The Screwtape Letters

6b C. S. Lewis. New York: Macmillan, 1943. First American Edition.

Notes

The Screwtape Letters, published in 1942, is one of C.S. Lewis’s most original and provocative works, written as a satirical and imaginative series of letters from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his inexperienced nephew Wormwood. In these letters, Screwtape advises Wormwood on how best to tempt a human "patient" away from God (referred to as "the Enemy") through subtle manipulation of thoughts, habits, and emotions. With wit, irony, and deep insight into human nature, Lewis explores themes of faith, temptation, pride, and spiritual warfare from a devil’s-eye view, making serious theological points through dark humor and reversal of perspective. The book became a classic almost immediately for its clever format and penetrating moral wisdom.

C.S. Lewis’s path to writing The Screwtape Letters was shaped by his own spiritual and intellectual journey. Originally an atheist, Lewis converted first to belief in God in 1929 and then to Christianity in 1931, influenced in part by close friends like J.R.R. Tolkien. A scholar of literature and mythology, Lewis used his deep understanding of human psychology, narrative, and faith to craft a fictional work that addressed real spiritual challenges faced by believers. His conversion gave him a unique ability to speak to both skeptics and Christians, blending reason, imagination, and theology in a way that was engaging and accessible. The Screwtape Letters reflects his mature Christian thought, particularly his emphasis on the quiet, everyday ways that people can drift from—or be drawn toward—God.

Description

Red canvas binding with black lettering to spine. Original jacket with some chipping to head of foot of spine and along extremities. Browning to dust jacket. Lacking half-title. Annotated copy with neat underlining and marginal notes and glosses in red colored pencil. Stain to outer half of top edge with no mark to text from this. Inscription placing the purchase of this book within a few months of publication. Good/very good condition overall.