The Screw Tape Letters (Bantam Classics)

by C.S. Lewis

book data

26,006 ratings, 4.07 average rating, 2,570 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		39%
4		35%
3		18%
2		4%
1		1%

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published

January 1st 1995 by Bantam Classics (first published 1942)

details

Mass Market Paperback

characters

Screwtape, Wormwood

isbn

0553214438 (isbn13: 9780553214437)

description

Since THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS was first published in 1943, half a million copies have been sold in the United States alone.

This edition includes a

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Aug 29, 2007

Joanie Rich rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652896)

Read in October, 2007

recommends it for: anyone who's not afraid of the truth

It's great to read fiction that gives you a punch in a gut! It's not often a book will hold up a mirror to you and show you some things you'd rather not see. The Screwtape Letters was that book for me.

Every Christian needs to get a hold of this book and read it through! It's helped me gain a deep understanding of how the forces of darkness try to undermine joy and truth. I'd especially recommend it to readers new to C.S. Lewis, as this is a good sample of his writing and a good place...more

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Jan 21, 2008

MelissaS rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652896)

Read in August, 2002

recommends it for: Everyone

I love this book - it really makes you think. For those who have not read it, the book is written as a compilation of letters from a "tempter," Screwtape, to his nephew, a "junior tempter" named Wormwoood. In the letters, Screwtape gives Wormwood adivce and counsel on how to best tempt his "subject" - a young man who converts to Christianity, and then falls in love with a Christian woman. Through the letters, you are constantly reminded and made to think about ho...more

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2 comments

Aug 02, 2007

Keely rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652896)

bookshelves: fantasy, humor, reviewed

Read in May, 2008

If not for the fact that this is a satire in earnest, it would serve as a powerful absurdist invective against humanity. This book improved my view of Christians in general, but only because it points out that all the faults conspicuous in the rabidly faithful are equally well-represented in the uninformed agnostic, if less readily apparent.

The sharp weapon of Lewis's rhetoric tears down humanity through all its self-righteous hubris, denial, misdirected hopes, and easy mistakes. How...more If not for the fact that this is a satire in earnest, it would serve as a powerful absurdist invective against humanity. This book improved my view of Christians in general, but only because it points out that all the faults conspicuous in the rabidly faithful are equally well-represented in the uninformed agnostic, if less readily apparent.

The sharp weapon of Lewis's rhetoric tears down humanity through all its self-righteous hubris, denial, misdirected hopes, and easy mistakes. However, one begins to develop the impression, slowly at first, that Lewis has nothing to offer in return. There are scarcely words of alternatives, let alone improvements.

Lewis does give us a house which disgusts the devils and redeems the sinful, but this perfect representation of Christian values is just a lack of badness, not a profusion of goodness. It is 'suffused' by some sort of magical glow which infects the cat, but magical glows do not a life philosophy make. I got the impression that Lewis hoped to fill in the good parts later, but couldn't think of any.

Human beings have a cognitive bias for avoiding punishment, even to the point where they will avoid a small punishment rather than seek a great reward. Perhaps this fear consumed Lewis, as it does so many people. That would explain why his books seem more concerned with avoiding small errors instead of seeking out grand achievements.

Lewis said writing these letters was more difficult than any of his other books, and that he could not bring himself to write a sequel. I find little surprise in this, because one can see how, as the book goes on, Lewis more and more recognizes the failures of mankind but when he tries to express what makes him or his faith any different, cannot find anything to say.

The 'suffusing glow' becomes a metaphor for Lewis's own righteousness, but whenever Lewis isn't basking in his own self-righteousness, he is ridiculing someone else's. Lewis' rhetoric is most deficient when he scorns one of man's many faults, then calls it a virtue in the next chapter.

For example, the book begins with the demon advising that humans should be encouraged to think of things as being 'real' without ever questioning what that means. The term 'real life' is meant to act as a self-justification for assumptions, not as an introspective view. This is 'bad' because 'real' has no meaning beyond the opinion of the user, and hence it can be used to justify anything.

Then Lewis begins to talk about how the Christians should make sure to follow what is 'natural', but fails to define what 'natural' is supposed to mean. Like 'real', 'natural' can be used to justify any idea or position, but Lewis does not turn a skeptical eye to himself.

This can hardly surprise, as Lewis maintains a philosophy of Duality. Dualism presents the 'with us/against us' ideal by which any two groups may grow to hate one another despite the fact that they have relatively few differences. As long as one defines the other as bad, there is no need to define the self as good, as in the Dualistic system, there is only good and evil, and you are either one or the other.

Lewis often falls back on this defense, showing how some men are bad, how he is different from them, and then assuming 'different' equals 'better'. He uses rational, skeptical argument to show how flawed his opponent is, but tearing down others is not the same as raising yourself up.

That being said, it would still be refreshing to meet a believer who had put as much thought and work into attempting to understand and explain themselves. It is rare to find thoughtfulness and skepticism, believer or no. Atheists and scientists can be just as troubled, flawed, and deluded as anyone else.

The lesson I will pull from this is that it is important for me to concentrate on myself and my own growth, because worrying about everyone else didn't help Lewis, and it isn't going to help me, either. I must not simply tear down those who are different from me, since this doesn't prove that I am right, any more than a bully proves his superiority by his insults and threats.(less)

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12 comments

Apr 04, 2007

Stephanie rated it:

(review of isbn 0006280609)

Read in January, 1996

recommends it for: Searchers who can take it

Let me preface by saying I do not follow any one religious path. I'm a searcher, and I'm not sure if I'll ever settle on one faith. That said, The Screwtape Letters, an intense rumination on good and evil, as told through the letters of one demon to another, is a work I feel everyone should read, if to do nothing but understand the true nature of evil. I'll admit, I picked up the book because I thought a tale told by a demon would be kind of cool... sexy in a dark fun kind of way. The experience...more

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Jan 12, 2009

Anca rated it:

(review of isbn 9795421999)

bookshelves: 10, christian, to-visit-again

Read in February, 2009

recommends it for: believers

This is one of the books you take notes while reading. C.S.Lewis is, as I so many times before said, the smartest Christian writer I ever came across to and underlining passages is worthless. You just have to re-read it all, if anything.

This book is writen for already convinced Christians (if not, it may open eyes upon some confusing aspects of Christian religion-did it for me, anyway) and it lingers upon matters of a Christian life and temptations that come with it. However, they're...more This is one of the books you take notes while reading. C.S.Lewis is, as I so many times before said, the smartest Christian writer I ever came across to and underlining passages is worthless. You just have to re-read it all, if anything.

This book is writen for already convinced Christians (if not, it may open eyes upon some confusing aspects of Christian religion-did it for me, anyway) and it lingers upon matters of a Christian life and temptations that come with it. However, they're not looked at with the simplicity of the book's modern version, Lord Foulgrin's Letters. Lewis goes in the depths of it and points out the traps one can fall in walking on the path chosen. And they are subtle and many. The mistakes are accurately described; it is given the way out of them - all through the tempter Screwtape.

In fact, this is where you can see the difference between the master and the apprentice: while Alcorn points out the obvious sins -adultery, anger, lie, attitude towards family, boredom, wanting more and more etc- Lewis underlines how the thoughts, intentions, day-by-day and social habits are the real problem. It's actually disturbing if you identify yourself in the depiction of the foolish person doing that.

Following the comparison line, The Screwtape Letters are a source of theology more than a imagined situation between two devils (this lessens the credibility sometimes, the wisdom the devil has in Christian matters reversely applied is an excellent guide; so sometimes it gets too instructive -for the reader- to be real) whereas The Lord Foulgrin's Letters give the reader a frightfull feeling but a lot less intelligent thinking. Both books challenge to looking outside the physic world; if not seeing, but realising the existance of a spiritual world. The latter may sometimes go over the edge and extent the importance of a tempter's ability too much; the first begins with saying 'The devil does not like to be laugh at' * and the author cautions about the two opposite attitudes (both wrong) that one can take towards the dark spirits: giving them too much attention/ignoring their world (Screwtape himself admits in a letter how disturbing are the people that josh them).

Also, what I like about Lewis and will always make him takeover every attempt of comparison is how he blends culture and Christianship. He stated Christian people should be the most intelligent category of people: that isn't much of an impulse for estranging from History, Literature and Arts, isn't it? A maudlin manifestation lies in wait if so; may be -of course- avoided, but it's so-around-the-corner under these conditions.

*motto-urile prefatei:"Cel mai bun mod de a-l alunga pe diavol, daca nu cedeaza la texte din Scriptura, este sa-l iei in zeflemea si sa-l ironizezi, pentru ca el nu suporta dispretul." (Martin Luther)
"Diavolul,...spiritul mandru...nu suporta sa razi de el." (Thomas Morus)

~Worth a more careful reading (did not get it this time; maybe next time, if ever)
~~ [de ce ma intind atata cu scrisul?e patologic deja :))]
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Sep 12, 2007

Bagger rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652896)

bookshelves: nonfiction

Read in October, 2007

I have read this book twice before but after my worship pastor mentioned a quote that I had forgotten in one part of the book Wormwood writes his uncle Screwtape with great fear that his subject has begun going to church, his uncle quite easily assures him that the best thing to do is keep him in church, but keep him proud of the fact that he always attends the services or sits in the same area, as long as Wormwood keeps him in the building and away from God.
I think Lewis is one of those a...more

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Apr 13, 2009

Natalie rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652896)

bookshelves: god-is-dead

If I didn't know anything about C.S. Lewis, and if he hadn't written a foreword to this book making his status as a Christian more than clear, I would have thought that this book was a satire.

Screwtape is an epistolary novel, a series of letters written by a senior devil of hell to his younger, more inexperienced nephew. The correspondence deals chiefly with advice to the younger devil, Wormwood, about how best to tempt his "patient" (the human to which he has been assig...more

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Sep 15, 2008

Wendy rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652896)

Read in September, 2008

I didn't particularly enjoy this book but am glad that I read it. In fact, at times the book made my skin crawl. For those who have not read it, the book is written as a bunch of letters from a tempter, Uncle Screwtape, to his nephew, a tempter in training, named Wormwoood. Screwtape tutors Wormwood on how to tempt the "patient" he is assigned. Through the letters, you are constantly reminded and made to think about how the adversary tempts us. What is poignant is that the cunning an...more I didn't particularly enjoy this book but am glad that I read it. In fact, at times the book made my skin crawl. For those who have not read it, the book is written as a bunch of letters from a tempter, Uncle Screwtape, to his nephew, a tempter in training, named Wormwoood. Screwtape tutors Wormwood on how to tempt the "patient" he is assigned. Through the letters, you are constantly reminded and made to think about how the adversary tempts us. What is poignant is that the cunning and evil plans are not centered around obvious sins, that so often are what we think about when we think about temptation and sin. Instead, the tempters focus on much more subtle sins such as vanity, pride, distraction,insincerity, forgetting or being too tired say prayers,and how these can achieve the same goal as the more obvious sins which is ultimately to lead us away from God. That's how cunning and evil the devil is. He knows that by chipping away a little at a time he has a better chance at gaining us as his own.

You cannot read this book and not think of how pertinent it is to your life. It was a little frightening to find myself in the book as someone who has succumbed to some of these suttle temptations (many times). Perhaps thats why I didn't enjoy the read but still found it very insightful.

I found this "Beatitudes" in someone elses review (Jenelle) and thought it was great so I copied it from her review to mine. Really hit it home for me.

Screwtape Counterfeits
1. Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians — they are my best workers.
2. Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked — I can use them.
3. Blessed are the touchy who stop going to church — they are my missionaries.
4. Blessed are the trouble makers — they shall be called my children.
5. Blessed are the complainers — I'm all ears to them.
6. Blessed are those who are bored with the minister's mannerisms and mistakes — for they get nothing out of his sermons.
7. Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church — for he is a part of the problem instead of the solution.
8. Blessed are those who gossip — for they shall cause strife and division that please me.
9. Blessed are those who are easily offended — for they will soon get angry and quit.
10. Blessed are those who do not give their offering to carry on God's work — for they are my helpers.
11. Blessed is he who professes to love God but hates his brother and sister — for he shall be with me forever.
12. Blessed are you who, when you read this, think it is about other people and not yourself — I've got you too!
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Jan 31, 2008

Beth rated it:

(review of isbn 0684831171)

Read in July, 2008

I’ve had good intentions of getting around to reading this C.S. Lewis classic for a long, long while now; it’s been sitting on my shelf for years. Since I've been without a library card for a couple weeks, I finally picked it up and began to read in earnest.

As I started reading, I couldn’t figure out why I’d found the book so cumbersome before. The chapters were contained to small, manageable installments; the book itself is a short volume, a little over a hundred pages (plu...more I’ve had good intentions of getting around to reading this C.S. Lewis classic for a long, long while now; it’s been sitting on my shelf for years. Since I've been without a library card for a couple weeks, I finally picked it up and began to read in earnest.

As I started reading, I couldn’t figure out why I’d found the book so cumbersome before. The chapters were contained to small, manageable installments; the book itself is a short volume, a little over a hundred pages (plus with the article “Screwtape Proposes a Toast” tacked on to the end of this edition). And the technique in which the thoughts are explained: brilliant.

First of all, you have the unique point-of-view. Screwtape, the character mentioned in the title, is an experienced devil. Yup, that’s right — devil. It’s his job to go tempt ordinary mortals (like you and me), to keep us from getting close to “the Enemy” (God). This interesting perspective takes some getting used to, but it is nevertheless pretty straightforward — just requires that you keep from going on auto-pilot while you’re reading. Lewis describes this voice as “diabolic ventriloquism”:

Screwtape’s outlook is like a photographic negative; his whites are our blacks and whatever he welcomes we ought to dread.

Secondly, the voice of Screwtape comes via letters to his nephew, novice tempter Wormwood. Though we have no words from Wormwood himself (or any direct references regarding the new Christian convert that Wormwood is assigned to deter), the reader can easily surmise his situation based on Screwtape’s references.

While C.S. Lewis is writing from a fictional perspective (devils going to tempting school and writing letters to one another is his own invention, of course), the insights he gives are profound. We know what we should do to return to live with God; how, then, do we get tripped up so easily? Well, Screwtape outlines plenty of methods here, and it’s not even a comprehensive list! I was reminded of the scripture in which King Benjamin says:

And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them (Mosiah 4:29).

Still, most of those different sins seem to come back to a singular premise: distancing ourselves from God, usually by some subtle distraction. I came across this quote from July 5’s Church News last week that harmonized with the message of The Screwtape Letters:

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve said that even though the Lord’s teachings are plain and direct, “We are still at risk of getting sidetracked. Some people choose to follow the teachings of the Lord and of His living prophet only when convenient, and reject them when sacrifice or deeper commitment is required. Some fail to follow only because His divine teachings do not agree with their own preconceived notions.

“We get sidetracked by submitting to temptations that divert us past the bounds of safety. Satan knows our weaknesses. He puts attractive snares on our paths at just those moments when we are msot vulnerable. His intent is to lead us from the way that returns us to our Heavenly Father.” (October 1990 general conference)

I found the message of the book to be both uplifting (yes, really — a book about devils, uplifting!) and insightful. Worth looking into.(less)

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Aug 16, 2007

Andrew rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652934)

Read in April, 2006

this review first appeared on [http://intraspace.blogspot.com]

cs lewis strikes again! not that i should be surprised, he is widely regarded as one of the best christian writers of the 20th century.

this book is the record of letters sent by senior demon screwtape to his nephew wormwood. wormwood is on assignment trying to turn a new christian away from God. the more experienced screwtape gives advice to the young demon. this in turn gives us an insight into the way humans ...more

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Jul 04, 2007

Lisa rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652934)

Read in June, 2007

recommends it for: everyone

This was my first C.S. Lewis book - I kept meaning to read the Narnia Chronicles, but never got around to it. Now I'm completely addicted to his writing, and plan to read many more of his books.

The Screwtape Letters is written from the perspective of an advanced demon (Screwtape), writing to his nephew, Wormwood. It takes a minute when you start the book to wrap your brain around the point of view - but once you realize what is going on, it really makes you think from different an...more

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Dec 18, 2007

Samuel Barlow rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652896)

Read in December, 2007

recommends it for: everyone

This book really opened my eyes to the ways Satan tries to entrap people into sinning. Some sins were rather obscure, but most were very common that I myself am struggling with. I just realized that I do have a choice no matter what happens and that is all that counts. Once you no longer desire to do evil, you win, Satan loses. That is the adventure in this story. Screwtape and Wormwood, the tempters, are finally thwarted when the Christian, their subject, dies in righteousness (from what I...more

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Mar 26, 2007

Elaine rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652896)

Read in September, 2007

I drudgingly read more than halfway though this book simply because I LOVE "Mere Christianity," and I was hoping it would get better. After I realized that I wasn't even really reading it anymore (because I was so bored), I decided to quit, at least for the time being.

I like the idea of the book, and there were some good one liners, but for some reason, the actual content and format just didn't do it for me. I was bored and disappointed because I know this is supposed to be...more

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Feb 11, 2009

Benson rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652896)

Read in January, 2009

Such an interesting book! I actually listened to this on disc during my daily commute and I will listen to it again to glean more from it. Very thought-provoking approach to understanding how temptation works and what tactics the devil uses to drag mortals down to his misery.

One take-away I valued, even though it has no doctrinal foundation, was the thought of having a specific demon assigned to me by the Father Below to get to know my every flaw and strength and exploit that know...more

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Nov 19, 2008

Lauren B. rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652896)

recommends it for: anyone searching for a deeper faith - regardless of religion

I often say that almost all of my theology comes from reading "The Narnia Suite," which I read for the first time at the age of eight, and more than a dozen times thereafter. I was particularly taken with The Last Battle, in which some people are very surprised indeed to learn that those they thought wouldn't be admitted into Aslan's Land because they fought on "The Wrong Side" of the aforementioned last battle, were in fact instantly admitted because it was their intention ...more

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Mar 09, 2008

Jennelle rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652934)

Read in September, 2006

This book is very interesting. Two Devils: Screwtape (a learned Devil) and Wormwood (a devil in training)are writing letters back and forth to each other on the best tactics in capturing a human soul. C.S. Lewis claimed that "the book was distasteful to write, and he vowed never to write a direct sequel" I think it was distasteful for him to write because he must have felt that he was thinking like the adversary. It really makes you stop and think. It's a fairly quick read. I was in...more

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Feb 28, 2008

matt rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652896)

bookshelves: fictions-of-the-big-it, won-t-read-again

Read in April, 1998

I'm not a big fan of Clive Staples Lewis, either of his writing or his philosophy. I wouldn't even really commend the book's principles....it does quite a bit to make one think that the entire world is a paranoid conspiracy run by ACTUAL satanic beings, trying with their every effort to sabotage one's mind.

Like, there's a part when the senior demon reminds the novice demon that a good place to be able to get a foothold into someone's thoughts is to infiltrate them while they...more

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Feb 13, 2008

Danielle rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652934)

bookshelves: danielle-recommends, fiction, my-favorites

Read in July, 2005

So intelligently written-- C.S. Lewis sees right through you and highlights your every human foible and self-justification through the eyes of a "junior tempter." Such an inspiring book, though. You finish it with the feeling that despite our many weaknesses, good can conquer evil in the most trying battle--that of our countless daily choices between little sins or being a little better.
I love this book for the way it helped me see that even mundane decisions matter. No matter ho...more

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Feb 05, 2008

Sarah rated it:

(review of isbn 0060093668)

bookshelves: audiobooks, christianity, fiction, reviewed

Read in January, 2008

Not quite what I was expecting. I've been told many times over the years how funny "Screwtape" is, and while I admit it's got a very humorous side, there's also something very dark and insidious about it (no doubt made more so by Joss Ackland, whose velvety, malevolent voice was reading the audiobook).

As a non-Christian, I find Lewis' take on faith surprisingly hypocritical at times: he criticizes those who have their own take on Christianity as merely taking a long road t...more

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Jan 20, 2008

Melissa rated it:

(review of isbn 0060652896)

bookshelves: classic-literature

Read in March, 2008

recommended to Melissa by: Michael J. Teh, general authority who quoted it in General Confe
recommends it for: my family

My favorite thing about this book is that it is so fun to talk about with others that have read it. It is a book that will be worth reading again and again and learning something new about myself each time I read it. I am coping a review from MelissaS from CT. I just copied it because it is exactly what I'm thinking and I don't see the need to repeat the work.

"I love this book - it really makes you think. For those who have not read it, the book is written as a compilation of...more My favorite thing about this book is that it is so fun to talk about with others that have read it. It is a book that will be worth reading again and again and learning something new about myself each time I read it. I am coping a review from MelissaS from CT. I just copied it because it is exactly what I'm thinking and I don't see the need to repeat the work.

"I love this book - it really makes you think. For those who have not read it, the book is written as a compilation of letters from a "tempter," Screwtape, to his nephew, a "junior tempter" named Wormwoood. In the letters, Screwtape gives Wormwood advice and counsel on how to best tempt his "subject" - a young man who converts to Christianity, and then falls in love with a Christian woman. Through the letters, you are constantly reminded and made to think about how the adversary tempts us. What is truly excellent about the book, though, is that the cunning plans are not centered around obvious sins, that so often are what we think about when we think about temptation and sin. Instead, the tempters focus on much more subtle forms of sins - vanity, pride, distraction, insincerity, forgetting God, and how these can achieve the same effect as more obvious sins ... to lead us away from God. Ultimately, the tempters in this story do not care what sins are committed by their subjects - so long as they accomplish their goal of separating people from God, and leading them to the adversary. In fact, they seem to prefer the more subtle means of leading people astray, as they sense that this is a more hidden and thus secure way to accomplish their ultimate design.

You cannot read this book and not think of how extremely pertinent it is to your life. C. S. Lewis has thought deeply about the things we do each that lead us away from God, and he articulates them very well. As you read the book, you are in a constant introspection of your own life, and the things that are put before you daily that lead you away from what we all desire - a close, personal, consistent, and deep relationship with God, that leads to happiness now and the hereafter. I love this book!"

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