I love reading biographies. I haven’t always enjoyed them. In fact, I can remember a friend telling me he enjoyed reading biographies a few years ago, and I distinctly thought to myself “Why?”

But my opinion of biographies has changed over the past few years. Reading the story of someone’s life can benefit my own life in ways that I can’t even imagine until I dig through those pages.

In a way, reading a biography is much like getting to actually meet that person, even though that’s a physical impossibility.

That’s the way I viewed Paul McCusker’s biography on C. S. Lewis. Lewis has long been one of my favorite authors. I almost experience feelings of regret that our lives didn’t overlap any. If they did, I would have at least had an opportunity to cross paths with the man. But unfortunately, he left this life before I entered it.

So, reading a biography is the next best thing.

C. S. Lewis And Mere Christianity isn’t really a biography, though, at least not in the regular sense. McCusker didn’t write a complete analysis of Lewis’ life. This book just covers the events surrounding Lewis’ creation of the classic, Mere Christianity.

The book begins with a brief look at Jack Lewis’ early life, and his service in World War 1. This is brief, however, and the bulk of the book is dedicated to his relationship with Eric Fenn and James Welch, and the connection with BBC Broadcasting.

Lewis’ brief talks on the radio took place during the second World War, and provided a measure of faith and comfort to a nation torn apart in a war with Germany. Lewis shared his faith through these short talks over the air, and the books that resulted from them, and greatly impacted countless lives, both in his own time, and for generations to come.

The crisis that led to his work in radio created a classic that has been a staple for apologetics ever since.

Again, this isn’t your typical biography. Much of Lewis’ life isn’t addressed in C. S. Lewis And Mere Christianity. Major aspects of his life, such as his relationship with the woman who became his wife, are given a passing glance only. If you want a complete overview of Lewis’ life, this isn’t the book for you . But it does provide a great peek into one aspect of his life, and how it led to the creation of a masterpiece.

If you are a C. S. Lewis fan, you need to read this insightful look into his life.

Question: Are you a C. S. Lewis fan? If so, which of his books do you enjoy the most? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.