C. S. Lewis takes us on a profound journey through both heaven and hell in this engaging allegorical tale. Using his extraordinary descriptive powers, Lewis introduces us to supernatural beings who will change the way we think about good and evil.
The Great Divorce is C.S. Lewis's Divine Comedy: the narrator bears strong resemblance to Lewis (by way of Dante); his Virgil is the fantasy writer George MacDonald; and upon boarding a bus in a nondescript neighborhood, the narrator is taken to Heaven and Hell. The book's primary message is presented with almost oblique tidiness--"There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.'" However, the narrator's descriptions of sin and temptation will hit quite close to home for many readers. Lewis has a genius for describing the intricacies of vanity and self-deception, and this book is tremendously persistent in forcing its reader to consider the ultimate consequences of everyday pettiness. --Michael Joseph Gross
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Great illustrations of heaven v. hell with an excellent reader (CD version):
CS Lewis' Great Divorce addresses questions that many Christians and non-Christians have regarding heaven and hell. Of course, Lewis does not address or claim to address all the questions or attempt a comprehensive thesis on heaven and hell. What he does discuss adroitly are the choices that people make and the grace that God gives to all people to accept his gift of salvation or to reject it. By using various characters faced with the decision of heaven or hell with different perspectives, Lewis... more info
We are in control of our own happiness:
I have been working my may through several of Lewis' books over the past year, and this is one that I really enjoyed. The more I read of Lewis, the more I appreciate his wisdom and his views on religion and mankind's purpose in life. This book reminds me of "The Screwtape Letters" in some ways since he uses a fanciful story to teach some profound truths about human nature. Instead of a series of letter from a devil to his apprentice, he has a man visiting heaven and hell and overhearing several... more info
Great read:
This book was quick, easy, and full of amazing things. We read it in 2 weeks for a book club (which you could really do in one week) and it was interesting to see everyone else's response to it. FANTASTIC writing and allegory.
My Favorite Lewis Book!:
I found this book not only interesting but funny. Lewis knows how to convey serious reflections on human behavior in a humorous way which doesn't reduce their solemn significance. He weaves out of fiction an ultra-insightful analysis of the silly reasons why we are often hell-bent on NOT going to heaven. Recognizing those reasons and concentrating on overcoming some of them changed my life for the better. Über-recommended!!
