CSL: Biography

hectorberlioz · 07-27-2006, 01:22 PM

I'm wanting to read a CSL bio, and I was wondering which of you had read one, wand which was it?

Three volumes of letters....I've read quite a few in Vol.II, did you know he sent a letter to Sir Arthur C Clarke?

lots of correspondance with Dorothy L Sayers.

This thread can also serve for submitting and discussing certain apsects of his life...

cee2lee2 · 07-27-2006, 10:59 PM

Haven't read any biographies but quite a while ago I read his autobiography, Surprised by Joy. I would recommend it if you haven't read it yet.

(edit was for spelling)

sun-star · 07-28-2006, 10:02 AM

I've read the A. N. Wilson biography - it's rather controversial, in that Wilson has his own fairly opinionated take on Lewis' life, but there's no doubt he's a good writer. If you read it you might be interested in checking out the various criticisms that have been levelled at Wilson as well. Personally I preferred Humphrey Carpenter's The Inklings, which isn't solely about Lewis (as the title suggests) but which puts him in an interesting context and does give an account of his life.

There's loads of biographies out there!

ETA: I've also read C.S.Lewis at the Breakfast Table, a collection of reminiscences by people who knew Lewis. It may be out of print though.

sun-star · 07-31-2006, 03:50 AM

An interesting article about Lewis and John Betjeman:

http://www.oxfordtoday.ox.ac.uk/2005-06/v18n3/05.shtml

I like them both, but I think Lewis comes out of it better

GreyMouser · 07-31-2006, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sun-star

An interesting article about Lewis and John Betjeman:

http://www.oxfordtoday.ox.ac.uk/2005-06/v18n3/05.shtml

I like them both, but I think Lewis comes out of it better

Great article- what a clash!

cee2lee2 · 07-31-2006, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sun-star

An interesting article about Lewis and John Betjeman:

http://www.oxfordtoday.ox.ac.uk/2005-06/v18n3/05.shtml

I like them both, but I think Lewis comes out of it better

Quite interesting! I do love the "slipper" quote.

hectorberlioz · 08-07-2006, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sun-star

I've read the A. N. Wilson biography - it's rather controversial, in that Wilson has his own fairly opinionated take on Lewis' life, but there's no doubt he's a good writer. If you read it you might be interested in checking out the various criticisms that have been levelled at Wilson as well. Personally I preferred Humphrey Carpenter's The Inklings, which isn't solely about Lewis (as the title suggests) but which puts him in an interesting context and does give an account of his life.

There's loads of biographies out there!

ETA: I've also read C.S.Lewis at the Breakfast Table, a collection of reminiscences by people who knew Lewis. It may be out of print though.

I think I've seen the Wilson bio, he said he thought Lewis had "switched over too quickly" to christianity? Something liek that.

library closing time...

hectorberlioz · 08-28-2006, 02:41 PM

I was reading "Surprised by Joy" last night. I was surprised, indeed...

very depressing school of his to read about. Very.

hectorberlioz · 08-30-2006, 08:57 PM

Noticed in "Surprised by Joy" when he recounts the beginning of his friendship with a boy who is also interested in Norse Mythology...and he says that these kind of finding out someone has a similar interest is where you find the best friendships. And then I remembered Shasta and Corin meeting in The Horse and His Boy....quite obviously his friendship with the boy inspired him to write that scene in THAHB.

hectorberlioz · 09-11-2006, 01:36 PM

I finshed reading Surprised by Joy...I was really moved when he said that he just hung his head and cried for hours after he'd made up his mind about God being God...

hectorberlioz · 09-25-2006, 12:51 PM

According to Chad Walsh, Lewis was indeed "surprised by Joy" when she popped into his life, AFTER he had written his Autobiography of that name...

sun-star · 09-26-2006, 05:08 PM

I found out by accident the other day that "surprised by joy" is a phrase from a Wordsworth poem:

Surprised by joy--impatient as the Wind
I turned to share the transport--Oh! with whom
But Thee, deep buried in the silent tomb,
That spot which no vicissitude can find?
Love, faithful love, recalled thee to my mind--
But how could I forget thee? Through what power,
Even for the least division of an hour,
Have I been so beguiled as to be blind
To my most grievous loss?--That thought's return
Was the worst pang that sorrow ever bore,
Save one, one only, when I stood forlorn,
Knowing my heart's best treasure was no more;
That neither present time, nor years unborn
Could to my sight that heavenly face restore.

hectorberlioz · 09-26-2006, 05:17 PM

I had heard it was from Wordsworth...lovely poem

Gwaimir Windgem · 09-27-2006, 09:21 PM

Quote:

and his faithful teddy bear, Archibald Ormsby-Gore (the progenitor of Sebastian Flyte's Aloysius)

As soon as I saw 'teddy bear', I thought 'Aloysius'! Of course, he needs a brush, with stiff bristles, not for combing, but for threatening spanking when he sulks!

EDIT: I have the bio by Lancelyn Green; haven't read it yet, though.

hectorberlioz · 09-27-2006, 09:51 PM

This one... ...looks good, but how comprehensive is it?

sun-star · 10-10-2006, 05:17 PM

I haven't read that book, but I went to a talk tonight given by Walter Hooper, one of the writers. He was describing his work on the third volume of Lewis' collected letters, which is about to come out. I have to say he was an impressive speaker - he came across as a very genuine man who really loved Lewis.

hectorberlioz · 10-10-2006, 09:04 PM

Wow! How priveliged you are!

BTW, I've been wanting to buy vols I & II of the letters...really interesting what I've peeked at

. (And golly! Did CSL write letters!)

sun-star · 10-11-2006, 07:23 AM

I know, I'm very lucky

I was able to pick up one of the volumes of letters for only about £5 in a charity shop, but haven't got around to reading it yet - it's huge!

hectorberlioz · 10-11-2006, 01:20 PM

I know, they are really huge...did you get Vol III? Wow, only Five pounds...thats about 8 dollars, I think...

sun-star · 10-11-2006, 04:05 PM

No, I think it was Vol I, the earliest letters. I bet Vol III will be pretty expensive!

07-27-2006, 01:22 PM	#1
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	CSL: Biography I'm wanting to read a CSL bio, and I was wondering which of you had read one, wand which was it? Three volumes of letters....I've read quite a few in Vol.II, did you know he sent a letter to Sir Arthur C Clarke? lots of correspondance with Dorothy L Sayers. This thread can also serve for submitting and discussing certain apsects of his life... __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide

07-28-2006, 10:02 AM	#3
sun-star Lady of Letters Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Either Oxford or Kent, England Posts: 2,476	I've read the A. N. Wilson biography - it's rather controversial, in that Wilson has his own fairly opinionated take on Lewis' life, but there's no doubt he's a good writer. If you read it you might be interested in checking out the various criticisms that have been levelled at Wilson as well. Personally I preferred Humphrey Carpenter's The Inklings, which isn't solely about Lewis (as the title suggests) but which puts him in an interesting context and does give an account of his life. There's loads of biographies out there! ETA: I've also read C.S.Lewis at the Breakfast Table, a collection of reminiscences by people who knew Lewis. It may be out of print though. Last edited by sun-star : 07-28-2006 at 10:08 AM.

07-31-2006, 03:50 AM	#4
sun-star Lady of Letters Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Either Oxford or Kent, England Posts: 2,476	An interesting article about Lewis and John Betjeman: http://www.oxfordtoday.ox.ac.uk/2005-06/v18n3/05.shtml I like them both, but I think Lewis comes out of it better __________________ And all the time the waves, the waves, the waves Chase, intersect and flatten on the sand As they have done for centuries, as they will For centuries to come, when not a soul Is left to picnic on the blazing rocks, When England is not England, when mankind Has blown himself to pieces. Still the sea, Consolingly disastrous, will return While the strange starfish, hugely magnified, Waits in the jewelled basin of a pool.

08-28-2006, 02:41 PM	#8
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	I was reading "Surprised by Joy" last night. I was surprised, indeed... very depressing school of his to read about. Very. __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide

08-30-2006, 08:57 PM	#9
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	Noticed in "Surprised by Joy" when he recounts the beginning of his friendship with a boy who is also interested in Norse Mythology...and he says that these kind of finding out someone has a similar interest is where you find the best friendships. And then I remembered Shasta and Corin meeting in The Horse and His Boy....quite obviously his friendship with the boy inspired him to write that scene in THAHB. __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide

07-27-2006, 10:59 PM	#2
cee2lee2 Elf Lord Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: 2nd star to the left..... Posts: 566	Haven't read any biographies but quite a while ago I read his autobiography, Surprised by Joy. I would recommend it if you haven't read it yet. (edit was for spelling)

09-11-2006, 01:36 PM	#10
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	I finshed reading Surprised by Joy...I was really moved when he said that he just hung his head and cried for hours after he'd made up his mind about God being God... __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide

09-25-2006, 12:51 PM	#11
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	According to Chad Walsh, Lewis was indeed "surprised by Joy" when she popped into his life, AFTER he had written his Autobiography of that name... __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide

09-26-2006, 05:08 PM	#12
sun-star Lady of Letters Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Either Oxford or Kent, England Posts: 2,476	I found out by accident the other day that "surprised by joy" is a phrase from a Wordsworth poem: Surprised by joy--impatient as the Wind I turned to share the transport--Oh! with whom But Thee, deep buried in the silent tomb, That spot which no vicissitude can find? Love, faithful love, recalled thee to my mind-- But how could I forget thee? Through what power, Even for the least division of an hour, Have I been so beguiled as to be blind To my most grievous loss?--That thought's return Was the worst pang that sorrow ever bore, Save one, one only, when I stood forlorn, Knowing my heart's best treasure was no more; That neither present time, nor years unborn Could to my sight that heavenly face restore. __________________ And all the time the waves, the waves, the waves Chase, intersect and flatten on the sand As they have done for centuries, as they will For centuries to come, when not a soul Is left to picnic on the blazing rocks, When England is not England, when mankind Has blown himself to pieces. Still the sea, Consolingly disastrous, will return While the strange starfish, hugely magnified, Waits in the jewelled basin of a pool.

09-26-2006, 05:17 PM	#13
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	I had heard it was from Wordsworth...lovely poem __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide

09-27-2006, 09:51 PM	#15
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	This one... ...looks good, but how comprehensive is it? __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide

10-10-2006, 05:17 PM	#16
sun-star Lady of Letters Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Either Oxford or Kent, England Posts: 2,476	I haven't read that book, but I went to a talk tonight given by Walter Hooper, one of the writers. He was describing his work on the third volume of Lewis' collected letters, which is about to come out. I have to say he was an impressive speaker - he came across as a very genuine man who really loved Lewis. __________________ And all the time the waves, the waves, the waves Chase, intersect and flatten on the sand As they have done for centuries, as they will For centuries to come, when not a soul Is left to picnic on the blazing rocks, When England is not England, when mankind Has blown himself to pieces. Still the sea, Consolingly disastrous, will return While the strange starfish, hugely magnified, Waits in the jewelled basin of a pool.

10-10-2006, 09:04 PM	#17
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	Wow! How priveliged you are! BTW, I've been wanting to buy vols I & II of the letters...really interesting what I've peeked at . (And golly! Did CSL write letters!) __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide

10-11-2006, 07:23 AM	#18
sun-star Lady of Letters Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Either Oxford or Kent, England Posts: 2,476	I know, I'm very lucky I was able to pick up one of the volumes of letters for only about £5 in a charity shop, but haven't got around to reading it yet - it's huge! __________________ And all the time the waves, the waves, the waves Chase, intersect and flatten on the sand As they have done for centuries, as they will For centuries to come, when not a soul Is left to picnic on the blazing rocks, When England is not England, when mankind Has blown himself to pieces. Still the sea, Consolingly disastrous, will return While the strange starfish, hugely magnified, Waits in the jewelled basin of a pool.

10-11-2006, 01:20 PM	#19
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	I know, they are really huge...did you get Vol III? Wow, only Five pounds...thats about 8 dollars, I think... __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide

10-11-2006, 04:05 PM	#20
sun-star Lady of Letters Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Either Oxford or Kent, England Posts: 2,476	No, I think it was Vol I, the earliest letters. I bet Vol III will be pretty expensive! __________________ And all the time the waves, the waves, the waves Chase, intersect and flatten on the sand As they have done for centuries, as they will For centuries to come, when not a soul Is left to picnic on the blazing rocks, When England is not England, when mankind Has blown himself to pieces. Still the sea, Consolingly disastrous, will return While the strange starfish, hugely magnified, Waits in the jewelled basin of a pool.

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