Ironically, most of the ones I can think of are Christian as well. Probably because I typically just forget “important” books that fail to move me, but I am more profoundly disappointed when the “important” Christian books do the same.
I would also posit that Lewis’s emphasis is more on the abandoning rather than a criticism of the things that we see as best, right, and important. Lewis talked a lot about isolation,I read this more as keeping them from the things that give pleasure than the dangers of important books.
Overt manipulation of my emotions interspersed with lengthy asides. Does it require a hundred pages about the battle of Waterloo to explain the fact that a peripheral character was affected by it?
Lewis’ emphasis was on the purity and natural virtue of enjoying something for itself, like you say, not for the compliments of friends. So Wormwood is being told to encourage his subject to overly consider the opinions of others and thereby indulge pretentiousness. He isn’t saying some books are not important, but the experts do recommend many “important” books over those which many of us would rather enjoy.
I’m with you on the Christian books of importance.
Greybeard, I listened to the audio of Les Miserables and though I didn’t mind the Waterloo part, I couldn’t handle the section cataloging details of Marius’ friends. I still liked it overall.
None, lately. If a book leaves me cold, I leave it unread. I might be missing out on important insights, but time is limited.
I really wanted to like Lewis’ Space trilogy, but the whole thing left me cold.
Ironically, most of the ones I can think of are Christian as well. Probably because I typically just forget “important” books that fail to move me, but I am more profoundly disappointed when the “important” Christian books do the same.
I would also posit that Lewis’s emphasis is more on the abandoning rather than a criticism of the things that we see as best, right, and important. Lewis talked a lot about isolation,I read this more as keeping them from the things that give pleasure than the dangers of important books.
$.02
Moby Dick. Too much . . . Well, Too much.
Les Miserables.
Overt manipulation of my emotions interspersed with lengthy asides. Does it require a hundred pages about the battle of Waterloo to explain the fact that a peripheral character was affected by it?
I still haven’t got around to the space trilogy.
Lewis’ emphasis was on the purity and natural virtue of enjoying something for itself, like you say, not for the compliments of friends. So Wormwood is being told to encourage his subject to overly consider the opinions of others and thereby indulge pretentiousness. He isn’t saying some books are not important, but the experts do recommend many “important” books over those which many of us would rather enjoy.
I’m with you on the Christian books of importance.
Greybeard, I listened to the audio of Les Miserables and though I didn’t mind the Waterloo part, I couldn’t handle the section cataloging details of Marius’ friends. I still liked it overall.
I need to get back to Moby Dick.
The Catcher In The Rye.
What a waste of time.
John Updike’s “Hotel New Hampshire” — why waste such lyrical writing on such confused, depressed, and — for one pair — incestuous characters?