Well-loved by children everywhere for his Chronicles of Narnia series, Clives Staples Lewis actually wrote many other books, including nonfiction. Many of these are related to his Christian faith, and what is known as the field of apologetics.
Lewis’ passion for writing even led him to create a writing group called The Inklings, which he founded with his good friends J.R.R. Tolkien (who went on to write the classic bestselling Lord of the Rings series) and Roger Lancelyn Green, who reportedly suggested the title for The Chronicles of Narnia.
C.S. Lewis Books Everyone Should Read
If you want to get to know more of his works, here we have a list including both his fiction and nonfiction books:
1. The Chronicles of Narnia
You may have thought it all began in a wardrobe in an abandoned room upstairs in Uncle’s large house, where Lucy, Edmund, Peter, and Susan are thrown into a whole new world. But, there’s a beginning way before that, which we learn about in The Magician’s Nephew, where Diggory and Polly are the first to see Aslan creating the world of Narnia.
2. The Space Trilogy
In this highly-entertaining sci-fi trilogy, C.S. Lewis tells the story of an ill-informed victim named Ransom, who leaves Earth against his wishes. In the first book, Out of the Silent Planet, Ransom finds himself in the enchanting world of Macalandra.
3. Mere Christianity
Taken from three radio talks by C.S. Lewis, this book develops his description of the essence of Christianity. The first part talks about the moral argument, the second shares the basic tenets of Christian faith, and the third talks about different aspects of living the Christian life.
4. Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life
Perhaps the only autobiographical account that C.S. Lewis wrote, you can find his own description of his early years with a special emphasis on his atheism and how he found his way to faith.
5. The Screwtape Letters
In this humorous account, an older devil is writing letters to coach his nephew-apprentice-demon on how to successfully get his human to fall to his temptations. Written in a fictional tone, this book delves deep into questions about morality, the issue of temptation, and the role of repentance and grace in the life of the average person.
6. A Grief Observed
In this book, C.S. Lewis contemplates the topic of death in a brutally honest way, following the passing of his wife Joy. The book is divided into four parts, in which he explains the harsh reality of pain and grief caused by sin in the world.
7. The Great Divorce
This allegorical story brings us on an insightful journey into the concepts of heaven and hell. Thanks to Lewis’ storytelling prowess, he brings us face to face with supernatural beings, changing the way we view the ideas of good and evil.
8. An Experiment in Criticism
In this book, C.S. Lewis suggests a new way of judging the quality of books: he believes they shouldn’t be judged by the way they are written, but rather by how readers read them. He then goes on to describe two different kinds of readers and how they interact with any resource.
9. The Four Loves
This book explores the different kinds of human affection and love, using four Greek words for love: storge (family affection), philia (friendly love), eros (erotic love), and agape (divine love).
10. A Mind Awake
This is an anthology of C.S. Lewis’ writings, which features hundreds of his works, organized based on the main themes of his Christian faith. Many describe this as an ideal introduction to this legend whose writings greatly influenced the trajectory of modern Christianity.
11. Til We Have Faces: A Myth Retold
This is the author’s retelling of the myth of Psyche and Cupid, hailed by many as the author’s best novel. The story sprang from a chapter he read from The Golden Ass of Apuleius, which greatly haunted him for the lack of logic in the actions of the main characters.
The Best of C.S. Lewis
Reading the works of some of the greatest geniuses in history is not only an engaging experience, but it also allows your mind to gain new perspectives. You can see what they thought and how they processed their ideas.
If you aren’t used to reading writers from a different time period, we encourage you to try it. It will surely expand your perspective and understanding beyond your expectations!
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Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
