The Medieval Mind of C.S. Lewis: How Great Books Shaped a Great Mind

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars | 124 ratings

Price: 19.1

Last update: 10-14-2024


About this item

C. S. Lewis had one of the great minds of the 20th century. Many know Lewis as an author of fiction and fantasy literature, including the Chronicles of Narnia and the Space Trilogy. Others know him for his books in apologetics, including Mere Christianity and The Problem of Pain. But few know him for his scholarly work as a professor of medieval and Renaissance literature. What shaped the mind of this great thinker? Jason Baxter argues that Lewis was deeply formed not only by the words of Scripture and his love of ancient mythology, but also by medieval literature. For this undeniably modern Christian, authors like Dante and Boethius provided a worldview that was relevant to the challenges of the contemporary world. Here, listeners will encounter an unknown figure to guide them in their own journey: C. S. Lewis the medievalist.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.


Top reviews from the United States

Don Engebretson
5.0 out of 5 stars An Insightful Book for Lewis Fans as Well as Medievalists
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2022
As I catch up in my reading of the many works of Lewis, I will now realize how much his love and appreciation for Medieval literature influenced his writing - and his way of looking at the world. Baxter not only helps us in understanding Lewis the professor of Medieval literature, but also Lewis the writer who took his knowledge and insights from this period into his many popular works. I will admit that part way through I decided to read with a pencil in hand, marking key thoughts so as to follow Baxter's direction. It is not a long book (165 pages), but it is also not a quick read. Baxter makes you think. Now if you have read much of the varied works of Lewis you already have an edge. But I suspect even then you may go back and reread them with new insight. One insight is that the Medieval mind had more in common with our current time than we think. Rationalism, which seemed a largely sterile time when the material and spiritual were separated, with the latter pushed aside by many as mere superstition, actually worked with a much smaller world. With our ability to look deeply into space our sense of wonder now matches up far more closely with that of Medieval man. I will undoubtedly now have to go back and review this book to truly benefit from it. But to Baxter's credit he provided a book rich in thought and in what is probably, for some, a different examination of Lewis and his writings.
Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Brings CS Lewis’s views to life
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2024
I always knew CS Lewis was a Medievalist, but I had never thought deeply about what that meant. What I liked best about this book is the full explanation and deep understanding of the difference between the Medieval and Modernist view of the world and our place in it. An enlightening, well-written, and well-supported work. I could not put the book down. Now I must reread it to get an even deeper understanding.
Sara Smith-Janssen
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for a Lewis Lover
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2023
Bought this as a Christmas gift for my partner, a big fan of C.S. Lewis's theological writings. He read it in 2 days and said it was phenomenal.
Jake Posey
4.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for every Lewis Fan!
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2023
Lewis is most known for his fictional and fantasy works with the Chronicles of Narnia being at the top of the list by a stretch. His works on the Christian life and apologetics are also popularly known and have impacted many in the church. But there is more to the mind of Lewis than what is immediately recognizable in his more popular works. Being a professor of medieval and Renaissance literature, there are truths and themes from this literature that deeply shaped his own writings.

Baxter walks us through how not only Scripture but also great medieval books and authors were foundational in Lewis’ formation as a thinker and writer. Using medieval writers such as Boethius and Dante as guides and major influences for Lewis, we get a glimpse into the medieval worldview that Lewis cherished and relied on to form his own thoughts and desires.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it opened my mind to a new world that I have rarely if ever realized was under the surface of many of Lewis’ writings. Any fan of Lewis will do well to read carefully through this book to see how Lewis saw, through the great books that lined his shelves. I think it is safe to say that C. S. Lewis was one of the great minds used by God in the 20th century to impact the world around him. What impacted him? What shaped his thoughts that eventually became some of the greatest writings in the last century? Take this book and learn more about the medieval world of C. S. Lewis.
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Jake Posey
4.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for every Lewis Fan!
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2023
Lewis is most known for his fictional and fantasy works with the Chronicles of Narnia being at the top of the list by a stretch. His works on the Christian life and apologetics are also popularly known and have impacted many in the church. But there is more to the mind of Lewis than what is immediately recognizable in his more popular works. Being a professor of medieval and Renaissance literature, there are truths and themes from this literature that deeply shaped his own writings.

Baxter walks us through how not only Scripture but also great medieval books and authors were foundational in Lewis’ formation as a thinker and writer. Using medieval writers such as Boethius and Dante as guides and major influences for Lewis, we get a glimpse into the medieval worldview that Lewis cherished and relied on to form his own thoughts and desires.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it opened my mind to a new world that I have rarely if ever realized was under the surface of many of Lewis’ writings. Any fan of Lewis will do well to read carefully through this book to see how Lewis saw, through the great books that lined his shelves. I think it is safe to say that C. S. Lewis was one of the great minds used by God in the 20th century to impact the world around him. What impacted him? What shaped his thoughts that eventually became some of the greatest writings in the last century? Take this book and learn more about the medieval world of C. S. Lewis.
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Miriam Poole
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent overview of Lewis as a Medievalist
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2023
Probably the most overlooked aspect of C.S. Lewis is his medieval scholarship. This book was an excellent overview on Lewis as a Medievalist and how those books influenced him. Great jumping off point, too, to explore the topic more in depth since it has an excellent bibliography. I would recommend this to scholars and lay-people alike who love Lewis and want to learn more!
Regular Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A great aid in understanding Lewis in a deeper way
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2023
This book has helped to increase my understanding of Lewis in some new ways. I recommend this book.
Rick Kennedy
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book. Short, full of wisdom, life-changing.
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2022
Wonderful book. Short, full of wisdom, life-changing. Perfect as a textbook for a first-year humanities class at a Christian college. Evangelicals love Lewis for good reason. He is conservative yet radical. Baxter guides a reader into the relevance of older-than-yesterday Christian wisdom. The modern world is thin, the deep traditions are thick. Baxter is best when he warns, Screwtape fashion, against the vague spiritualism, the "fuzzy" mysticism, the shallowness that can mire the minds of some who pursue medieval-style thought. He shows well how Boethius, Dante, and Lewis offer a new-because-it-is-old way of thinking, stronger, deeper, further up and further in.
David George Moore
5.0 out of 5 stars INSIGHTFUL AND BEAUTIFUL!
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2023
Baxter has written a terrific book. I finished it on the flight home from Boston.

There are wonderful insights as a result of Baxter's close readings of Lewis. And there is much beauty and a vision of the truly good life that make this book sparkle!

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