Jack--A Life of C. S. Lewis.Jack--A Life of C. S. Lewis George Sayer Crossway Books Wheaton, Illinois ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m : 1581347391, $13.99, 457 pp. I chose this book to review because I enjoy biographies. As a Christian, and English language English language, member of the West Germanic group of the Germanic subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages (see Germanic languages). Spoken by about 470 million people throughout the world, English is the official language of about 45 nations. graduate, I began reading the works of author and religious writer, C. S. Lewis, and thought that a record of the author's life would be interesting and illuminating. Many books have been written about C. S. Lewis and his prolific work. Whilst this book claims only to be a life of Lewis, and not the sole work on him, it is a fairly comprehensive and chronological record Noun 1. chronological record - a chronological account of events in successive years annals account, chronicle, history, story - a record or narrative description of past events; "a history of France"; "he gave an inaccurate account of the plot to kill the . Sayer, a personal friend of Lewis, writes objectively, painting a balanced portrait of Jack (as he was known to his friends). He is open about Jack's early practice of masturbating. He also defends Jack's father, Albert Lewis Albert Ray Lewis (born October 6, 1960) was an American football player who played in the National Football League. On March 4, 2007 he was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame. , against Jack's "(despising de·spise tr.v. de·spised, de·spis·ing, de·spis·es 1. To regard with contempt or scorn: despised all cowards and flatterers. 2. ) his father for what he regarded as Albert's lack of culture" p74, evenly describing Albert as a "remarkably well-read" man who tried hard to be a companion as well as a father to his sons. Of Jack's Oxford days, Sayer records that many students had the impression that Jack hated teaching. In his defense, though, Sayer describes Jack's demeanour demeanour or US demeanor Noun the way a person behaves [Old French de- (intensive) + mener to lead] Noun 1. towards his students as unfailingly courteous, genial genial /ge·ni·al/ (je-ni´al) mental (2). ge·ni·al or ge·ni·an adj. Of or relating to the chin. genial pertaining to the chin. and cheerful. Of Jack's wife, Joy, Sayer openly admits that most of his friends "did not like her" p357. He describes Jack's strange relationship with Mrs Moore and the initial 'legal-only' marriage to Joy, followed later by Christian vows. In a balanced portrait of the author Sayer also describes Jack's lifelong commitment to friendship (p390), his sensitivity as a young boy, his brilliance as an academic, his journey towards faith and his love for Joy, the woman he married late in his life before her death only three years later. On page 369 Sayer says that: "Although (Joy and Jack) were often both in great physical pain, it was the happiest period of their lives." Jack also had a deep appreciation for nature, right up to the time of his death. Sayer describes a visit he and Jack made to Woburn estate: "We sat on a fallen tree trunk, and Jack gazed radiantly at the elegant little animals and adored a·dore v. a·dored, a·dor·ing, a·dores v.tr. 1. To worship as God or a god. 2. To regard with deep, often rapturous love. See Synonyms at revere1. 3. the God who had created them" (p402). True to the chronological form, Sayer describes Jack's works as he wrote them. Jack's work was prolific and included in excess of 50 books as well as letters and radio broadcasts. Sayer not only mentions Jack's works but he comments on and critiques them as well. Works such as The Allegory of Love, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, Surprised by Joy, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and popular works like The Chronicles of Narnia are all mentioned. This makes the book substantial reading and will appeal to Lewis devotees as well as those with an interest in literature. However, the author's language is accessible and he balances commentary with personal details personal details npl (on form etc) → coordonnées fpl personal details person npl → Personalien pl personal details of Jack's life. This ensures a more general audience appeal. Sayer's book balances interesting academic critique with personal details. In keeping with the academic nature of Jack's and Sayer's work and lives, this book maintains as objective a standpoint as possible. However, it is on the whole a biography of a personal life and all that encompasses, including Jack's early life, the loss of his mother, the war years, his relationship with his alcoholic brother, illness, grief and death. In the after word, Sayer defends Jack's Christianity and his morality. The book ends with Jack's death from renal failure renal failure n. Acute or chronic malfunction of the kidneys resulting from any of a number of causes, including infection, trauma, toxins, hemodynamic abnormalities, and autoimmune disease, and often resulting in systemic symptoms, especially edema, . Warren, his brother, could not bear to attend the funeral or face life without his beloved SPB SPB Spb Software House SPB Saint Petersburg SPB State Personnel Board SPB Southern Pine Beetle SPB Spindle Pole Body (biology, biochemistry) SPB Special Pathogens Branch (Centers for Disease Control) (Smallpigiebotham--Warren's lifelong nickname for Jack). Such personal references I found exceedingly touching and was left with a feeling of great sadness for a brilliant and private man who found intimacy only late in life and lost it so soon after finding it. His work was his passion and his extensive personal library his treasure. I view Jack in much the same way. Jack includes an extensive bibliography of books by and about C. S. Lewis, notes and an index. |
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