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C. S. Lewis. The Screwtape Letters. HarperOne, 2001
0060652934 Amazon.com Who among us has never wondered if there might not really be a tempter sitting on our shoulders or dogging our steps? C.S. Lewis dispels all doubts. In The Screwtape Letters, one of his bestselling works, we are made privy to the instructional correspondence between a senior demon, Screwtape, and his wannabe diabolical nephew Wormwood. As mentor, Screwtape coaches Wormwood in the finer points, tempting his "patient" away from God. Each letter is a masterpiece of reverse theology, giving the reader an inside look at the thinking and means of temptation. Tempters, according to Lewis, have two motives: the first is fear of punishment, the second a hunger to consume or dominate other beings. On the other hand, the goal of the Creator is to woo us unto himself or to transform us through his love from "tools into servants and servants into sons." It is the dichotomy between being consumed and subsumed completely into another's identity or being liberated to be utterly ourselves that Lewis explores with his razor-sharp insight and wit. The most brilliant feature of The Screwtape Letters may be likening hell to a bureaucracy in which "everyone is perpetually concerned about his own dignity and advancement, where everyone has a grievance, and where everyone lives the deadly serious passions of envy, self-importance, and resentment." We all understand bureaucracies, be it the Department of Motor Vehicles, the IRS, or one of our own making. So we each understand the temptations that slowly lure us into hell. If you've never read Lewis, The Screwtape Letters is a great place to start. And if you know Lewis, but haven't read this, you've missed one of his core writings. --Patricia Klein --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Amazon.com Audiobook Review This adaptation of C.S. Lewis's biting satire received a 1999 Grammy nomination for best spoken-word performance, and it's easy to see why--the story fits the format perfectly. It's relatively brief (the unabridged reading takes a mere four hours), and contains only one character--the demon Screwtape, who writes letters to his novice nephew Wormwood, instructing him on how to best tempt his "patient" (a wayward soul on earth) into the bosom of "our Lord below." Obviously, the book wasn't written with former Monty Python John Cleese in mind, but it's hard to imagine a better Screwtape. Cleese's voice provides the perfect vehicle for Lewis's dry, razor-edged wit. His uncanny comic timing and ability to milk each phrase for maximum effect betray an infectious enthusiasm for the story. It's clear that he's having a great time reading, and it's impossible not to laugh along with him. This inspired pairing of two of the 20th century's greatest wits makes for a meditation on the dark side of spiritual guidance that's as relevant and funny today as it was in Lewis's war-torn England. (Running time: 4 hours, 3 cassettes) --Andrew Neiland --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Library Journal Lewis's satire is a Christian classic. Screwtape is a veteran demon in the service of "Our Father Below" whose letters to his nephew and prot?g?, Wormwood, instruct the demon-in-training in the fine points of leading a new Christian astray. Lewis's take on human nature is as on-target as it was when the letters were first published in 1941. John Cleese's narration is perfect as he takes Screwtape from emotional height to valley, from tight control to near apoplexy. This will be a popular in most libraries.ANann Blaine Hilyard, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From AudioFile These letters of advice from senior fiend Screwtape to his nephew, Wormwood, an apprentice tempter trying to capture the soul of a mortal Englishman wavering between sin and salvation, appeared in 1942 in some of the darkest months of WWII, when evil certainly seemed personified and loose in the world. Joss Ackland inhabits the character of Screwtape masterfully, making him a suave and seductive elder statesman who uses his velvety charm and deep knowledge of human nature to make you forget that his politics are appalling. It is not necessary to be a Christian to be fascinated by this apologia, and Ackland's brilliant performance makes it well-nigh unforgettable. B.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award ? AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright ? AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition. John Updike "I read Lewis for comfort and pleasure many years ago, and a glance into the books revives my old admiration." The New Yorker "...wit and wisdom, style and scholarship..." Los Angeles Times "Lewis...forced those who listened to him and read his works to come to terms with their own philosophical presuppositions." Book Description In this humorous and perceptive exchange between two devils, C. S. Lewis delves into moral questions about good vs. evil, temptation, repentance, and grace. Through this wonderful tale, the reader emerges with a better understanding of what it means to live a faithful life. From the Back Cover Screwtape is an experienced devil. His nephew Wormwood is just beginning his demonic career and has been assigned to secure the damnation of a young man who has just become a Christian. In this humorous exchange, C. S. Lewis delves into moral questions about good v. evil, temptation, repentance, and grace. Through this wonderful tale, the reader emerges with a better knowledge of what it means to live a good, honest life. About the Author C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably the most influential Christian writer of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English literature at Oxford University until 1954 when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. His major contributions in literary criticism, childrens literature, fantasy literature, and popular theology brought him international renown and acclaim. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include The Chronicles of Narnia, Out of the Silent Planet, The Four Loves, The Screwtape Letters, and Mere Christianity. Amazon Reviews: 5.0 out of 5 stars I wish I'd read this book many years ago..., June 18, 2000 By Rosemary Thornton "The Houses That Sears Built" (Happy Land, USA) - This review is from: The Screwtape Letters: Also Includes "Screwtape Proposes a Toast (Paperback) I'd recommend this be one of the first books you read as you start your spiritual journey. This is a profound book that will jolt you awake from your apathetic musings and stir you to the depths of your soul. I was a Christian for 12+ years before I picked up this little volume and it was of inestimable worth for me, but I regretted not having read it much sooner. It's one of those books (like E. L. Prentiss's "Stepping Heavenward") that feels like it was written JUST for you. "Screwtape Letters" has that same feel - that C. S. Lewis crawled into your consciousness and described every mental battle you've ever had - and explains that those subtle arguments which steered you away from spiritual growth, were cleverly disguised devilish whispers. As Lewis points out, the path to hell is a gentle slope. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn how to differentiate between God's thoughts and the lies of evil. "Screwtape Letters" pulls back the curtain and reveals evil's best kept secrets and oh-so subtle tricks. 5.0 out of 5 stars Speak of the Devil , December 28, 2005 By Mark Blackburn (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada) - Today I loaned a copy of "Screwtape" to a young woman -...

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McGrath, Patrick: Asylum - A Novel, NY Random House 1997
ISBN: 0-679-45228-1 Fine in Fine Dust Jacket Dust Jacket Design By Robin Schiff; Dust Jacket Art By Hugh Shurley; Book Design By Caroline Cunningham

First printing of the Random House hardcover edition. x, 260pp. Black faux quarter-cloth, purple paper boards, copper spine lettering, blindstamped design front cover, deckled fore-edge. Dust jacket price 22.00. SIGNED BY AUTHOR to first blank page. Book and Dust Jacket are in As New, unread condition. No remainder markings. Patrick McGrath is a Poe for our times, the first postmodern-gothic storyteller. Drawn from the mind's most unruly nightmares and macabre alcoves, his elegantly bizzare fiction is laden with shimmering images of sensuality touched with subtle humor and irony, rich with atmospheric prose which stretches the limits of gothic horror - creating unforgettable literature. " From our most celebrated writer of the psychological thriller comes this nerve-wracking yet eerily beautiful work of erotic obsession and madness. In the summer of 1959 Stella Raphael joins her psychiatrist husband, Max, at his new posting--a maximum-security hospital for the criminally insane. Beautiful and headstrong, Stella soon falls under the spell of Edgar Stark, a brilliant and magnetic sculptor who has been confined to the hospital for murdering his wife in a psychotic rage. But Stella's knowledge of Edgar's crime is no hindrance to the volcanic attraction that ensues--a passion that will consume Stella's sanity and destroy her and the lives of those around her." - paperback edition. Shortlisted for the 1996 Guardian Fiction Prize. Basis for the 2005 film directed by David MacKenzie, starring Natasha Richardson, Ian McKellen, Joss Ackland, Hugh Bonneville, Gus Lewis. Signed by Author First Edition Fine Hard Cover 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall

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Ackland, Michael. HENRY KENDALL The Man and the Myths. Melbourne: Miegunyah Press, 1995.
Index, notes and bibliography. Unclipped jacket. "Long overdue assessment of a man who represents and abiding part of our cultural heritage. " 800gms weight ; B&W Photographs; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 354 pages. 0522846505.

First Edition, Hardcover, Very Good in Very Good dust jacket.

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