Tag: Present Concerns

RETROSPECT: July 1st – 10th

William OFlaherty Jack in Retrospect, Special Feature

Highlights for the first third of July (1st – 10th) are: the release of his landmark nonfiction book, the publication of a new collection of shorter works and the preface to his first claim to fame was written.

In the early 1950’s Lewis saw continual success from his writing. By the middle of 1952 he had experienced significant praise from his venture into children’s literature with two Narnia stories released and a third due out in a few months. But it was on the 7th of July in 1952 that a new book came out that was actually a re-release of previous material that secured Lewis as an author of practical information about the Christian faith. Mere Christianity is the best known non-fiction book by Lewis. Various individuals from many walks of life give credit to this book as either strengthening their faith, or as a tool that God used to lead them to Christianity.

RETROSPECT: June 12th – 21st

William OFlaherty Jack in Retrospect, Special Feature

Highlights for the second third of June (12nd – 21st) include: the birthday of his closest friend, beginning his longest employment and an explanation of “an old textbook method” that the devils use.

Warnie LewisLewis was the youngest in his family. His only sibling was his brother, Warren who was nearly three-and-half years older. Born on the 16th in 1895, the elder brother became close friends with his junior over the years. This doesn’t mean they had the same interests, in fact, a major difference in their tastes from their younger years turns out to be a pretty good summary of their most outstanding talents. Lewis from his early days was intrigued by fairy tales and fantasy stories. Warnie had more of an interest in history.

Daily Lewis – Fact / Quote / Quiz: June 1st

William OFlaherty Daily Lewis

FACT OF THE DAY:

Is History Bunk? by Lewis was first published today (6/1) in 1957 in The Cambridge Review. It’s reprinted in Present Concerns.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“There will always be those who, on discovering that history cannot really be turned to much practical account, will pronounce history to be Bunk.”

Is History Bunk?
(Published on 6/1/1957 in The Cambridge Review)

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QUIZ OF THE DAY:

Complete the quote and name the source (2 words):
“Truth and falsehood _____ _____ ; but truth is the norm not of truth only but of falsehood also.”
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(Click “Read More” to SEE Answer)

RETROSPECT: April 20th – 30th

William OFlaherty Jack in Retrospect, Special Feature

Highlights for the final third of April (20th – 30th) include: Publication of Perelandra, a talk “On Three Ways of Writing for Children” and Lewis’s first marriage to Joy Davidman.

Before Lewis gain fame from a series of books about a place called Narnia, he had written a trilogy that had a science fiction theme. The second of those books, Perelandra, came out on the 20th in 1943. In it we take a trip to Venus with the main character, Ransom and follow his quest to save that world from impending corruption. In the U.S. it wasn’t released until a year later on the 11th. In 1953 a paperback version came out under the title Voyage to Venus. On some occasions in his life Lewis considered this novel to be his best (this was also said of Till We Have Faces). Perelandra was dedicated “To Some Ladies at Wantage,” as in Wantage,

Fact / Quote / Quiz: March 25th

William OFlaherty Daily Lewis

FACT OF THE DAY:

Today (3/25) in 1987 the US edition of Present Concerns, a collection of eighteen essays, became available.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“Symbolism exists precisely for the purpose of conveying to the imagination what the intellect is not ready for.”

Letter to Sister Penelope CSMV on 3/25/1943
(Published in The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume II)

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QUIZ OF THE DAY:

The first book ever published by Lewis was this month. What and when was it?
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(Click “Read More” to SEE Answer)

RETROSPECT: February 10th – 18th

William OFlaherty Jack in Retrospect, Special Feature

Highlights for the second third of February (10th – 18th) include: The concluding talk from the “What Christians Believe” BBC series, an explanation of the word “membership” in a talk to a group and the publication of a selection of Christian-themed essays.

In 1945 on the 10th Lewis gave a talk, simply called “Membership,” to the Society of St. Alban and St. Sergius in Oxford. It was also published later in the year and is now best found in The Weight of Glory. Lewis explained in his presentation that the word “membership” in the New Testament differs from the way it is used today. Instead of speaking of it in the sense of a group containing like items, the Christian meaning is close to “what we should call organs, things essentially different from, and complementary to, one another.” He also pointed out that believers are

Fact / Quote / Quiz: January 21st

William OFlaherty Daily Lewis

FACT OF THE DAY:

Lewis’s “Prudery and Philology” was published today (1/21) in 1955 in The Spectator. It is available in the Present Concerns book.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“You and I have need of the strongest spell that can be found to wake us from the evil enchantment of worldliness.”

The Weight of Glory
(Published in Screwtape Proposes a Toast on 1/4/1965)

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QUIZ OF THE DAY:

Which broadcast series from what became part of Mere Christianity did Lewis begin on what day this month?
(Click “Read More” to SEE Answer)

Fact / Quote / Quiz: December 30th

William OFlaherty Daily Lewis

FACT OF THE DAY:

On December 29, 1944 the essay “Private Bates” was published in The Spectator. Now available in Present Concerns.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“We must get rid of our arrogant assumption that it is the masses who can be led by the nose. As far as I can make out, the shoe is on the other foot. The only people who are really the dupes of their favourite newspapers are the intelligentsia. It is they who read leading articles: the poor read the sporting news, which is mostly true.”

Private Bates
(Published in The Spectator on 12/29/1944)

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QUIZ OF THE DAY:

How long did it take Lewis to write the first five published Narnia books?
(Click “Read More” to SEE Answer)

RETROSPECTIVE: December 21st – 31st

William OFlaherty Jack in Retrospect, Special Feature

Highlights for the final third of December (21st – 31st) include: An essay about happiness, a special preview of a forthcoming book and two more installments of the eventual The Great Divorce.

Lewis had articles published in a large variety of places during his life. The final shorter work he wrote came out in The Saturday Evening Post less than a month after his death. “We Have No ‘Right to Happiness’” first appeared in their combined December 21-28, 1963 edition. The only other essay he wrote for them was the encore Screwtape piece mentioned last time. This article specifically attacks sexual happiness and was written at the invitation of the editor, Thomas Congdon. It begins with Lewis describing a comment by someone he calls “Clare” that defended the actions of others by stating “they have a right to happiness.”

Fact / Quote / Quiz: December 9th

William OFlaherty Daily Lewis

FACT OF THE DAY:

“After Priggery – What?” is an essay by Lewis first published on December 7, 1945 in The Spectator. Available now in Present Concerns.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“To avoid a man’s society because he is poor or ugly or stupid may be bad; but to avoid it because he is wicked—with the all but inevitable implication that you are less wicked (at least in some respect)—is dangerous and disgusting.”

After Priggery – What?
(Published in The Spectator on 12/7/1945)

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QUIZ OF THE DAY:

When you read The Chronicles of Narnia in their published order what object first mentioned in LWW (The Lion…) is not fully explained (i.e., it’s origin) until The Magician’s Nephew?
(Click “Read More” to SEE Answer)