacle may be their distrust...We ask them to believe that what is painful will relieve their pain and that what looks dangerous is their only safety."

Only a couple of the many passages that I dog-eared and highlighted in this incredibly entertaining and complex and profound dialogue that C.S. Lewis has with us. I was so impressed and pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this essays, and I was even more impressed with the depths of his thinking, his ability to talk and converse about controversial and complex topics in a way that do not offend anyone.

Everyone should read this. And take your time reading it too.

[Alex Whigham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting collection of essays, some broached on topics that i had recently been thinking about.
First essay is a toast given by Screwtape from Lewis’s other book The Screwtape Letters.

[Yohanes Saputra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book because there isn't any other of his books in store, and I was new to any of his writings. To my surprise this collection of writings is one of my favorites. Let me tell you what I ranked these pieces (to see my long and concise thoughts on these pieces you could check on my status of this book. There I commented on each pieces):

1. Screwtape Proposes a Toast : 5/5 (very recommended)
2. The Inner Ring : 5/5 (a personal one)
3. Is Theology Poetry : 4/5 (a great take on the accusation that our Theology is merely myth)
4. On Obstinacy in Belief : 5/5 (very epistemological)
5. Transposition : 5/5 (very recommended. This is very philosophical, very deep. The best one from all these)
6. The Weight of Glory : 3/5
7. Good Work and Good Works : 3/5
8. A Slip of the Tongue : 3/5

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some deep thoughts here for such a short story. I did enjoy it, as it is a natural continuation of *The Screwtape Letters* which I remember fondly from college. I have some interesting highlights that will keep me thinking for a while, especially the stuff about schools and education being a vehicle for the lowering of a nation. I recommend this if you liked the first *Screwtape*.

[Yrag Notsew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stuff. Great insights. Practical. Humorous. Challenging. Biblical but definitely not "preachy".

[Elijah Abanto · Rating 5 out of 5]

C. S. Lewis: It is not so much of our time and so much of our attention that God demands; it is not even all our time and all our attention; it is our selves. For each of us the Baptist’s words are true: “He must increase and I decrease.” He will be infinitely merciful to our repeated failures; I know no promise that he will accept a deliberate compromise. For He has, in the last resort, nothing out of our territory; but we must be in the Resistance, to give us but Himself; and He can give only in so far as our self-affirming will retires and makes room for Him in our souls. Let us make up our minds to it; there will nothing “of our own” left over to live on; no “ordinary” life. I do not mean that each of us will necessarily be called to be a martyr or even an ascetic. For some (nobody knows which) the Christian life will include much leisure, many occupations we naturally like. But these will be received from God’s hands. In a perfect Christian they would be as much part of his ”religion”, his “service”, as his hardest duties, and his feasts would be as Christian as his fasts. What cannot be admitted—what must exist only as an undefeated but daily resisted enemy—is the idea of something that is “our own”, some area in which we are to be “out of school”, on which God has no claim.
For he claims all, because He is love, and must bless. He cannot bless us unless he has us. When we try to keep within us an area that is our own, we try to keep an area of death. Therefore, in love, He claims all. There’s no bargaining with Him.
—from his sermon “A Slip of the Tongue”

What a surprisingly good book! I should not be surprised because it's a Lewis book, but still, so much insight from a short book, all of which are "just" a compilation of his articles and sermons and addresses. Thank you Lord for this book! A sure recommend!

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book! The toast wasn't as good as the letters, however this is more than reasonable given the issues spoken about in the introduction. It must be very difficult and not at all healthy to have to project yourself into such a twisted way of thinking.

There were a lot of things that echoed thoughts that I've been having especially surrounding our current political system and our understanding of the spiritual. But I'm sure every fool can say that they've been thinking about great things once someone else has written them down :).

One thing that struck me most was how Lewis uses Flatland to explain the spiritual. After watching a clip by Carl Sagan several years ago, I too, started thinking of the spiritual using Flatland as a useful metaphor. It's really coincidental and really cool that someone infinitely more intelligent that I used the same example.

[Dessy Terziyska · Rating 5 out of 5]

От "Тоста на Душевадеца" в прочит на Peter Noble ме побиха тръпки, а C.S. Lewis отново демонстрира изключителен талант да разнищва сложни понятия и теми и да стига до сърцевината нa проблемите. В книгата си той показва как демокрацията доведена до крайности, може да опорочи образованието, индивидуалността, свободата и таланта. Макар и след повече от 56 години темите, които засяга са по-актуални от всякога. В сборника Луис призовава да внимаваме когато се стремим твърде много да принадлежим към "вътрешен кръг от хора", да продължаваме да вярваме, дори когато в момента няма доказателство, което да подкрепя вярата ни, да позволим на Бог в нас да расте, да считаме ближния си като следващото най-свято нещо след самото Слово и да подбираме работата, която вършим, за да носи тя стойност, измерима не само с парите, които получаваме за нея.

[Delaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

My dear Wormwood,

Star rating out of 5:

3/5


Would I recommend the book:
Sure

My favorite character/why:

Um..Nobody 😂 they're devils

My favorite part was:

How serious and unashamed Lewis writes this. It's a strange concept

Do i think the book is well written? Why is or isn't it? Was engaging, delightful, or inspiring? Was it staid, boring, or contrived?

Fairly well written.


Was it what you expected it to be?

It's a reread so sort of


How I discovered the book:

Highschool reading assignment that I didn't care for or even pay much attention to back then.


Format I read it in: Audiobook

[Kyle Bartsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lewis’ ability to take grandiose topics and ideas and make them palatable and understandable to the general reader is always astounding to me. This book is no exception. Note to those interested in reading this, this book is not a sequel to screwtape letters, it begins with more of an epilogue to it, which is followed by smaller excerpts from writings and sermons that he has delivered over the years. Always insightful, always biblical. Even if I don’t necessarily always agree with his conclusions, it’s always nice to read the works of an extraordinary Christian thinker.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of essays was composed almost completely of essays that I've read already this year. Screwtape Proposes a Toast was a fitting conclusion to his previous letters, and I enjoyed a re-read of The Inner Ring and Good Work and Good Works.

The essays included are (almost) all excellent, and certainly worth reading. But as they are all found elsewhere, I find the collection itself a bit unnecessary.

[Giib Glib · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of Christian essays concerning modern civilization. Critiques on economy and capitalism, the power of individualism over conformity and advice on living with Christlike intention under the tightening vice of secular criticism. There is something to take away here, the essays are poignant and thought provoking but I'd suggest Pascal's Pensées over this title, for it's sobering rhetoric alone.