C S Lewis Centenary Group

Number 10, March 1998

CENSORSHIP

The reader is Rt Hon Chris Patten, Oxford graduate, former Northern Ireland Office Minister, former Governor of Hong Kong, and an admirer of Lewis's works.

HarperCollins commissioned Mr Patten to write a book on his experiences in Hong Kong. The owner of HarperCollins, Mr Rupert Murdoch, who has business interests in China (see item below), first tried to remove criticisms of the Chinese regime made by Mr Patten in his draft. Then HarperCollins refused to publish Mr Patten's book because of the claimed poor standard of his writing.

HarperCollins has issued (6 March) an apology to Mr Patten for their false claims, paying him an undisclosed sum in damages. Another publisher will issue Mr Patten's book, EAST AND WEST: THE LAST GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG, later this year.

SUCCESSFUL START TO CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

LYNCHBURG WEEKEND Feb 6-8

Ed Hopkins writes: In celebration of the 100th anniversary of C. S. Lewis, Rivermont Presbyterian Church sponsored "a weekend with C. S. Lewis," February 6-8. Dr. Lyle Dorsett, professor at Wheaton College, Illinois, and former curator of the Marion Wade Center, was the keynote speaker. Some 460 persons attended the "Breakfast with CSL" at the Holiday Inn, and heard Dr. Dorsett on "The Joy of Discovering C. S. Lewis." Rivermont Church is planning other C. S. Lewis events during the year, including another weekend with Dr. Dorsett and his colleague from Wheaton College, Dr. Jerry Root. This event will take place in October. For more information, write to: Rivermont Presbyterian Church, 2424 Rivermont Ave., Lynchburg, Virginia 24503, Tel: 804-846-3441.

OKLAHOMA SYMPOSIUM Sat 21 Feb

De Norbert Smith writes: The Symposium at Oklahoma City University on Sat 21 February was a great success. Over 70 participants attended, divided equally between the Christian and Literary interests. Mr Danny Adkinson adds: Very well organized and attended. In his Keynote address, Joe Christopher gave a very insightful talk on Lewis' arguments for theism (relying primarily on THE PILGRIM'S REGRESS).

NARNIA COMPETITION

All schools in the UK were invited to submit designs for Christmas Greeting Cards for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). The deadline of 5^th March has now passed. Ms Susie Allan of the C. S. Lewis Centenary Information Office reports that over 3,000 entries have been received.

COMING EVENTS

MONTREAT CONFERENCE March 29-April 4

As part of the Centennial celebration of C.S. Lewis, Montreat College, North Carolina, USA will be hosting the Southeastern Conference on Christianity and Literature with Mr. Douglas Gresham as a special guest. For more information, contact: M. Jac Whatley, Vice President for Advancement and Strategic Planning, Montreat College, Montreat North Carolina 28757. E-mail JWHATLEY@MONTREAT.EDU.

OXFORD CENTENARY STONE May 12

Mr Michael Ward reports that the Oxford Centenary Stone will be dedicated on May 12.

MYTHCON XXIX July 15-20

The Mythopoeic Society has produced an attractive cream booklet giving full details of MYTHCON 29. Write to MYTHCON XXIX, c/o Lynn Maudlin, P.O. Box 394, Altadena, CA 91003. You can link to the Web Site of the MYTHOPOEIC SOCIETY through our site (see letterhead).

FIRST DAY COVERS July 21

The C. S. Lewis Foundation has commissioned Benham's, of Folkestone, Kent, to produce 2 First Day Stamp Covers, in connection with the issue of the Royal Mail Lewis stamp on 21 July.

QUEEN'S, NEW YORK August 14-16

A C. S. Lewis Centenary Celebration on August 14-16 at Douglaston, Queens, NY will feature Walter Hooper, Frank Kastor, Ralph McInerny, and Rabbi Mayer Schiller. Location: Immaculate Conception Center, 7200 Douglaston Parkway is midway between Long Island Expressway and the Grand Central Parkway, near their intersections with the Cross Island Parkway. For further information write to Clara Sarrocco, 84-23 77th Ave. Glendale, NY 11385-7706

BELFAST STATUE November

The life-size, memorial statue of Lewis will stand outside Holywood Road Branch Library, Holywood Arches, close to Lewis's birthplace in Dundela Villas, Strandtown. The site is nearly ready. The statue's cost alone exceeds £25,000, and the cost of preparing the site has added considerably to that. The dedication is planned for November 1998.

TELEVISION BROADCAST November Ulster Television plans to broadcast an hour-long service from the Chapel of Campbell College, Belfast (subject to confirmation).

RESEARCH

THE GREEN HILLS

In his C. S. Lewis Memorial Lecture last November, Professor Alister McGrath discussed several times Lewis's view of the Castereagh Hills from 'Little Lea' - Lewis writes of the Castlereagh Hills in Chapter 1 of 'Surprised by Joy' as a metaphor for longing.

Mr Tony Wilson points out that Lewis is writing of the view from his birthplace in 'Dundela Villas', rather than of the view from 'Little Lea'. And Mr Wilson has checked that the Castlereagh Hills can indeed be seen today from the site of 'Dundela Villas'.

The ridge of hills in Co Down, east of Belfast, is divided into the northern Holywood Hills, and the southern Castlereagh Hills. The Castlereagh Hills cannot be seen from 'Little Lea'.

THE OTHER MRS MOORE

Douglas Gresham writes in MERELEWIS:

All I know about Mrs Alice Moore is this.

There was in the grounds of The Kilns when I arrived there, away over beyond the desolate tennis court, a small two roomed weather-board shack. It was almost completely overgrown with creepers and bushes and was evidently not in use for any purpose. When I asked Fred Paxford about it he told me that it had been "Mrs Moore's house", and it had been built for her use. On further inquiry I came to understand that the "Mrs Moore" in question had been a family friend and had fallen on hard times and thus had been brought into the household in Ireland to "help", and that when things became very hard in her later life, Jack and Warnie had "rescued" her, brought her over from Ireland, and built that little bungalow for her so that she could spend her declining last years in peace and without worry. This information may or may not be completely accurate as it was gleaned over a period of time; neither Jack nor Warnie would ever openly talk about their charitable works. The little house later became my "Gang Hut" (rather a posh one actually as it had two rooms and a coal fired heating stove) and also an alternative "sleep-out" bedroom for me to use when I was feeling adventurous or whatever. I visited Mrs Moore's grave only a few weeks ago as it happens in order to point it out to some visitors. She shares the burial place of her Earthly residue with that of the other Mrs Moore, at Holy Trinity Church, Headington Quarry.

Mary Rogers writes: As for Alice Moore, there are answers to some of the questions in BROTHERS AND FRIENDS, pp 150-154. It was MAUREEN who drove them all over to Kilkeel - except for Warnie, who came by train himself, as a result of the last family out (sic) with Minto! The 'Joey' on p 154 is Joan Murphy's father, and of course she is one of the children whom Jack entertained in the car (as she has described to me).

TITANIC

In Chapter 1 of 'Surprised by Joy', CSL writes that the shipping in Belfast Lough was 'a delight' to him as a boy. One of the greatest of the 'delights' would have been the ocean liner TITANIC, subject of a major recent feature-film.

In the years 1908-1912, CSL and his brother would have followed from 'Little Lea' the construction of the TITANIC and its slightly smaller sister-ship, OLYMPIC. First, the ships were built in huge gantries that dominated the Belfast skyline. TITANIC was launched in May 1911, and then the boys could have followed her fitting and sea-trials in Belfast Lough until April 1912, when TITANIC steamed to Southampton and her fate.

It is reported that Rupert Murdoch (see lead story) owns a large share of the film TITANIC, that Murdoch arranged a special showing of the film for the Chinese Communist leadership, and that the film is one of the few foreign films permitted to be shown in China this year.

DISCOVERED Mrs Kelsie Erskine of Killyleagh, Co Down, has discovered 2 further family snapshots of CSL with the family. Mrs Erskine's father had used the photos as bookmarks in CSL's books!

THE WRITTEN WORD

NEW BOOKS (UK)

* C. S. LEWIS PRAYER JOURNAL, Ed. Sue Wavre, Eagle Books, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 5HN, £6.99, Feb. 1998, ISBN 0863471927

* RUMOURS OF HEAVEN: Essays in honour of C. S. Lewis Centenary, Andrew Walker and James Patrick, Eagle Books, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 5HN £8.99, Feb 1998, ISBN 0863472508

* THE WISDOM OF C. S. LEWIS, Brian Sibley, Lion, Oxford, £3.99, March 1998

HEAVEN Rt Hon David Bleakley writes in a local church magazine:

'To the end of his days Lewis regarded Co Down as his homeland. My own memories of C. S. Lewis go back to student days in Oxford in the late 1940s and 50s. Our first encounter was in a student café in Oxford's Cornmarket. Recognising my accent, he introduced himself and very soon we were aware that we shared many common roots, especially Strandtown, Belmont and St Mark's Church……On one of our walks (he asked) what was my idea of Heaven. I tried hard to put some definition together, but he soon interrupted my theological meanderings. "My friend, you are far too complicated; an honest Ulsterman living in Oxford should know better. Surely, David, Heaven is Oxford lifted and placed in the middle of the Co Down."

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Last issue, we published 16 questions from Rev Perry Bramlett, which Perry claimed were the ones asked most often at his C. S. Lewis meetings.

Firstly, WALTER HOOPER observes, truly, that his book C. S. LEWIS: A COMPANION AND GUIDE (reviewed below) contains the answers to most of the questions.

Secondly, DOUGLAS GRESHAM answers the questions about himself and his brother, David, the questions which Perry Bramlett reported were the ones asked most often.

Douglas Gresham writes: I can only speak for myself, as David left to lead his own life quite early, and I do not know the details of where he went or what he did.

Q. What happened to the boys (Douglas and David) after Joy's death?

DHG: As for myself, I stayed at The Kilns with Jack and Warnie until Jack died in 1963 and then went to live with my mother's best friend who offered me a home. I stayed there until 1967 when I married and emigrated to Australia. For the full story read "Lenten Lands: My childhood with Joy Davidman and C.S.Lewis" (Harper San Francisco). Today, together with my wife Merrie, I run Rathvinden Ministries, a non-denominational counselling and healing ministry in Ireland.

Q. How did Jack support the boys?

DHG: As any father would.

Q. Were they included in his will?

DHG: Jack's will was rather complicated and really nobody's business but ours.

Q. Were they close?

DHG: No, we have never been close.

17) Which of Lewis's books are considered the best? The worst?

18) What did Lewis think about his own church? How did he worship? Did the people at his own church know him well?

19) How did Lewis die? Had he been ill?

20) What were Lewis's attitudes toward women?

21) Most asked about books: MERE CHRISTIANITY (by far), THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA

21) Least asked about books: literary critical works, TILL WE HAVE FACES, the space novels

22) Hardest Lewis book to understand: THE FOUR LOVES

23) Most asked about friends: Tolkien, Charles Williams

24) Most requested book for me to teach: THE GREAT DIVORCE

25) Very surprising: Most have not heard of George MacDonald

CORRECTIONS

* Mary Rogers writes that she was born in India, not Ireland.

* Rodney McCulloh of Lamp-post Books points out; Anybody notice the date of C S Lewis' birth is incorrectly given as Nov. 28th on the '"Chronology of C. S. Lewis' Life" page near the front of this book?' Rodney is talking of: Glaspey, Terry W., NOT A TAME LION: THE SPIRITUAL LEGACY OF C. S. LEWIS (Highland Books, 1996), reviewed in 'C S Lewis News' last issue.

BOOK REVIEWS BY REV PERRY BRAMLETT, MARCH 1998

Hooper, Walter, C. S. LEWIS: A COMPANION AND GUIDE (HarperCollins, 1997[US]) - This huge work (over 900 pages) is Mr. Hooper's magnum opus, and is a goldmine of information about C. S. Lewis. The book is divided into seven parts plus a preface and key to abbreviations: a life of C. S. Lewis (120 pages); a chronology of Lewis's life (6 pages); Lewis's writings (nearly 400 pages - "Juvenilia", "Poetry", "Autobiographical", "Novels", "Theological Fantasies", "Theology", "Chronicles of Narnia", "Literary Criticism"); Key Ideas (over 60 pages); Who's Who (over 120 pages); What's What (over 50 pages); and a bibliography of Lewis's writings (over 80 pages). There is much in this work to appreciate, from both veteran Lewis readers and novices alike. Mr. Hooper's summaries of Lewis's books are well written, clear, and helpful as overviews. His insights and summaries of the life and careers of Lewis's friends and colleagues are fascinating, and I enjoyed and profited from many of them, including the essays on Dom Bede Griffiths, Father Peter Bide, the less celebrated Inklings (such as John Wain, one of my literary heroes, and R. B. McCallum), and especially Austin and Katharine Farrer, two of the more neglected (in books about Lewis) of Lewis's close friends. I did wonder why T. S. Eliot and John Betejeman were included in this section, and I also wondered why Sheldon Vanauken was excluded. His classic A SEVERE MERCY is the single longest known account we have of the influence of Lewis on the lives of specific individuals. As a person who often uses media when teaching Lewis to churches, colleges, and other groups, I greatly enjoyed Mr. Hooper's treatments of this, especially the history and citicism of SHADOWLANDS, the Narnian stories, and other Lewis-related films and recordings

One major problem with this book is Mr. Hooper's lack of critical analysis of Lewis's impact as a writer and Christian apologist, and his failure to interract with Lewis's major ideas and key thoughts. He rarely states more than the obvious (while often giving very good background information), but instead (more often than not) quotes only from Lewis on the particular subject. And in his summaries of Lewis's works, Mr. Hooper offers only past reviews (mostly British) and does not include his own views. And it is lamentable that in a comprehensive work of this size and scope (and cost - $40 in the U.S.), that Mr. Hooper does not (at the very least) include summaries of ALL of Lewis's works, including GOD IN THE DOCK, CHRISTIAN REFLECTIONS, ON STORIES, PRESENT CONCERNS, and others. Perhaps these will be included in a revised or new work.

But I am very glad this book was written, and since its publication I have consulted it frequently. Mr. Hooper deserves our thanks and appreciation for writing it, and it must have taken a great amount of effort and energy! While not the definitive introduction to Lewis, it belongs in the library of every serious Lewis student, and the careful beginner can also profit from it. When combined with the forthcoming C. S. LEWIS: A READER'S ENCYCLOPEDIA (Zondervan, April 1998), its owner will have the two most comprehensive works about the life, works, and influence of C. S. Lewis. I eagerly await a cheaper priced paperback edition in the U. S.; I understand one has been issued in England.

EDITOR'S NOTE UK Prices: hardback £25.00 [1996], paperback £17.99 [1997]. Walter Hooper thinks that the US paperback edition of the COMPANION AND GUIDE may come out in April 1998.

Lindskoog, Kathryn, C. S. LEWIS: MERE CHRISTIAN (4th edition, 1997 - Cornerstone Press) - As part of my endorsement for this book, I wrote that its publication "was cause for celebration." Other comments by endorsers express high praise as well: "Few works about C. S. Lewis quicken one's appetite to return to the banquet of his writings"; "a key resource for introducing new readers to C. S. Lewis and challenging veteran admirers"; "the best general introduction to C. S. Lewis in existence"; and "Lindskoog is an engaging and reliable guide to the contours of Lewis's thought."

This work by Mrs. Lindskoog is one of the handful of really fine and readable books about Lewis ever written. It is an introduction to the major themes in his thought, and Mrs. Lindskoog skillfully and carefully combines anecdotes, stories, primary source materials, and her own analysis to produce a work that can be used by the beginning Lewis reader and the specialist. The book is divided into five sections: "Reality: What is Life All About?" (God, Nature, Humanity); "Destiny: What Will Become of Us?" (Death, Heaven, Hell); "Mystery: How Can We Believe this Business?" (Miracles, Prayer, Pain); "Character: What Does Christ Cost Us?" (Love, Ethics, Truth); and "Culture: What is Our Worldview?" (Sciences, the Arts, Education). At the end of each chapter there is a very handy recommended reading section, with books by and about Lewis included. The six appendices at the end of the book are: a chronology of the life of Lewis, a map which indicates key places in Lewis's life, a special resources section (Lewis organizations, libraries with Lewis holdings, and a section listing audio and dramatizations, plus TV and movies), an annotated bibliography of Lewis's works, a month by month suggested Lewis reading list ("A Year With C. S. Lewis"), and a delightful essay, "C. S. Lewis and Christmas", which by itself is almost worth the price of the book.

I mentioned that one endorser used the word "engaging" in describing Mrs. Lindskoog's book. And that, I think, is the word which sets this book apart (like all of her other works, too). It is well-known that Mrs. Lindskoog is a careful scholar and researcher who uses words very well. But it is her "engagingness" which sets this work apart. She has learned the tricky art of combining scholarship with winsomeness and a good sense of humor, and thus this book is not only readable and reliable, it also is fun and lighthearted... and it "whets the reader's appetite" for more of C. S. Lewis. This is precisely what Mrs. Lindskoog wants, and I can only wish that more books about Lewis were written this way. It belongs in the library of every Lewis lover, and I cannot praise it too highly.

ENDS

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