JACKSON, Tenn. — Nov. 4, 2019 — Professor Hal Poe鈥檚 new book on C. S. Lewis takes an in-depth look at the author鈥檚 early life that, although critical to his works and conversion to Christianity later in life, is largely overlooked in biographies of Lewis.
鈥淏ecoming C. S. Lewis: A Biography of Young Jack Lewis (1898-1918)鈥� chronicles the formative young years of the well-known author who wrote more than 30 books, including 鈥淢ere Christianity,鈥� 鈥淭he Great Divorce鈥� and the beloved classics, 鈥淭he Chronicles of Narnia.鈥�
Poe, Charles Colson Professor of Faith and Culture at 黑料论坛, said this book was one that he had not planned to write. He had been reading some of Lewis鈥� works and found that Lewis greatly enjoyed the simple pleasures of life, such as food. This led Poe to wonder, 鈥淲hat did he love to eat?鈥� To find the answer, Poe began to read through Lewis鈥� letters as a young boy through his teenage years.
鈥淚 realized that most of the things Lewis liked and most of the things he hated were pretty well-established before he went away to college,鈥� Poe said. 鈥淚n other words, during his teenage years, he developed most of his preferences, and the thing about these preferences is they became the track on which his conversion took place.鈥�
Poe鈥檚 book examines Lewis鈥� childhood interests and experiences, such as the death of his mother; being sent from Ireland to English boarding schools (that he hated); being bullied and withdrawing from social life; developing a love of reading; his love of walking outdoors and observing the landscapes; and his captivation with castles and old churches.
鈥淚 thought, this story really needs to be told, because the biographies of Lewis essentially ignore this period of his life,鈥� Poe said. 鈥淭hey just try to get through it as quickly as they can, yet all the biographers are baffled by why Lewis spent three-fourths of his spiritual autobiography, 鈥楽urprised by Joy,鈥� talking about his childhood and teenage years.鈥�
Once Poe sent his book to his publisher, Crossway, he realized he would like to write a follow-up on the period in which then-atheist Lewis graduated from high school and became a soldier in World War I. Poe proposed a second volume to Crossway, and they asked him to consider writing a third volume on the last portion of Lewis鈥� life, as well. Poe is contracted to write 鈥淭he Making of C. S. Lewis: From Atheist to Apologist (1918-1945)鈥� and 鈥淭he Completion of C. S. Lewis: From Bachelor to Widower (1945-1963)鈥� for Crossway.
鈥淪o, a book that I didn鈥檛 plan on doing has wound up being a three-volume biography,鈥� Poe said.
鈥淏ecoming C. S. Lewis鈥� is available for purchase on .