A Guide to the Major Works of C.S. Lewis

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Clive Staples Lewis, the bespectacled Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, is one of the most celebrated writers of the last century. His contributions to not only the field of Christian apologetics, but to fiction, will continue to be read, re-read, and studied far into the future, bequeathing joy and wisdom to new generations.

Now is a great time to discover Lewis for the first time, or to simply pick up where you ‘ve left off in years past—HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, has announced the addition of 18 C.S. Lewis classic works to their existing Lewis collection, becoming one of the primary sources of Lewis’s writing in the U.S. In addition to these 18 titles, HarperOne is releasing “The C.S. Lewis Collection: The Complete Works,” as well as a Lewis-inspired devotional for Easter.

It’s never been a better time to become a fan of Lewis, but with so many books and essays to choose from, where does a newcomer begin?

To help you start your journey into the world of C.S. Lewis, let’s take a look at 8 of his greatest works—those that best represent who C.S. Lewis was, what he taught, and what he stood for.

Mere Christianity

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Based on four sets of radio talks made by C.S. Lewis between 1942 and 1944, London publisher Geoffrey Bles published Mere Christianity over 65 years ago. While the city was suffering beneath the punishment of periodic bombing runs during WWII, Lewis spoke on religious programs broadcast by the BBC, giving listeners a sense of meaning in a world full of meaningless violence.

Don’t let the title fool you—the resulting book is anything but mere. In fact, Mere Christianity has changed the lives of millions of believers and non-believers, alike, and was voted best book of the twentieth century by Christianity Today in 2000.

Here, Lewis doesn’t present himself as the brilliant scholar—he’s the plain fellow who you’d meet at the pub to chat about a little theology and philosophy. This isn’t stuffy academics—it’s a talk about life with an intimate friend. And that’s why Mere Christianity works so well.

Within its covers, readers will find Lewis’s defense of the Christian faith. He argues for the existence of God, taking readers along the same path that brought him from atheism to Christianity.

If you’re feeling short on faith, or are simply interested in reading one of the best arguments for a Christian worldview, look no further. On these grounds, and more, Lewis provides.

The Chronicles of Narnia

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Without a doubt, this set of seven fantasy novels is one the most popular of Lewis’s works, having sold well over 100 million copies in 47 different languages—the series was even made into a series of motion pictures.

And this immense popularity is for a very good reason.

Lewis spun a classic of children’s literature from mythological and theological threads, weaving together a literary tapestry that still entertains and enlightens readers to this day. Readers follow the adventures of the various children who find themselves fantastical realm of Narnia, where magic, mythical creatures, and talking animals abound. These children are summoned by the lion Aslan, in order to protect and restore Narnia.

The themes explored by The Chronicles of Narnia are unusual for children’s literature, and delve into issues of grief, loss, and religion, producing a series that has both the joy of youth, and the wisdom of age.

If you haven’t read these books, it might just be time to start on your own quest to Narnia.

The Screwtape Letters

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Have you ever wondered just how devious the mind of a demon might be? Have you ever wanted a peek into the inner workings of mankind’s greatest vices, as seen through the lens of temptation, itself?

Well, look no further. The Screwtape Letters is just what you need. This book consists of a series of satirical letters sent from the fictional senior demon, Screwtape, to his young nephew and Junior Tempter, Wormword. These letters guide and mentor Wormwood through the process of securing the damnation of a man known only as “the Patient” in the book.

The Screwtape Letters provides invaluable lessons in the importance of living a deliberately Christian life. In the 31 letters that comprise the book, Screwtape teaches Wormwood various methods of promoting sins, such as gluttony, lust, and pride, as well as ways of undermining faith. Through this satirical glimpse of demonic mentorship, Lewis shows readers the everyday traps of sin before they can fall for them.

Try this book out, and get ready to have your eyes opened to the value of a deliberate life.

The Problem of Pain

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The Problem of Pain addresses one of the most common—and heartfelt—complaints about God, namely that if God were good and all-powerful, pain would not exist.

This is the fundamental theological problem which keeps many out of the Christian faith, and an issue which many of the faithful are at a loss to explain even in their own lives.

But Lewis, with his rhetorical gifts, begins this book with his own objections to Christianity, based on this very problem, and goes on to explain the cobblestone avenues of thought he traveled in order to overcome it.

His central argument revolves around the idea that if God were to correctively intervene, breaking the laws of nature in order to alleviate suffering, free will and the choice to be good would no longer be possible. How he goes about making his argument is as compelling as it is effective.

If you’ve struggled to reconcile the idea of God with the existence of suffering, give this book a try. You won’t regret it.

The Four Loves

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Like Mere Christianity, The Four Loves began as a series of Lewis’s radio talks from 1958. This book delves into unexpectedly complicated nature of love, and divides it into the four forms described in Greek thought—affection love, friendship love, romantic love, and divine love.

Lewis looks at all of these forms of love as one of the keys to understanding God, who “is love,” according to 1 John 4:8, and challenges Christians to emulate the example of Jesus by loving in as many ways as possible.

Notably, Lewis also critiques those who use the name of God as a way of hiding from the risk of loving others, arguing the case for a Christianity that does not shun or cast out, urging readers to consider their faith and ability to love more deeply.

If you’re looking for an introduction to Christianity in the context of God’s love, as well as our love for others, look no further.

Surprised by Joy

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Written seven years before his death, Surprised by Joy is a poignant description of Lewis’s conversion to Christianity 24 years prior.

A partial autobiography, Lewis’s purpose in writing Surprised by Joy wasn’t wholly historical—the book’s details are focused on Lewis’s search for a thing he called “Joy”. This isn’t joy in the typical sense—this is something so good and so perfect that it cannot be explained in mere words. Lewis goes on to describe this Joy as a “signpost” to the lost, one that points the way toward theism, and then, finally, toward God.

Surprised by Joy chronicles Lewis’s journey from childhood faith, to atheism, and finally, to theism and back to Christianity. Beginning with the tragic loss of his mother—the painful event that temporarily separated Lewis from God—readers are shown the joyful surprises that await those who seek something more from life than the material.

If you want to be taken along on Lewis’s theological journey through beauty, magic, and wonder, this book is for you. Don’t miss it.

Preparing for Easter: 50 Devotional Readings from C.S. Lewis

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While Preparing for Easter: 50 Devotional Readings from C.S. Lewis isn’t directly one of Lewis’s works, it still does something remarkable—it pulls together a collection of Lewis’s writings in order to create a devotional for the Lenten season.

This is a devotional collection brought together by a unifying theme: celebrating the miracle of Jesus’s resurrection by leading readers on a journey through 50 pieces of Lewis’s writing—a piece for each of the 50 days leading up to Easter.

C.S. Lewis is one of the most prolific, intelligent, and relatable Christian writers of the past century, and his thoughts on the nature of God, Christ, and the Christian life are an invaluable resource for those who want to take their faith to a new, more deliberate level.

So why not allow Lewis to accompany you as you make your way from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, speaking to you out of his various writings as he does so?

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