Category Archives: Reading

C.S. LEWIS WRITING IN BOOKS!

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A handwritten annotation in one of C.S. Lewis's books (a Latin one) from his personal library, now owner by Walter Hooper.

When I spoke at Wheaton College I paid a visit to the Wade collection.  It houses collections from the libraries of C.S. Lewis and many others.  I asked to see a few of the books that were in the library of C.S. Lewis.  The curator made the decision, but to my delight she brought up a copy of one of my favorites: Paradise Lost by Milton.  I could not believe how many notes Lewis made in the margins, all in his meticulous penmanship.  Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take a picture.

The picture you see is a Latin text where you can see the written notes of Lewis at the bottom in both Latin and Greek.

Lesson learned: If a scholar like Lewis finds it helpful to write in books, what does that mean for the rest of us?!

Picture: HT Timothy Willard’s Instagram account

 

OIL WELL NOT ORWELL!

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We spent several days last week visiting with friends from Brenham Bible Church.  This is the church I preached at from 2010-13.

During a break between visits, Doreen and I went to Starbucks to read.  I met a man there from New Orleans with a thick accent.  He was curious about about the books I write.

During our conversation he said he “liked to read about oil wells.”  I thought he said Orwell so I enthusiastically replied how much I “loved Orwell.”

He laughed and said my confusion was due to his heavy accent.

MY FAVORITE DEAD PEOPLE…WELL THEIR BOOKS

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Augustine, Confessions

Kempis, Of the Imitation of Christ

Pascal, Pensées

If you purchase this book, make sure to get the edition that is edited by A.J. Krailsheimer.  For some reason, Amazon is not allowing me to link to that edition.

Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress

Kierkegaard, Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing

Chesterton, Orthodoxy

Lewis: Loads to pick from, but I choose Surprised by Joy

 

READING IS REREADING!

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My copy of The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis…and my hand!

C.S. Lewis said that you have not really read a book unless you’ve reread it.

The older I get (almost sixty), the more I enjoy rereading books that have been most formative for me.  I won’t ever do what Spurgeon did in reading The Pilgrim’s Progress 100 times, but rereading is enriching, especially when it comes to great books.

I recently reread The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis.  It is a little over 120 pages, but I made over 100 marginal notes.  When I first read it, all I did was underline.  This second read through was more active.

Augustine said that attention is necessary for reading, and reading aids attention.  Being distracted is nothing new.  Augustine was writing about the distractions of life over 1500 years ago. 

Christians ought to be the best of readers, so how about reading, or rereading a good book?!