From Library Journal
The late Lewis, Oxford professor, scholar, author, and Christian apologist, presents the listener with a case for orthodox Christianity. This is definitely not the shouting, stomping, sweating, spitting televangelist fare so often parodied; Lewis employs logical arguments that are eloquently expressed. He describes those doctrines that the four major denominations in Britain (Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic) would have in common, e.g., original sin, the transcendent Creator God, and the divinity of Jesus as well as his atonement and bodily resurrection. Geoffrey Howard reads both works, and his performance is superb; he is clear and unhurried, giving just the right emphasis and/or inflection. The volume on the Blackstone edition is recorded at a higher level than HarperAudio's. Otherwise there were no perceived differences in the recordings. If your institution can afford it, the Blackstone production would be preferred because of its sturdy case and the announcement of side changes. Whether or not one agrees with Lewis's arguments, it is a pleasure to hear such a skillful reading of an eloquent work. Public libraries as well as institutions that teach religion/theology or speech should consider. Michael T. Fein, Central Virginia Community Coll., Lynchburg Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile
Considered a significant twentieth-century book by Christians of various traditions of faith, MERE CHRISTIANITY is well-suited to being read because the book is a revised version of some addresses given by Lewis, an Oxford literature professor, on the BBC in the early 1940s. Thus, the text, which makes an argument for Christianity, was written in an informal, conversational style. With his tenor voice, Howard sounds like a friendly academic and reads with appropriate pauses and emphasis. His subdued Oxbridge (the English accent of Oxford and Cambridge) accent is inviting and pleasant, showing none of the pretention one might expect from an Oxford don. M.L.C. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Is there a universal morality? Does human nature, like the laws of nature, exist in accordance with inalterable rules? Is there a benevolent God? Are men and women, by nature, good? These questions may well have reached a pinnacle of urgency during World War II, when they took on profound and personal significance for those witnessing the chaos and inhumanity ravaging Europe. C. S. Lewis, one of the most influential Christian writers of his time and author of the beloved Chronicles of Narnia series, explored these questions and more in his legendary wartime BBC radio broadcasts, which were then edited and released in print as The Case for Christianity, Christian Behavior, and Beyond Personality and later collected under the title Mere Christianity. Listeners can once again experience these talks -- by far Lewis's most popular body of nonfiction -- in the medium for which they were first created, through this compelling new audiobook read by Geoffrey Howard.

At once a moving and rational case for Christianity and a refreshing exploration of the ideas that are the foundation of all faiths, Mere Christianity takes a sympathetic look at humanity, the differences that cause rifts between Christians, and the doubts haunting people of all religions. By asserting that all forms of Christianity, which throughout history has splintered into denominations erecting barriers between adherents, have at their heart some "belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times," Lewis returns to the very foundation of Christianity, creating a nonpolitical forum in which all Christians can find agreement and unity. "We are on the wrong road," says Lewis gently to his audience, "and if that is so, we must go back. Going back is the quickest way on."

His arguments are not exclusively for Christians, however. He probes the essence of all religions, exploring what he believes to be universal truths about human nature and the essential paradoxes that exist within it. He asserts that people everywhere share the belief that they ought to act in a certain way, yet by nature they do not act that way. He addresses the questions surrounding ideas of morality in the face of different beliefs, asserting that there is only one acceptable -- and universal -- morality for all people. He takes on the dualities of good and evil, stating, "Evil is a parasite, not an original thing. All the things that enable a bad man to be bad are good things." Most important, as a former atheist, he succeeds in playing his own devil's advocate to present a rational argument for the existence of God.

Though the thinking behind these talks is very powerful, C. S. Lewis succeeds in making his discussion highly informal, his arguments grounded and conversational. Geoffrey Howard's warm and powerful voice captures the tone of the writing beautifully, conveying an intimate blend of friendliness and conviction, making Mere Christianity as entertaining, enlightening, and necessary at the dawn of a new millennium as it was in the middle of the last century. So, sit by the fire, settle down by your speaker, and listen. (Elise Vogel)

Elise Vogel is a freelance writer living in New York City.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"In 1943 England, when all hope was threatened by the inhumanity of war, C. S. Lewis was invited to give a series of radio lectures addressing the central issues of Christianity. First heard as informal radio broadcasts, the lectures were then published as three books and subsequently combined as Mere Christianity. C. S. Lewis proves that "at the center of each there is something, or a Someone, who against all divergences of belief, all differences of temperament, all memories of mutual persecution, speaks with the same voice," rejecting the boundaries that divide Christianity's many denominations."--BOOK JACKET.

FROM THE CRITICS

John Updike

I read Lewis for comfort and pleasure many years ago, and a glance into the books revives my old admiration.

Anthony Burgess - New York Times Book Review

C. S. Lewis is the ideal persuader for the half-convinced, for the good man who would like to be a Christian but finds his intellect getting in the way.

New Yorker

If wit, and wisdom, style and scholarship are requisites to passage through the pearly gates, Mr. Lewis will be among the angels.

Chad Walsh

Apparently this oxford don and Cambridge professor is going to be around for a long time; he calls himself a dinosaur but he seems to speak to people where they are. —The Washington Post Book World

Los Angeles Times