There is no preface, description, or backstory given to this volume of letters (or to any of the letters individually). Nowhere in the book or the title or the backcover does it even say who Malcolm was(/is). So its interesting in that there's no knowledge of who anyone is (other than obviously knowing who CS Lewis is), and knowing nothing about the letters other than that the general theme will be 'prayer'.

There is also no return letters from Malcolm, so everything is in kind of just a vacuum. No dates, no explanations behind anything, just 'here you go'.

I'm not a religious man really by any stretch anymore (grew up in a Christian house, grew up always going to church). I'm not anti-religious, just more or less 'non-religious'. BUT, I've always been intrigued and fond of CS Lewis' writing, both theological and fictional. ... this grouping of letters though, leaves something to be desired though. Without knowing the context (not getting to know who Malcolm is, or seeing his letters), it's a bit odd. Plus there's jumps in context because of it. The book also closes out on their talk of heaven and getting to meet in real life again, but not much of a closure on the ending.

Overall interesting, but just more of a curiosity sake than anything else. A few theological gems in there however. And interesting read for those seeking enlightenment on prayer though.

_____EDIT:
Well.... after reading the bio of the 'novel' here, I see its all fictitious letters that CS Lewis wrote, in the same vain as The Screwtape Letters. (Might be why the only writing on the front/back cover of this is a blurb saying "From the writer of The Screwtape Letters".) Would have been nice to know it was fictional letters rather than thinking this was his real letters to an individual, might have given some context. This was in the religion section at the Hershey Library, which includes both fictional and non-fictional religious works, so there was no indicator of that. Well, at least it was good to find out and not be ignorant of that in the future, heh. ( )

There is no preface, description, or backstory given to this volume of letters (or to any of the letters individually). Nowhere in the book or the title or the backcover does it even say who Malcolm was(/is). So its interesting in that there's no knowledge of who anyone is (other than obviously knowing who CS Lewis is), and knowing nothing about the letters other than that the general theme will be 'prayer'.

There is also no return letters from Malcolm, so everything is in kind of just a vacuum. No dates, no explanations behind anything, just 'here you go'.

I'm not a religious man really by any stretch anymore (grew up in a Christian house, grew up always going to church). I'm not anti-religious, just more or less 'non-religious'. BUT, I've always been intrigued and fond of CS Lewis' writing, both theological and fictional. ... this grouping of letters though, leaves something to be desired though. Without knowing the context (not getting to know who Malcolm is, or seeing his letters), it's a bit odd. Plus there's jumps in context because of it. The book also closes out on their talk of heaven and getting to meet in real life again, but not much of a closure on the ending.

Overall interesting, but just more of a curiosity sake than anything else. A few theological gems in there however. And interesting read for those seeking enlightenment on prayer though.

_____EDIT:
Well.... after reading the bio of the 'novel' here, I see its all fictitious letters that CS Lewis wrote, in the same vain as The Screwtape Letters. (Might be why the only writing on the front/back cover of this is a blurb saying "From the writer of The Screwtape Letters".) Would have been nice to know it was fictional letters rather than thinking this was his real letters to an individual, might have given some context. This was in the religion section at the Hershey Library, which includes both fictional and non-fictional religious works, so there was no indicator of that. Well, at least it was good to find out and not be ignorant of that in the future, heh. ( )

There is no preface, description, or backstory given to this volume of letters (or to any of the letters individually). Nowhere in the book or the title or the backcover does it even say who Malcolm was(/is). So its interesting in that there's no knowledge of who anyone is (other than obviously knowing who CS Lewis is), and knowing nothing about the letters other than that the general theme will be 'prayer'.

There is also no return letters from Malcolm, so everything is in kind of just a vacuum. No dates, no explanations behind anything, just 'here you go'.

I'm not a religious man really by any stretch anymore (grew up in a Christian house, grew up always going to church). I'm not anti-religious, just more or less 'non-religious'. BUT, I've always been intrigued and fond of CS Lewis' writing, both theological and fictional. ... this grouping of letters though, leaves something to be desired though. Without knowing the context (not getting to know who Malcolm is, or seeing his letters), it's a bit odd. Plus there's jumps in context because of it. The book also closes out on their talk of heaven and getting to meet in real life again, but not much of a closure on the ending.

Overall interesting, but just more of a curiosity sake than anything else. A few theological gems in there however. And interesting read for those seeking enlightenment on prayer though.

_____EDIT:
Well.... after reading the bio of the 'novel' here, I see its all fictitious letters that CS Lewis wrote, in the same vain as The Screwtape Letters. (Might be why the only writing on the front/back cover of this is a blurb saying "From the writer of The Screwtape Letters".) Would have been nice to know it was fictional letters rather than thinking this was his real letters to an individual, might have given some context. This was in the religion section at the Hershey Library, which includes both fictional and non-fictional religious works, so there was no indicator of that. Well, at least it was good to find out and not be ignorant of that in the future, heh. ( )

多年前買的書，今天終於看完。我覺得魯益師真的很有趣，他是一個很認真思考的人，對於知識份子對基督教會友怎樣的質疑也很了解，在書裡會略微提及，也會提出他對於他們質疑的內容的想法。他的回應不是那種「信就對了」的單純相信路線，他真的很認真在思考、會對一些未知事物做一些猜想。如果你也愛思考，讀他的書會很過癮。這本書主要是談各種禱告的內容以及禱告的功能，過程中略略談到決定論、神秘經歷、人與神如何連結、人的歡愉、懺悔、聖餐禮、新天新地、身體復活....等議題。

我買了這本書之後的多年來一直以為這本書是他與友人之間的書信往來集結而成。真的閱讀，然後去調查他到底是寫信給誰之後，發現寫信對象完全是虛構人物，只是以書信體為媒介，陳述自己對禱告與信仰的思考。太震驚了哈哈。他寫的真的很像真的信。 ( )

What is there to be said that has not been said before about Clive Staples Lewis? So my review will be short.

His musings left me yearning for a simpler time when letter-writing wasn't an art-form, when discussion and disagreement wasn't a declaration of personal war, and when it was kosher to talk about such things. I was also highly impressed at the small, but poignant, backstory he created for his correspondent. ( )