Jack: A Life of C. S. Lewis [Paperback]

The book brings the reader on an intimate journey through the life of Lewis, often times with stunning detail. From Lewis' parents and his childhood, his education, teaching career, and friendships, to his life at the Kilns, the meetings (as well as the people) in and with the Inklings (a particular favorite section of mine), and his life work, marriage to Joy and how he carried on without Joy.

Sayer also details how Lewis actually created certain works such as his Narnia series. Also, his radio broadcasts are detailed as well as his lectures given to the public. Moreover, he details several of Lewis' close friends (mainly from the Inklings) who read his manuscripts and offered certain advice. Sayer describes those who inspired Lewis when he read (e.g. George MacDonald, William Morris, etc.) and those who helped Lewis throughout his writing career.
Who else could possibly tell the story of Lewis' life than one of his colleagues. Sayer knew Lewis and had developed a strong friendship with Lewis through education and through participating in several meetings with the Inklings.

If you want to know more about Lewis not only on an intellectual level but a deeper personal level as well (i.e. really get the know the man Lewis), then you will need no other biography besides this one. I highly recommend this work.

The great problem in C. S. Lewis scholarship at the moment is that the bulk of the books dealing with his life tend to be overwhelmingly pious and respectful (the St. Jack bios) or intent on tearing holes in that portrait (A. N. Wilson). What we really need is a first rate biography that manages to capture the magic and appeal of Lewis's personality, explains his ongoing intellectual and imaginative appeal, and yet does not willfully overlook the man's flaws. Sayer captures the personality marvelously, gives some hints as to his intellectual appeal, but presents a fairly sanitized version of Lewis's life. No doubt this is out of respect and affection, but Lewis doesn't emerge as a warm flesh and blood human being. For instance, while alluding to his relationship with Mrs. Moore, Sayer assumes a position of agnosticism as to its nature. It is an important if disturbing chapter in Lewis's life, because it potentially reveals a great deal about his personality.

One thing that does emerge in Sayer's biography is the closed reserve that Lewis seems to have carried with him all his life. On the one hand, Lewis seems to have been a very accomodating, kind, and helpful soul, and yet, he is hard to get to know. One gets to know his thoughts, and yet never gets to know the man who thinks them. One can read both SURPRISED BY JOY and A GRIEF OBSERVED, and come away from them not having a strong sense of how Lewis felt about things, about the predomenant emotions in his life. Sayer doesn't completely dispell this emotional reserve that Lewis projects, but he probably gets as close as anyone has.

Still, I don't believe this is the biography we are waiting for. It will do until the definitive one comes along. My recommendation for those wanting to know about Lewis's life is to read this one in conjunction with A. N. Wilson's. In the latter Wilson far too gleefully deconstructs the carefully constructed portrait of Lewis that some of his more somber admirers have constructed. I value the Wilson as a corrective, but one will not get much of a sense of why Lewis was such an attractive individual for so many, both in his books and in real life. For that, you will need to look to this excellent book.

George Sayer knew CS Lewis from 1934 until Lewis' death in 1963, first as a tutor, later as a friend, and finally as an extremely close friend.

While other biographies have been written by persons with axes to grind or by persons whose own connection to Lewis was minimal, Sayer writes from the perspective of a true insider.

While he minces no words -- the "difficult" aspects of Lewis' life are certainly explored in-depth, he treats the subject with respect and true affection.

Mr. Sayer is, himself, a career academic in the field of English, and thus is able to enlighten the casual reader about aspects about the "literary Lewis" which would otherwise not be recognized. I've been a Lewis fan for 25 years and yet was unaware of his significant contributions in the field of literary criticism. Also enjoyable was the discussion of Lewis' own tastes in reading as well as his major influences.

While the influence Charles Williams had on Lewis (especially in "That Hideous Strength") was addressed, I was disappointed that Tolkien's influence on Lewis was minimized. This was, I believe, an oversight.

All in all, though, I highly recommend this extremely readable volume.