Fun fact: My favorite, favorite, FAVORITE book ever is Mere Christianity. I have read it multiple times (a rare thing for me) and never fail to glean new wisdom and gather more appreciation for the wisdom that spills over on every page. It's such a classic.

When I studied abroad in London, I made sure to make an Oxford trip so I could visit The Eagle and Child pub where Lewis (and Tolkien and others!) would go and write... so surreal being there.

Gah, I love Clive so much. Can't rave about him enough. Let's get to it!

Here's where to start reading C.S. Lewis:

Faith:

Mere Christianity // This is one of my all-time favorites, and this was my third time reading it through. I'm still just as in love with it. Lewis is just one of the greats. No matter where you are in your faith journey, there are amazing things to be learned from this one, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Love.

The Four Loves // This one goes through the four main types of love-- affection, friendship, erotic/romantic love, and the love of God. It's rich, it's wise, it's insightful, it's incredible. If you want to better understand love and all its forms, start here!

The Great Divorce // This book was a beautiful fantasy, what Lewis calls in the preface an "imaginative supposal" of what Heaven and Hell might look like. It was a great afternoon read for me, and one that has lingered in my thoughts as I dwell on what might await us someday. If you are curious about hell, this would be a great one to start with.

The Screwtape Letters // This one (a masterpiece of satire will really get you thinking, as it's written from a senior demon to a younger one, and is all about how to trip up Christians and "win" them to the dark side, essentially. Really makes you think more seriously about how Satan is at work in our lives, and really helps you to better be on guard. If evil, devils, Satan, and sin fascinate you, this is an awesome one to start with.

Surprised by Joy // I read this one back in college before I was formally reviewing books anywhere, but I remember loving it and finding it encouraging. It's the story of Lewis' conversion to Christianity, so if you don't know anything about him or his story, this would be a great place to start.

Fiction:

The Chronicles of Narnia // CLASSICS. There are debates about the best ways to read these, and I'll just say that I really don't think it's that serious, personally! I read them most recently in chronological order, but have also read them in the original release order. They're magical, wonderful, rich, symbolic, a blast to read, powerful in any season of life, and just truly masterful works of art and literature. The ways that Aslan has helped me come to better understand and relate to Jesus are COUNTLESS, and I'm so grateful. If you're reading with kiddos, want a fiction read, want a symbolic story of faith, and just want a great adventure series, start with Narnia!

For those curious about the differences in order--

Original Release Order
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Horse and His Boy
The Magician’s Nephew
The Last Battle

Chronological Order
The Magician’s Nephew
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Horse and His Boy
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Last Battle

Devotions/Reflections:

Readings for Meditation and Reflection // This one is a collection of selections from a variety of his books, so if you want a taste of Lewis and his writings broken down more by topic, this is a great place to start!