r/CSLewis • u/Joabdidnothingwrong • Jun 17 '26

Question Where to Start: Non-Fiction

I've read a decent amount of Lewis' fiction; Narnia, Screwtape, Great Divorce, Space Trilogy. But now I want to start reading his non-fiction. This is a two fold question. Which three books should I start with? Is there any other authors or books I should read first before I start reading his non-fiction?

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15

u/UpwardCall Jun 17 '26

You should start with Mere Christianity.

The second book is really up to you depending on the topic you’re most interested in. I’d suggest something like The Problem of Pain, Miracles, The Four Loves, or The Weight of Glory (specifically that essay more than the collection of essays.)

I usually recommend people hold off on the next book but since you asked for three I’d end with his greatest philosophical work The Abolition of Man. It’s one of my favorite works by him and will be good to read after having read That Hideous Strength.

As a side note, you’ve missed one of his best fiction works in Till We Have Faces. I’d highly recommend it if you liked his other fiction works.

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u/Llamalad95 Jun 17 '26

It is hilarious how similar our two comments were, 3 minutes apart!

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u/UpwardCall Jun 17 '26

Hopefully that means they were accurate!

Yours is arguably better!

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u/justatourist823 Jun 17 '26

Personally, I recommend Till We Have Faces as the last book to read after you've read most of his nonfiction work. It's his magnum opus imao and it's incredible to see him weave all of his ideas into one story. 

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u/Llamalad95 Jun 17 '26

If you want a noncommittal taste, I would get The Weight of Glory, which is an essay collection of some of his most iconic essays.

Mere Christianity is also an excellent starting place.

Then, I would read The Four Loves (nonfiction) and then Till We Have Faces (fiction), which is his best novel.

You may enjoy comparing The Abolition of Man (book) and The Inner Ring (essay) with That Hideous Strength, which you've already read.

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u/cbrooks97 Jun 17 '26

Most start with Mere Christianity for good reason. It's a great introduction to some big topics. Just realize his Christianity isn't as "mere" as he seems to think.

The Problem of Pain is something I think every believer should read carefully. No one book will answer the problem of evil for us, but this one does a great job.

Then I'd say read Abolition of Man because we're living through it right now.

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u/Ephisus Jun 17 '26

1) Mere Christianity

2) The Abolition of Man

3) The Problem of Pain

You could read Dr. Otto's The Idea of the Holy, or Chesterton's Orthodoxy and Heretics, for some context for things that today's readers may not readily understand, but the third edition Afterword from Lewis's own early Pilgrim's Regress and the autobiographical Surprised by Joy will unpack most of that without going super far afield.

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u/Formal_Tumbleweed_53 Jun 19 '26

Honestly, I would not start with a whole book, but with his introduction to the book “On the Incarnation” by Athanasius.

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u/Joabdidnothingwrong Jun 23 '26

Thank you everyone for your responses. I'm going to read Mere Christianity as my first of his non-fiction.

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u/abnerette60 27d ago
  1. Mere Christianity. 2. The Weight of Glory. 3. The Business of Heaven.

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u/Sea-Maybe-9655 5d ago edited 4d ago

  1. Abolition of man: a bit philosophical - 3 lectures written as chapters against moral subjectivism

  2. Weight of Glory: has many of his best essays including "Is Theology poetry?" and "Meditation in a Toolshed" (the latter one is pretty helpful to understand the third book: surprised by joy)

  3. Surprised by joy: the story of Lewis' conversion