Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer

By: C. S. Lewis

Narrated by: Ralph Cosham

Length: 3 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

In the form of warm, relaxed letters to a close friend, C. S. Lewis meditates on many puzzling questions concerning the intimate dialogue between man and God. He considers practical and metaphysical aspects of prayer, such as when we pray and where. He questions why we seek to inform God in our prayers if he is omniscient, whether there is an ideal form of prayer, and which of our many selves we show to God while praying. The concluding letter contains provocative thoughts about “liberal Christians,” the soul, and resurrection.

Clive Staples Lewis (1898 - 1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the 20th century and arguably the most influential Christian writer of his day. His major contributions in literary criticism, children’s literature, fantasy literature, and popular theology brought him international renown and acclaim. He wrote more than 30 books, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include the Chronicles of Narnia, Out of the Silent Planet, The Screwtape Letters, and Mere Christianity.

©1963 1964 by C. S. Lewis Pte. Limited; renewed 1992, 1991 by Arthur Owen Barfield (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“If wit, and wisdom, style and scholarship are requisites…Mr. Lewis will be among the angels.” ( The New Yorker)

“A beautifully executed and deeply moving little book.” ( Saturday Review)

Great C.S. Lewis Book

This is a great insight into Lewis' brilliant mind! I love the random comments about dinner plans.

A great book on prayer

This is a great book for beginners and experienced people who pray. It takes you into the experience of praying.

a beautiful prayer resource

if you would like to go deeper in your prayer life this book is very helpful.

Unexpected!

I've heard about this book before, but it didn't prepare me for what I learned. It addressed a lot of questions/thoughts that I've had in the past.

Nice to hear with British accent

What made the experience of listening to Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer the most enjoyable?

Letters to Malcolm is my favorite C.S. Lewis book. I enjoyed hearing it read to me. This was the last book Lewis prepared for publishing. To my mind, it is his most personal. I looked among his friends to find Malcolm only to learn that he is a composite of friends Lewis had.

I thought the reader spoke a bit fast and often without much inflection. Still, I will listen to it again.

Makes me want to start writing letters

This is a second reading of Letters to Malcolm.

As I was reading it, I confirmed that Letters to Malcolm is probably my favorite of Lewis’ books. I am not sure many others think so, several reviews on Goodreads think it is one of his weaker popular books. But like Paul’s II Timothy, there are hints of real humanness here that give me great joy.

Letters to Malcolm is a fictionalized set of letters that Lewis writes as if to a close friend. It was Lewis’ last book to be published while he was alive, about 6 months before his death. And while it is fiction, it feels like real letters. There are side notes and personal details. You can feel his age and some loss of freedom because of his health. (I was convinced these were real when I read them the first time.)

At the same time this is not a book that is completely easy to read. There is only one side of the letters. Malcolm’s letters are not included so we only know the response through Lewis’ side. Some of the letters are light and simple, some are pretty dense and dealing with heavy problems.

It is always surprising how relevant and distant Lewis can be at the same time. The early section about potential changes to the Anglican Liturgy and hymns could with a few word changes be written today. The section on spontaneous and written and wordless prayers is very helpful to think about. It is not only insightful, but wise. Lewis wants to make sure that choices that one makes, are not binding (or restrictive) for others. And Lewis wants to make sure Malcolm understands that not only are different people going to have different mixes of prayers, but throughout our life, it is likely that we will desire and need different types of prayer.

Lewis also has an exemplary section on intercessory prayer. They discuss it through a couple letters and then Lewis’ fictional friend’s son George becomes sick and is undergoing tests for some serious health concern. George’s sickness refocuses the discussion on intercessory prayer to the very practical and away from the theoretical (as any real discussion of intercessory prayer needs to do.)

The discussion of George leads to a poignant section on comfort of friends. Lewis talks about his loss of his wife Joy and how difficult it is to give and receive comfort.

This is a book that I am pretty sure I am going to come back and read a third time. There is too much wisdom to absorb all at once.

Found the reading a bit choppy to listen to.

Enjoyed the discourse between C.S. Lewis and Malcolm (and Malcolm's wife, as she interjects), but the choppy style of reading was a little difficult to listen to. Took some getting used to.

Between friends

I am so grateful for the gift of the written word, and especially letters from friends. In this final publication by C.S. Lewis, the respected teacher is more relaxed and speculative. As he starts this series of letters to his longtime friend Malcolm, Lewis reveals that the two have a plan to write a series of letters on a subject. For lack of a subject upon which both friends could correspond, Lewis says that their correspondence languished. "Nothing makes an absent friend so present as a disagreement."

And disagree they apparently do, although we never read Malcolm's letters. Still, Lewis jumps on the statements of his friend and it is clear his friend takes issue with Lewis' statements. The conversation is thus lively and thought provoking. I've often "studied" the topic of prayer as a Bible study, but this is a much more intimate conversation, with Lewis examining the logic behind asking God for something when God already knows the need. Because the letters are between friends, they often have the kind of teasing that close friends enjoy: "The other reason, as I have so often told you, is that you are a bigot. Broaden your mind, Malcolm, broaden your mind!"

Lewis isn't constructing a doctrinal lesson on prayer with the carefully reasoned treatment of topics. Instead, Lewis reveals himself and therefore draws the reader into the discussion, whether your brow is furrowed in disagreement or eyebrows raised in delighted or your head is nodding in sympathy as you recognize your own thoughts and struggles.

I was surprised at Lewis' views and beliefs at times. That's what made the book live for me. When Lewis lost his wife, he wrote in A Grief Observed that he feared that his image of her would change to his own ideas rather than the surprises that come from interacting with a loved one you think you know. Lewis lives in these pages. I disagree with him. I agree with him. I smile at him. I miss him though I never met him.

There is a third person in this book. Like Malcolm, she is invisible, but she is Malcolm's wife Betty. In the latter half of the letters, Malcolm mentions her thoughts. In the second last chapter, her view of the previous conversation provides a leavening that makes you smile and leads Lewis to admissions that I related to. (No spoiler here.)

If you like your religious reading to be a statement of facts and an assembly of reliable doctrines, this book is not for you. You will wince and think, "Oh I wish he hadn't written that - what will people think!" But if you love a good conversation with someone who loves the Lord and is free with his opinions for the sake of disclosing his heart, find a copy of this short book and invite our old friend to talk to you.

Remarkable thoughts, remarkable presentation

Lewis' thoughts provoke thought. The narrator's tones complement Lewis' thoughts.

Well done, indeed.

Thank you.

Excellent

Looking forward to re-listening often as there are deeply insightful quips. Will records these quotes in my fb page for Common Thread Ministries