Surprised by Laughter: The Comic World of C.S. Lewis
3.7
5
11
11
Not At All What I Was Expecting
Surprised by Laughter an attempt to take a peek into the lighter side of one of my all time favorite authors, CS Lewis. The author examines the four types of humor that Lewis used in his writings and demonstrated in his life. The author uses quotes and segments from LewisâÂÂs own writings to show âÂÂthe comic world of CS LewisâÂÂ, which is the subtitle.
I donâÂÂt think IâÂÂve ever said this before, but this is the only book by or about CS Lewis that I just didnâÂÂt like. There were a couple glimmers, but overall it was a long disappointment. First, I was surprised at how academic the book was, not an easy read at all. Second, though IâÂÂm sure some will connect with it, the authorâÂÂs very dry sense of humor just didnâÂÂt connect with me. Lastly, it was incredibly long and could probably use to be shortened quite a bit without losing much. This is the first book that I donâÂÂt think IâÂÂd recommend, which is a bummer. IâÂÂm sure some will love it though.
Disclosure Note: Thomas Nelson has been gracious enough to give me a complimentary copy of this Bible for review purposes. The opinions expressed are my own.
August 25, 2012
Know what you're getting
This book is probably one with which you would NOT want to be surprised by. You might expect a joyful read about a great author who had a well developed sense of humour. However whether it surprises you or not what you will read is a scholarly discussion that explores Lewis' humour that is more text book than light read.
Lindvall picks up on Lewis' own work in the Screwtape letters to guide his exploration of the 'comic world'. It is effective for what the book sets out to do just so long as you know what you are getting yourself into.
Its the kind of book I enjoy but it certainly is not for everybody.
Thanks to Booksneeze.com for a copy of the book for review.
June 15, 2012
Well-Written, Still Won't Read it Again
"Surprised by Laughter: The Comic World of C.S. Lewis" by Terry Linovall is a collection of quotes and excerpts by C.S. Lewis, showing pieces in Lewis' writing about his sense of humor and how humor can be found in anything. Yes, even though he didn't ONLY write the Chronicles of Narnia, there ARE some excerpts from it, if you're a Narnia geek, too.
How can we find laughter in the most serious situations? How can we gain a positive outlook on life? How we leave our pessimistic ways behind?
Your questions WILL be answered.
As of accuracy and professionalism, the book met my expectations. However, it was very difficult for me to finish and I often found myself giving up on it and falling asleep while reading it. Not a book even this Narnia geek enjoyed.
I recommend this book to adults, hence the PhD and super long index. If you are thirteen years old, I guarantee you will NOT like this book at all. You will be bored to tears. No other way to put it. I warned you. Not even young adults wanna read it. When I say adult, I mean non-fiction and if you're old enough to be my mom you might like it. Yeah.
If you're a fan of encyclopedias and other things educated retired people like, welcome to the family.... this book is for you.
As for me, I will NEVER read it again. It wasn't that bad, but my attention span is not attracted to 600-page books about C.S. Lewis.
Paperback.
422 pages.
Thomas Nelson publishers.
Nevertheless, still I give thanks to Thomas Nelson for giving me this book for free! Maybe I'll find someone who will enjoy learning about C.S. Lewis as much as Terry.
June 9, 2012
goo to read
It is easy to read and quite accessible for younger readers. It is a book that you will want to read more than once and prayerfully put into practice. The power behind the book is not the author but the word of God which he explains. May God bless you as you read this book. This is a very honest book that clearly describes the power of ongoing sin in our lives. It is a positive and powerful book that, at the very least, will help you to see the battle inside for what it truly is... What I really appreciated about this book is the emphasis it puts on being aware of the tools that the flesh uses to get you to give into temptation. I recognized all of the different places and ways that I had been giving into sin. I want to say that this book gives a very good motivation to walk humbly with your God. It gives enough examples both from Scriptures and American life. It moves you to change your habits, It has given me more hope and desire to persevere in struggling against sin.
I recommend it to all persons. This book is a must read for any Christian. It's helped me learn a lot about pride and humility and one of the best things about it is all the practical application. Take offense against pride.
I turn to again and again. I hope it will be the same for you,
This is a marvellous book for anyone experinecing difficulties in their lives. It may lead to a greater understanding in these times of trial!
June 1, 2012
Welcome to Christianbook.com! Sign in or create an account
Cart
0 items
Checkout
We now accept PayPalfor ALL orders
