From the unbending belief in invisible powers that animates Till We Have Faces to the depiction of Aslan's sacrifice and resurrection in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, C. S. Lewis's writing has sparked intense debate about the presence and function of religion in his works. Today, a reader's opinion of Lewis is more often than not based on his or her perspectives on religion. In Reading C. S. Lewis, Wesley A. Kort examines Lewis's work as a whole, investigating why and at what points Lewis turns to religion-and particularly to Christianity-in order to advance his arguments.Kort moves through more than a dozen of Lewis's major books, providing a useful guide to their various elements while connecting readers to the literary contexts that influenced the works and Lewis himself. Reading C. S. Lewis examines the standing of Lewis's work, how best to approach the books, and the misunderstandings that lead to mistaken readings. The commentaries also function as free-standing essays that can be read individually and in any order.Reading C. S. Lewis: A Commentary sets a new standard for C. S. Lewis studies. A comprehensive examination of the major Lewis texts, this volume is a captivating look into the author's work from a refreshingly undogmatic point of view.

PrefaceIntroductionPart OneChapter 1: Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early LifeChapter 2: The Problem of PainChapter 3: The Screwtape LettersChapter 4: Mere ChristianityChapter 5: Some Reasonable AssumptionsPart TwoChapter 6: Out of the Silent PlanetChapter 7: Perelandra: A NovelChapter 8: The Abolition of ManChapter 9: That Hideous Strength: A Modern Fairy-Tale for Grown-UpsChapter 10: Some Cultural CritiquesPart ThreeChapter 11: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince CaspianChapter 12: The Four LovesChapter 13: The Magician's Nephew and The Last BattleChapter 14: Some Principles AppliedConclusion