C. S. Lewis: Mere Christian

(Regal, 1973)
(Revised and Expanded, Inter-Varsity     Press, 1981)
(Revised, Harold Shaw Publishers,       1987)
(Revised and Expanded, Cornerstone Press, 1997).

C.S. Lewis: Mere Christian is now in its fourth edition. The first half of each chapter is about a given element in Lewis's life, and the second half tells what he wrote and taught about it. Every chapter is followed by a list of choice readings by and about Lewis on the topic.

Commendations:

"The best general introduction to C. S. Lewis in existence."
--Corbin S. Carnell, author of Bright Shadow of Reality: C. S. Lewis and the Feeling Intellect

"Her fresh insights opened my dusty windows to see Lewis in all his sanity and merriment."
--Terry Lindvall, author of Surprised by Laughter: C. S. Lewis and the Comic Spirit

"Both scholarly and practical insights."
--Bruce Edwards, author of The Taste of the Pineapple: Essays on C. S. Lewis as Reader, Critic, and Imaginative Writer>

"Lindskoog is an engaging and reliable guide to the contours of Lewis's thought."
--Gilbert Meilaender, author of The Taste for the Other: The Social and Ethical Thought of C. S. Lewis

"A cause for celebration. An indispensible guide for anyone interested in Lewis."
--Perry C. Bramlett, author of C.S. Lewis, Life at the Center

FROM REVIEWS

"Lindskoog's knowledge of Lewis and his works is prodigious. Reading her book is like taking a guided tour -- each area, each small detail-- is highlighted with precision, care, and an innate sense of vitality. She not only knows her subject but she communicates the information in such an incisive manner that it makes the reader wish there were more for her to tell. Both the initiate to Lewis's work and the life-long scholar will benefit from her erudite study. Far more than an introduction, although it may be used that way, C. S. LEWIS: MERE CHRISTIAN is a comprehensive guide to Lewis's life and work. Her remarkable gift of insight, and her ability to synthesize the whole of Lewis's corpus is evident throughout C. S. LEWIS: MERE CHRISTIAN."
--CANADIAN C. S. LEWIS JOURNAL

"Lindskoog arranges the book so that she draws on all of Lewis's writings to put together a compendium of his ideas. Her knowledge of the Lewis canon is broad and deep so that she can easily take from his critical and philosophical writings, his theological texts, and his fiction and fantasy. Illustrations from the entirety of Lewis's work are pulled in to explain his ideas in the above categries, and they are pulled in with an intellectual adroitness that is amazing and enviable." --THE LAMP-POST

"In her book C. S. LEWIS: MERE CHRISTIAN, Kathryn Lindskoog engagingly and brilliantly touches all the bases and furnishes the reader with a highly readable and truly inspiring overview of the works and thought of Lewis.... Whether you have only heard of C. S. Lewis or are a long-standing admirer of his, C. S. LEWIS: MERE CHRISTIAN will stimulate your mind, challenge your lifestyle, and expand the perspectives from which you view (and live!) your Christian faith." --THE PECOS BENEDICTINE

"Written by an accomplished author with an encyclopedic knowledge of Lewis, the treatment is lively and absorbing. It never bogs down or requires a graduate school grasp of literature, philosophy, or theology. All adults who read Lewis--no matter what degree of difficulty they encounter in the process--will find MERE CHRISTIAN an excellent instructor on the author whose legacy is about to be celebrated." --Carolyn Keefe, CHURCH AND SYNAGOGUE

Table of Contents

1. Introducing C. S. Lewis: Sincerity Personified

Reality: What is life all about?

2. God
3. Nature
4. Humanity

Destiny: What Will Become of Us?

5. Death
6. Heaven
7. Hell

Mystery: How Can We Believe This Business?

8. Miracles
9. Prayer
10. Pain

Character: What Does Christ Cost Us?

11. Love
12. Ethics
13. Truth

Culture: What Is Our World View?

14. Sciences
15. The Arts
16. Education

Appendix 1: The Years of the Life of C. S. Lewis
Appendix 2: Key Places in the Life of C. S. Lewis
Appendix 3: Special Resources for C. S. Lewis Readers
Appendix 4: Chronological Listing of C. S. Lewis's Books
Appendix 5: A Year with C. S. Lewis
Appendix 6: C. S. Lewis on Christmas