I got this book last January and dragged my feet on it. I did not, however, drag my feet because this book was not fascinating. It is totally fascinating. Those of you who know me outside of this blog know that my life turned upside down a little this year with the third stroke of my father. I have spent about 1/4th of 2023 between my home and their home traveling and caring for my parents. That being said I am sharing this book with you now.

This book is the first in a trilogy of biography books that spans the life of C. S. Lewis. It is a very in-depth look at his life and road to salvation and writing career. If you love all things C. S. Lewis this is a must read. 

The first book in this series is full of the things from Lewis’s life that shaped him as a young person and a student. The loss of his mother, the father and brother that raised him, the teachers he studied under and schools he attended all shaped who he was to become. He does not reach salvation in this first phase but you can certainly see the seeds that were planted along the way. By far, though, the things he chose to read in his leisure time probably had the most impact on his thinking and reasoning. I really enjoyed how the author gave us lists of those books that were important to him and how they impacted his later writings. It is a fascinating journey.

I enjoyed getting to know the young Lewis as he searched for truth and walked through education and the first world war. His journey to faith in Christ began in those early years. You will have to read the second to get to the actual conversion to Christianity but the first book is so important on his journey. I have purchased the second in the series to complete my set. I wrote about the third book in the series last year as I chose to review that one for Crossway. I will be reading the second book in 2024 on my own. If you are looking for a gift for the C. S. Lewis fan in your life or maybe a set for yourself this is the time to head over to www.crossway.org. Join their membership list for free and get 30-50% off on this set and more. They also have all three in audio book format.

I am always delighted to read a book from Crossway. I enjoyed reading this one as a reviewer. I received the book for free and was only asked to give my honest opinion on it. Harry Lee Poe does a brilliant job of telling Lewis’s life story. I look forward to more from him in the future.