JACKSON, Tenn. — Nov. 4, 2019 — Professor Hal Poe’s new book on C. S. Lewis takes an in-depth look at the author’s early life that, although critical to his works and conversion to Christianity later in life, is largely overlooked in biographies of Lewis.
“Becoming C. S. Lewis: A Biography of Young Jack Lewis (1898-1918)” chronicles the formative young years of the well-known author who wrote more than 30 books, including “Mere Christianity,” “The Great Divorce” and the beloved classics, “The Chronicles of Narnia.”
Poe, Charles Colson Professor of Faith and Culture at Union University, said this book was one that he had not planned to write. He had been reading some of Lewis’ works and found that Lewis greatly enjoyed the simple pleasures of life, such as food. This led Poe to wonder, “What did he love to eat?” To find the answer, Poe began to read through Lewis’ letters as a young boy through his teenage years.
“I realized that most of the things Lewis liked and most of the things he hated were pretty well-established before he went away to college,” Poe said. “In other words, during his teenage years, he developed most of his preferences, and the thing about these preferences is they became the track on which his conversion took place.”
Poe’s book examines Lewis’ childhood interests and experiences, such as the death of his mother; being sent from Ireland to English boarding schools (that he hated); being bullied and withdrawing from social life; developing a love of reading; his love of walking outdoors and observing the landscapes; and his captivation with castles and old churches.
“I thought, this story really needs to be told, because the biographies of Lewis essentially ignore this period of his life,” Poe said. “They just try to get through it as quickly as they can, yet all the biographers are baffled by why Lewis spent three-fourths of his spiritual autobiography, ‘Surprised by Joy,’ talking about his childhood and teenage years.”
Once Poe sent his book to his publisher, Crossway, he realized he would like to write a follow-up on the period in which then-atheist Lewis graduated from high school and became a soldier in World War I. Poe proposed a second volume to Crossway, and they asked him to consider writing a third volume on the last portion of Lewis’ life, as well. Poe is contracted to write “The Making of C. S. Lewis: From Atheist to Apologist (1918-1945)” and “The Completion of C. S. Lewis: From Bachelor to Widower (1945-1963)” for Crossway.
“So, a book that I didn’t plan on doing has wound up being a three-volume biography,” Poe said.
“Becoming C. S. Lewis” is available for purchase on Amazon.com.