C.S. Lewis Lectures on the Novels of Charles Williams

[aardvark0123]

In response to "anyone know where i can find novels by charles williams?" I just rechecked this: Enter "Charles Williams writer" in Facebook and an interest group will appear. Five of the novels (I've read several - REALLY COOL!) are listed and there is another notice of free ebooks by Charles Williams too.

A superb intro to all these men at Oxford is the book "The Inklings:" Enter that in Facebook and another interest group appears. They're in my "likes" in Facebook.

Good reading to you!

[Gawaine687]

@aardvark0123 thanks for the recommendation. I actually was able to find some of his novels in some small bookshops around where i live, though it took some finding. I'll go through those, and then start on some of his poetry, the stuff he really cared about writing.

[gmdinformation]

@Gawaine687 They're all still in print, so you shouldn't have to look very hard at all. There are also a ton of used copies at Abe's Books.

[steps222]

Lewis, of course, has it just right. The supernatural world is MORE real than this one, and, as a member of the inklings, and fellow Christian, the meeting of the two worlds, the natural (created) and the supernatural (realm of Creator) is just what Charles Williams is writing about. I read three of his books many years ago, have never forgotten them, and am about to embark on the corpus.

Blessings

[gmdinformation]

@steps222 When you get done with the novels, and if you think about it, come back and post about which ones you liked best. I've read all seven novels, his one short story, and most of his plays. I'm not a poetry fan though, so I haven't looked at much of his. I uploaded his short story to Gutenberg's Australian site where his works are in public domain. It's a good ghost story called "Et in Sempiternum Pereant."

[steps222]

@gmdinformation Hello, and thanks for your response--and the link! I will remember you reply, though it could be some time. I read slowly, on purpose, and I read more than one thing at a time. As to poetry, I taught it--English lit., American lit., and (less) World lit.) to students as advanced as Senior AP English. That all amounted to thirty-three years. So, if you're interested, I might be a source for you.

[gmdinformation]

@steps222 Uh-uh.I'll leave purposeful obscurity, veiled references, and symbolic substitution to the dream decorators. The language of the angels ain't for me. Or as one famous policeman said, "Just the facts ma'am." Although I do enjoy an occasional reading of Kimeny.

Actually, I'm pretty good at writing poetry and poetic sounding prose. I just don't care to read the former. Good prose, however, is usually a bit poetic in tone. It took me a long time to appreciate that.

[arch8887]

@gmdinformation

Have you read his other novels? He has more than seven. There is also his science fiction

trilogy.

[gmdinformation]

@arch8887 We're talking about Wiiliams here Arch--not Lewis. Williams is the one who had seven novels and one short ghost story. But yes, I've read all of Lewis' fiction too including the trilogy of which Perelandra was his masterpiec in my opinion. Which did you like best?

[javakogan]

Thank you for posting this!

[KelvinEriksen]

What does he say at :40 ?

[sthugh]

"We meet in them, on the one hand, very modern people who talk the slang of our own day and live in the suburbs.

[rx8694]

@KelvinEriksen we meet in them however

[Gawaine687]

anyone know where i can find novels by charles williams? i cant find them anywhere.

but this is cool to hear the man himself, though i think hopkins did a wonderful job of portraying him regardless.

[gmdinformation]

Abe's Books

[AspiringScoundrel]

All Hallows' Eve by Williams is incredibly dark and certainly in his three best works; though perhaps the advice of those advocating War in Heaven as an introduction is the most sound. Following that, Many Dimensions is very straightforward also. But beware: approaching Place of the Lion or The Greater Trumps without preparation and with little knowledge of the subject matter might leave you empty handed by the end.

[rrchapman]

Am I the only person that thinks that Lewis sounds like Alfred Hitchcock?

[gmdinformation]

I never thought about it, but yeah, he does.

[rrchapman]

I had heard JRR's voice before. This was the first time I heard Lewis' voice. Now I have to stop imagining Lewis saying "Good eeeevening."

Please, give me back Hopkins! (grin)

Speaking of that movie, I made the mistake of rewatching it on DVD while home recovering from adult soft-tissue sarcoma in my left leg. Some of those scenes became a bit harsh for me in the re-watch. (sheepish grin)

[gmdinformation]

I liked the movie a lot, but honestly, I thought Hopkins and Winger were both terribly miscast. I'm not sure who would have made a good Lewis. Maybe John Houseman.

[jesuslover037]

He had a nice, smooth voice. Too bad he wasn't around to do his books in Audible :(

[sorenkierkegaard2008]

Is that really C.S. Lewis himself speaking?

[keeblerlxix]

yep, that is his voice

[sorenkierkegaard2008]

No longer will I hear Anthony Hopkins' voice in my head when I read his books.

[thebearsrevengehaha]

Thanks for posting this. I have been reading C.S Lewis for years and I really enjoyed listening to this.

[written12]

I've been meaning to pick up one of Williams' novels for some time now. I will try War in Heaven as Browser recommends above.

I must say what a delightful voice C.S. Lewis had! It definitely has a tinge of Northern Irish. I do envy those who had him as a professor.

[browser0987654321]

I would recommend War In Heaven by Charles Williams as a way in to his work. It is fast-moving and I could not put it down, and Carpenter's Inklings as ekerilaz suggested (above).

[ekerilaz]

Are there any readers of Williams here? I have a copy of his Arthurian poems (ed.& intro.Lewis) but can't quite get into them; can anybody recommend one of his novels/prose writings as a way in??

[gmdinformation]

I liked all of his novels. One thing you have to remember with him though is that he was often preaching to his old friends that he left behind in his Spiritualist days, so his books are full of occult situations they would have been intrigued by but which leave many Christians scatching their heads wondering if he was into black magic etc. His books have elements like tarot cards, magic stones, psychic abilities, ghosts and so forth. The mental states he describes are otherworldly and chilling.

[biahoi]

I'm having the same problem with William's Arthurian poems. i to am looking for some novel or other starting point

[ekerilaz]

Carpenter's 'The Inklings' affords a good introduction. Even TS Eliot found the 'Taliessin' poems obscure; and as for me, I am published poet and Arthurian myself! I do find them intruiging, even tho' not sure I either understand them or 'like' them.

[willyrobinson]

War in Heaven.

Lewis' novel 'That Hideous Strength' is heavily influenced by Williams.

[evergreenanimations]

I thoroughly enjoyed "Many Dimensions".

[ekerilaz]

Truly pleasant to see a page of comments on YouTube that does not contain any foulmouthed abuse/insane nonsense!

[kplc993]

Wow, I always imagined Lewis with a lighter voice. Thanks for posting this.

[ekerilaz]

No indeed. Tolkien is said to have based Fangorn/Treebeard's voice and manner of speaking (hoom! hoom!) on Lewis's.

[joness105639]

I saw "shadowlands" with anthony hopkins and wassorely disappointed to find that lewis soned nothing like hopkins and a lot more like a stuffy old professor. I still love his words anyway and I am glad to have had my bubble burst. btw gmdinformation thanks for attatching this rsponse.

[simplylara88]

What is the lecture called that this excerpt is from?

[gmdinformation]

I think it's just called "A Critique of Works by Author--Charles Williams".

[shell2be]

Thanks for sharing this too!!A rare treat.