A milestone in the history of popular theology, The Screwtape Letters is an iconic classic on spiritual warfare and the dynamics of temptation.
This profound and striking narrative takes the form of a series of letters from Screwtape, a devil high in the Infernal Civil Service, to his nephew Wormwood, a junior colleague engaged in his first mission on earth, trying to secure the damnation of a … the damnation of a young man who has just become a Christian. Although the young man initially looks to be a willing victim, he changes his ways and is “lost” to the young devil.
Dedicated to Lewis’s friend and colleague J. R. R. Tolkien, The Screwtape Letters is a timeless classic on spiritual conflict and the psychology of temptation which are part of our religious experience.
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Brilliantly done, super creative… I’d read it years ago, but it’s funny how I found myself highlighting very different passages this time around. Lewis manages to encapsulate the way that people find themselves in bondage to lies in such a startlingly obvious way that it’s almost funny (and in this context it’s supposed to be funny).
Such a special book. Changed my outlook on a lot of things.
A classic. The book makes you think!
Very insightful!
The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis, is an epistolary novel containing the letters of a demon, Screwtape, to his nephew Wormwood. Wormwood is a tempter, assigned to lead a human being astray so Satan can take his soul, and he’s having some trouble with his charge. Screwtape offers his nephew advice, mostly in the form of explanations of the human mindset and human behavior, and which strategies for leading a human astray might prove effective.
It’s quite a clever book, and although we never learn the human’s name we come to feel for him and his family. We learn a lot about the demons too, and the whole Infernal bureaucracy set up for capturing human souls. Although Screwtape’s letters are exceedingly courteous, and he always signs them “Your affectionate uncle,” we do get hints that there is not really love among demons and the relationship between Screwtape and Wormwood is really based on nothing more than self-interest. I also found it striking that the demons don’t really understand God and his love for humans, and consider his offering them salvation as a pretext or elaborate deception, though to what purpose they can’t comprehend.
We’re not meant to take this literally, of course, but Lewis is making a larger point: how easily humans fall into sinful ways, and that evil forces have a part in doing this. But by depending on God, we are able to minimize our sin and receive forgiveness for when we do inevitably err. It’s a great book for Christians during Lent, but really it’s so well-written that I think even non-Christians would find it interesting, and there’s no reason it wouldn’t be suitable any time of year.
Many years ago my friend, a rough and tumble man, gave me this book. He was a closet reader and had excellent varied taste. He died recently and I put old Screwtape in his casket for company. I’ll see him someday and maybe he’ll do the introduction to Uncle!
It was a warning from C.S. Lewis about how we are so easily deceived. It applies even more today.
A fun read that provides a great deal of insight into the follies that trip us up while we are trying to become better people.
Dated – some issues aren’t relevant, but still a very pertinent read for our times.
While the Narnia books are fantastic reads, this little book is easily CS Lewis’s best fiction. The insight and understanding Lewis has about human nature and spiritual warfare is brilliant, and Lewis executes his understanding here at a genius level.
One of the best books I’ve read.
A CS Lewis classic, in some ways his best work.
Convicting
Read Lewis in college. He brings attention to our temptations by imagineering the spiritual world around us.
C.S. Lewis shows how brilliant a writer he is with the Screwtape Letters. Screwtape is a demon writing to his nephew Wormwood on how he is, or not, influencing his patient to bring him to Hell for all eternity. We only read the letters from Screwtape, but we know exactly what Wormwood’s replies are. It is a fascinating read in how demons and devils continue to tempt us and turn us away from being the best version of ourselves.
The book includes “Screwtape Proposes a Toast” which as posted first in the US in the Saturday Evening Post. Here, Screwtape gives a wonderful toast to the graduating demons before they are sent out on their assignments. Only someone who knows the faith as well as C.S. Lewis could make Screwtape sound so convincing in all his efforts to bring down humanity. A wonderful read.
I love pretty much anything by C.S. Lewis, but this book is one of my favorites. Written from a demon’s perspective, it reveals to us ways Satan tries to trip us up. Hilarious at times and gut-wrenchingly honest at others, The Screwtape Letters is a worthwhile and enjoyable read.
This book is OUTSTANDING. It is AMAZINGLY FANATASTIC. Only through the inspiration of the Spirit would someone be able to write a masterpiece like this. I am not able to praise it enough. Through the letters of the affectionate uncle Screwtape to his pupil Wormwood we learn all about the wicked human heart and exactly what makes it stumble and fall. Many spiritual topics are reviewed throughout the letters from passion, lust, and the latest fashion to prayer, family, and fear. It reveals that any simple thing can be used to distract from the so-called “Enemy” and turn a man towards “Our Father Below.” Everything in it makes so much sense (when reversed.) However, a dictionary is a necessity when reading this book. It has so many words that I had never even heard of before and couldn’t even begin to guess their meaning. It is totally worth it to go through and look up every single word you do not know the exact meaning of. I would also go back at a later time and look up all the people and works mentioned in the writing as they likely have great significance. This is a must read for any Christian, young or mature. I would not consider myself extremely spiritual mature but am certainly not a new Christian either. I got so much out of this book, and I’m sure anyone else who knows at least basic knowledge/wisdom of Scripture can too. I also recommend it if you are not Christian, but are interested in hearing an opinion on human nature and spiritual warfare that is articulated in the best way possible.
This is an incredible book and a unique look into Satan and demons. While this is a fiction book, it is really nonfiction in the fact that it’s a look into evil and temptations. Presented as a series of letters between a demon and his nephew and while the actual letters are fiction, Lewis dissects the way mankind is tempted to follow evil rather than good. I would say this is a must read for those interested in theology.
One of my favorites
Interesting book, however, being grammatically challenged, I had difficulty understanding it.