In the Skin of a Lion

Book Description

Bristling with intelligence and shimmering with romance, this novel tests the boundary between history and myth. Patrick Lewis arrives in Toronto in the 1920s and earns his living searching for a vanished millionaire and tunneling beneath Lake Ontario. In the course of his adventures, Patrick's life intersects with those of characters who reappear in Ondaatje's Booker Prize-winning The English Patient. 256 pp.

Customer Reviews:

Next time I'm going to read his poems.......2007-09-10

It was quite a while since I had read something by Ondaatje. I read "The English Patient" twice, a few years ago. The first time I was enthralled. But my second reading disappointed me. With "In the Skin of a Lion" I retraced this emotional trajectory in the space of reading a single book.

I know Ondaatje doesn't want us to look for a polished, coherent story in his books. In "Skin" he warns the reader in a variety of ways for the inevitable disorder and multiplicity of his narrative universe. There's a motto (by John Berger) that prefaces the book: "Never again will a single story be told as though it were the only one." Then Ondaatje frames the whole novel as a story that is being told by a man to a girl, during a four hour nightly drive in a car: "She listens to the man as he picks up and brings together various corners of the story, attempting to carry it all in his arms. And he is tired, sometimes as elliptical as his concentration on the road, at time overexcited ..." And then halfway through the book, the author admonishes us again: "Trust me, this will take time, but there is order here, very faint, very human". And despite these warnings and caveats, after a while a feeling of dissatisfaction sets in. The problem is not really the fact that an Ondaatje novel is more a collection of vignettes than a clockwork literary edifice. The problem is that this fragmentation erodes his characters' psychology. In "The English Patient" all of the protagonists are shadowy, ephemeral and solipsistic figures, unable to reach beyond their own world. In this book they fare only slightly better. With Patrick Lewis, Ondaatje has arguably drawn an interesting character. Although Lewis is only marginally less solitary and enigmatic than the "Patient's" protagonist, something of the animal-like but appealing naiveté of this personality really shines through. On the other hand, Lewis is not a man of ideas nor really of purposeful action and his development into a wavering anarchist is sketchy and rather implausible. Also the female characters in "Skin" - Clara, Alice, Hana - remain two dimensional, more carriers of an idea or an ethos than real human beings.

Ondaatje's mastery of prose is ultimately what one keeps involved. His language is suggestive and brilliantly refined (although sometimes it spills over into the ridiculous: how on earth is the "flight of a post-coital bat" supposed to look like?). Apparently he started out writing poems and I think this, rather than novels, is his real trade. He spins his narrative out of hypnotic images, some of which come back in various guises across different novels. For example, the image of a person hanging from a rope in a deep void is iconic image in the "English Patient" and it plays an important role in "Skin" too. Likewise, I thought of Ondaatje's description of a deserted Naples in the former book when reading the final scenes that play out in the monumental, cavernous Toronto waterworks in "Skin of a Lion".

So it's mixed feelings again after finishing this book. I'd give it 3,5 stars. The next book by Ondaatje I pick up will be one of his early collections of poems.

"I used to be a searcher. I can work dynamite.".......2007-09-07

"I will wander through the wilderness in the skin of a lion."

Before winning the Booker Prize in 1992 for The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje (1943) wrote In the Skin of a Lion (1987) (the novel's title is from The Epic of Gilgamesh). The English Patient may be read as a sequel to In the Skin of a Lion in that it continues the characters of Hana and Caravaggio, and reveals the fate of the earlier novel's main character, Patrick Lewis.

The adventurous romance novel opens with Lewis as a young boy living with his father (Hazen Lewis) on a farm. As a boy, Patrick helps his father by rescuing a runaway cow from a freezing river and and by dynamiting log jams on the river (a skill that resurfaces later in Patrick's life). At one point, eleven-year-old Patrick follows a blue moth and watches loggers skating on the ice with lit cattails. At 21, Lewis moves to Toronto where he searches for a missing millionaire, Ambrose Small, which leads him to Small's mistress, Clara Dickens, an actress. Clara seduces Patrick before introducing him to another actress, Alice. When Clara leaves on a train, warning Lewis not to follow her, he falls into a three-year despair, that is, until Alice seduces him and mentions that Clara's mother might know where she is. Patrick begins his search for Clara, eventually finding her living with Small. Small attempts to set him on fire, but Patrick escapes to a hotel room where Clara dresses his wounds, shaves his face, and then seduces him again before returning to Small. Ondaatje demonstrates his rare talent when writing about sex as an act of love.

Later, in 1930, while working on a tunnel under Lake Ontario dynamiting rocks, Patrick again encounters Alice Gull and her 9-year-old daughter, Hana. Through a series of events revealed later in the novel, Patrick finds himself in prison with Buck and Caravaggio, a thief. After his release, Patrick assumes responsibility for the care of now sixteen-year-old Hana. She tells him Clara has called. Small is dead. Hana asks him about Clara, which prompts Patrick to tell her his entire story. Caravaggio and Patrick conspired to commit the violent act of dynamiting the Toronto Filtration Plant, a plan that results in Alice's accidental death. The book ends with Patrick saying "Lights." Written with poetic flourishes, Ondaatje's novel is a flat-out stunning adventure.

G. Merritt

Cinematic, vivid and humane writing.......2007-07-13

Michael Ondaatje writes with a rare, original and genuinely vivid clarity. That is, the images that he paints jump off the page, grab you by the lapels and shake you. While other writers have this talent, this writer has the soul of a poet and the net effect is that you are moved by what you read. It's impossible for his creative penchants for metaphor, simile, characterization and imagery not to get inside your head and fire your imagination. Some of the scenes are hauntingly beautiful, especially the rescue of a nun upon a bridge and night skating under a full moon with burning flares. He writes about humble people with hard lives and major tragic flaws in Canada. This novel is character-driven and the characters, though not always worthy, are individuals with quirks, gifts, flaws and dark experience. His portrait work is quite extraordinary as each person is uniquely human, which is a mark of strong fiction writing. The book is quite short, easy to read, intriguing and original: there's nothing formulaic in the storyline. I respect how the story line closes back in upon itself in its denouement, which proves satisfying and life affirming and humane. This novel is a haunting read, the cinematic imagery of which will linger in your memory and satisfy with its humanity.

Poor.......2006-11-19

I grew infuriated (and bored) with this novel when I discovered that, about halfway through, that it had no idea where it was going. The small elements of the book that deliver actual story are some of the most engaging efforts at fiction I have come across in years. It is genuine, deeply interesting, and swolen with careful, careful writing.

Unfortunately, "In the Skin of the Lion" strays far too often into a kind of lazy poetry-prose, a landscape where every notion is ephemeral and fleeting. In some parts, this book is not so much a novel but a dull soliloquy on the helplessness, bravery and romance of the people we are supposed to be interested in reading about.

Book Sucks.......2006-02-11

I've read many a good book....this is not one of them. For those that are rating it highly, I see them as those fools who said the King was wearing splendid clothes when in fact he was parding down the road naked; they think they are intellectuals when in fact they are misleading others. Granted, of the 240+ pages in my copy there may be ten with good content. I kept turning to the back inside cover to see the picture of the moron who wrote it!

Monkey In A Lion's Skin (A Jungle Doctor Picture Fable)

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Monkey In A Lion's Skin (A Jungle Doctor Picture Fable)

Manufacturer: Moody Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0802442420

Product Description

A Christian children's parable relating being born again.

The Collected Works of Billy the Kid; Running in the Family; In the Skin of a Lion; The Cinnamon Peeler

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The Collected Works of Billy the Kid; Running in the Family; In the Skin of a Lion; The Cinnamon Peeler

Manufacturer: Quality Paperback Book Club, NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000F11Y2C

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In the Skin of a Lion
Michael Ondaatje
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KJDBUM

Product Description

Bright and shiny; spine corner shows slight shelf wear

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In the Skin of a Lion (Picador Books)
Michael Ondaatje
Manufacturer: MacMillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0330301837

The Donkey in the Lion's Skin: A Retelling of Aesop's Fable (Read-It! Readers)

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The Donkey in the Lion's Skin: A Retelling of Aesop's Fable (Read-It! Readers)
Eric Blair , and Aesop
Manufacturer: Picture Window Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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The Collected Works of Billy the Kid, Running in the Family, in the Skin of a Lion, the Cinnamon Peeler
Michael Ondaatje
Manufacturer: Quality Paperback Book Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000R99B72

El Asno Vestido De Leon/the Donkey in the Lion's Skin: Version De La Fabula De Esopo /a Retelling of Aesop's Fable (Read-It! Readers En Espanol) (Read-It! Readers En Espanol)

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El Asno Vestido De Leon/the Donkey in the Lion's Skin: Version De La Fabula De Esopo /a Retelling of Aesop's Fable (Read-It! Readers En Espanol) (Read-It! Readers En Espanol)
Eric Blair , Patricia Abello , and Aesop
Manufacturer: Picture Window Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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The Farmer and His Sons" and "the Ass in the Lion's Skin" (Aesop's Fables)

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The Farmer and His Sons" and "the Ass in the Lion's Skin" (Aesop's Fables)

Manufacturer: Award Publications Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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In the Skin of a Lion
Michael Ondaatje
Manufacturer: KNOPF, ALFRED A
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UCB7ZK

Book Description

Edward's bachelor existence is thrown into a spin when he is forced to look after his two orphaned nieces. Employing the right governess is vital. Miss Petrie has the girls' support. Lady Octavia Petrie is on the verge of confessing that Edward has mistaken her for someone else, but in a moment of sheer madness, she finds herself accepting the temporary position. From a Lady to a simple Miss - what has she let herself in for?

Customer Reviews:

Fresh Concept.......2006-02-15

From Back Of The Book:
"She intrigued him...

Edward Barraclough's happy bachelor existence is thrown into a spin when he is forced to look after his two orphaned nieces. Employing the right governess is vital. Miss Petrie has the girls' support, while he has reservations. Unassuming and a little dowdy she may appear, but Edward suspects she's neither so humble nor respectful underneith!

Independently wealthy Lady Octavia Petrie is on the verge of confessing that Edward has mistaken her for someone else. In a moment of sheer madness, prompted by his cynical attitude, she finds herself accepting the temporary position. From Lady to simple Miss - what has she let herself in for?"

I love the concept of a house approving or disapproving of individuals. This gives a very predictable storyline a twist. I liked the hero and the heroine. My only criticism is the crazy formatting throughout the book. Paragraphs floating with big spaces between them.

www.BookWebWarehouse.com

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A Very Unusual Governess
Sylvia Andrew
Manufacturer: Harlequin Enterprises, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000NW47HW

Book Description

The very best from the seminal architecture and design journal (1928-1999)

For over seventy-five years, domus has been hailed as the world's most influential architecture and design journal. Founded in 1928 by the great Milanese architect Gio Ponti, the magazine's central agenda has always remained that of creating a privileged insight into identifying the style of a particular age, from Art Deco, Modern Movement Functionalism and Postwar to Pop, Post-Modernism and Late Modern. Beautifully designed and comprehensively documented, domus presents page after page some of the most exciting design and architecture projects from around the world.

A truly comprehensive lexicon of styles and movements, the volumes are accompanied by specially commissioned introductory texts that not only outline the history of the magazine but also describe what was happening in design and architecture during each era covered. These texts have been written by many of the magazine's renowned past editors: Mario Bellini, François Burkhardt, Cesare Maria Casati, Stefano Casciani, Germano Celant, Manolo De Giorgi, Fulvio Irace, Vittorio Magnago Lampugnani, Alessandro Mendini, Lisa Licitra Ponti, Ettore Sottsass, Luigi Spinelli, and Deyan Sudjic.

Customer Reviews:

Love Letter to Taschen.......2007-08-12

Quite simply, I love you. Your art books beguile me out of whole paychecks. Just the sight of a Taschen flexicover fills me with wonder and delight. Awestruck, I turn your books over in my hands. I even smell the pages while gleefully noting the paperstock. You're a real pro, Benedikt. From comic book publisher to art world King. Your quality is deliciously heartbreaking. My friends and I have spent many an eve discussing your work with envious gleaming eyes and admiring sighs over glasses of wine. Domus beckons from your website; from bookshelves; and from museum bookstores everywhere. "Own me," it says. "Six hundred smackers," I reason. Instead, I buy "Collecting Contemporary, ($30)," a sophisticated "How To" book for the budding afficionado. It tides me over and yet... Domus.

In the Pantheon of great design books, this is Zeus.......2007-02-10

The greatest design magazine abridged from 1928-1999. If you're interested in design, architecture etc, sell a kidney and get it...

Domus: Wall Painting in the Roman House (Getty Trust Publications: J. Paul Getty Museum)

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A Must Have Book
Fabulous in every respect

Domus: Wall Painting in the Roman House (Getty Trust Publications: J. Paul Getty Museum)
Donatella Mazzoleni , and Umberto Pappalardo
Manufacturer: Getty Trust Publications: J. Paul Getty Museum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0892367660

Customer Reviews:

A Must Have Book.......2006-01-31

I saw a copy of Domus while in Naples and knew I would have to order a copy when I returned home. The book is beautifully produced with an excellent essay by Donatella Mazzolini on the architecture of Roman houses, focusing on those under discussion in Pompeii, Herculaneum and Rome. This is followed by an essay by Umberto Pappalando on the Domus Romana, focusing on the development of houses and gardens. As good as these essays are it is the pages dealing with the houses themselves that is jaw-dropping. The houses are arranged in sections following the development of the Roman domus and include color pictures and diagrams of the houses. There are short introductions to the homes followed by a portfolio section consisting of close up pictures of the frescos printed on non-glossy textured paper that gives a better impression of how the painting appears to the observer. These reproductions are superb.

The choice of buildings is impressive. There are far too many to list but among them are: from Pompeii the House of the Faun, the House of Julius Polybius, the Villa of Mysteries, the House of the Golden Bracelet, the House of the Tragic Poet and the House of the Labyrinth; from Herculaneum: the Samnite House, the House of the Skeleton, the House of the Grand Portal, the Collegium of the Augustales; from Rome: the House of the Griffins, Livia's House on the Palatine and at Prima Porta and the Domus Aurea. The Villa of Poppea at Oplontis gets special attention in the book, and a fresco from the house appears on the cover.

This book is a must for anyone interested in ancient Roman houses and their decoration. If you have even visited Pompeii, Herculaneum and the other villas destroyed by Mount Vesuvius you will enjoy this book.

Fabulous in every respect.......2006-01-07

A wonderful work in all respects - scholarship, printing, presentation, photography. Some of the paintings are more like wall paper samples, the paper and printing is that good.

Another great work in the Getty catalog. A must have for any serious student of Roman Art/Architecture.

Lessons from Bernard Rudofsky: Life as a Voyage

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Lessons from Bernard Rudofsky: Life as a Voyage
The Getty Research Institute
Manufacturer: Birkhäuser Basel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 3764383607

Book Description

What we need is not a new way of building but a new way of living—so the subtitle of one of Rudofsky’s last works. Setting out from the assumption that the design of every single room in a house is based on a physical function: one place to lie the body down to rest, another to take in food, a third to step into a tub to bath, Bernard Rudofsky (1905-88) believed architecture served to stimulate the senses and refine everyday culture. His conception of architecture and design is more topical today than ever. Internationally renowned in his day for the exhibitions he created for MoMA in the 1940s and 1950s, today he is remembered above all for his sharp-tongued, witty writings, which still speak to a broad audience. "Lessons from Bernard Rudofsky" is more than a collection of essays by experts and introduction to the complex concept of architecture and living of a cosmopolitan and unconventional thinker; the rich visual material conveys his philosophy: "I believe that sensory pleasure should take precedence over intellectual pleasure in art and architecture."

Roman Art in the Private Sphere: New Perspectives on the Architecture and Decor of the Domus, Villa, and Insula

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Roman Art in the Private Sphere: New Perspectives on the Architecture and Decor of the Domus, Villa, and Insula

Manufacturer: University of Michigan Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Ancient & Classical | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0472083147

Book Description

Roman Art in the Private Sphere presents an impressive case for the social and art historical importance of the paintings, mosaics, and sculptures that filled the private houses of the Roman elite. The six essays in this volume range from the first century B.C.E. to the fourth century C.E., and from the Italian peninsula to the Eastern Empire and North African provinces.

The essays treat works of art that belonged to every major Roman housing type: the single-family atrium houses and the insula apartment blocks in Italian cities, the dramatically sited villas of the Campanian coast and countryside, and the palatial mansions of late antique provincial aristocrats.

In a complementary fashion the essays consider domestic art in relation to questions of decorum, status, wealth, social privilege, and obligation. Patrons emerge as actively interested in the character of their surroundings; artists appear as responsive to the desire of their patrons. The evidence in private art of homosexual conduct in high society is also set forth.

Originality of subject matter, sophisticated appreciation of stylistic and compositional nuance, and philosophical perceptions of the relationship of humanity and nature are among the themes that the essays explore. Together they demonstrate that Roman domestic art must be viewed on its own terms.

"This is a stimulating book and should be compulsory reading for all students of Roman art."--Classical Review

"For all the authors, attention to the ensemble, a sense of the relation between the formal and the iconographic, and the desire to historicize their material contribute to making this anthology unusual in its rigorous and creative attention to the way that art and architecture participate in the construction of the image of the Roman elite." --Art Bulletin

Elaine K. Gazda is Director of the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan and Professor of Classical Art and Archaeology in the Department of the History of Art, University of Michigan.

Dialogus de Scaccario: The Course of the Exchequer and Constitutio Domus Regis (The Establishment of the Royal Household) (Oxford Medieval Texts)

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Dialogus de Scaccario: The Course of the Exchequer and Constitutio Domus Regis (The Establishment of the Royal Household) (Oxford Medieval Texts)
F. E. L. Carter , and D. E. Greenway
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0198222688

Book Description

Need to scan barcode on back of book.

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Domu: A Child's Dream #3
Katsuhiro Otomo
Manufacturer: Dark Horse Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Manga | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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Balada z domu V + W
Jaroslav Hovorka
Manufacturer: Argo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: 8085794497

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Big Ben Kit
Editoriale Domus
Manufacturer: DAEDALUS BOOKS INC REMAINDERS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TXPK12

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Big Ben W/Clock (London, England)
Domus Kit
Manufacturer: EDITORIALE DOMUS S.A.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OK9S3Q

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Buh do domu: Fraska o ctyrech dejstvich
Josef Skvorecky
Manufacturer: Sixty-Eight Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: 0887811108

Customer Reviews:

A Theologian's Nightmare.......2005-09-18

+++++

This book consists of twenty-one essays written by Bertrand Russell (1872 to 1970) between 1912 and 1961. They were compiled and edited by Al Seckel, a member of the Bertrand Russell Society and one who has lectured extensively on Russell's life and work. According to Seckel, "the purpose of this collection is to bring together in one...volume some of Russell's most delightful thought-provoking essays on [organized] religion."

Some topics discussed are agnosticism, atheism, rationalism, churches, God, the soul, science, free thought, sin, and faith. He examines these and other topics with "rational skepticism" which is "withholding judgment where the evidence is not sufficient, or, even more so, when there is contrary evidence."

This collection of essays definitely captures the scope and depth of Russell's thinking on religion. His logic and reasoning are impeccable. I now understand why he was called "the world's most famous atheist."

The book is divided into five parts. Here are the titles of my favorite essays taken from each part:

I. (6 essays)

(1) Why I am not a Christian.
(2) The faith of a rationalist. (No supernatural reasons are needed to make humans kind.)

II. (5 essays)

(1) A debate on the existence of God. (Between Russell and a Father of the church.)

III. (2 essays)

(1) Science and religion.

IV. (6 essays)

(1) An outline of intellectual rubbish.
(2) The value of free thought. (How to become a truth-seeker and break the chains of mental slavery.)
(3) Ideas that have harmed mankind (and womankind).
(4) Ideas that have helped mankind (and womankind).

V. (2 essays)

(1) The theologian's nightmare.

Before the first essay begins, there is a brief biography of Bertrand Russell (later Lord Russell) by Seckel. It is very thorough as evidenced by the more than 55 footnotes at its end.

Finally, the only problem I had with this book is with regard to referencing. All essays are not referenced or inadequately referenced. I know that Russell in his other works extensively referenced. Thus, I'm not sure if Seckel edited out references to save space and assumed that the reader would believe everything Russell said due to his reputation. On a subject like this, I think references should have been kept in. Also, there is a bibliography at the end of the book. But it is really just a list of books written by Russell.

In conclusion, this is a fascinating collection of essays by one of most prolific and brilliant thinkers and writers of the twentieth century. Now I understand why Russell won the 1950 Nobel Prize in literature!!

**** 1/2

(essay collection published 1986; acknowledgements; biography of Bertrand Russell; 5 parts or 21 chapters; main narrative 300 pages; "bibliography;" name index; subject index)

+++++

It's Good.......2005-06-16

Russell is not concerned with refuting the claims of any specific religion with philosophic rigor. He shouldn't be. Since religion is not based on evidence, carefully refuting it would be like refuting the ancient Greek belief that Zeus and other gods reside on Mount Olympus. The only difference between that religion and current religions is that the Greek pantheon is out of fashion.

If you are a staunch believer and want to test your faith by subjecting it to a withering logical assault, you are wasting your time with this book (In fact, you are wasting your time period, since faith has nothing to do with logical arguments). If you want to read the thoughts of a great 20th century thinker on religion, and understand why he rejects it, then enjoy. I think that Russell is one of those men who values truth over everything else - a rare quality, even (especially?) among the followers of organized religion.

Everything I expected.......2003-06-18

After reading 'Why I am not a christian', I was excited to find that there existed an even larger collection of Mr. Russells essays. Some of the essays in this book are already in 'Why I am not a christian', including that particular essay. The others I had not read before were informative, well-structured, and balanced. He was truly a man ahead of his time.

Not impressed.......2000-03-11

As a Christian who has studied math and philosophy, I am quite familiar with Bertrand Russell's contributions to logic and philosophy, I am quite impressed with his brilliance. When I first got this book, I was afraid of what kind of powerful arguments he might present against my beliefs, instead I was shocked to find his arguments poorly constructed, his premises, shoddy, his logic full of holes. I expect much better from a man of his genius. It is quite obvious that his atheism wasn't based on a reasoned analysis of philosophy, a rigorous deduction from the evidence, rather, it was the result of a strong emotional bias against Christian ethics, particularly sexual ethics, period. A disappointment through and through. Whether you are atheist or theist, if you are looking for a good, through, reasoned arguments against God, you should look elsewhere than the writing of Bertrand Russell.

Religion understood as a terrible bar of truth.......2000-01-08

It appears in these selections that Russell was a very complex person who thought a great deal about religion. His views are not always consistent and they are pervaded by emotion. His general tendency is against religion. He especially hates Christianity as it has been practiced throughout history and the idea of Christian faith. He takes faith to be a set of related beliefs, on substantial issues, for which one has no good reasons. This selection is light reading, but it is too unfair to be used as an introduction to the philosophy of religion. Of course, this is one of the features of Russell's thought on religion that makes him psychologically interesting.

God and the Reach of Reason: C.S. Lewis, David Hume, and Bertrand Russell

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Reminded this atheist what's admirable in Lewis

God and the Reach of Reason: C.S. Lewis, David Hume, and Bertrand Russell
Erik J. Wielenberg
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0521707102

Book Description

C. S. Lewis is one of the most beloved Christian apologists of the twentieth century; David Hume and Bertrand Russell are among Christianity’s most important critics. This book puts these three intellectual giants in conversation with one another on various important questions: the existence of God, suffering, morality, reason, joy, miracles, and faith. Alongside irreconcilable differences, surprising areas of agreement emerge. Curious readers will find penetrating insights in the reasoned dialogue of these three great thinkers.

Customer Reviews:

Reminded this atheist what's admirable in Lewis.......2007-10-05

This is a worthy follow-up to Wielenberg's excellent "Value and Virtue in a Godless Universe." Using a "conversation" among C.S. Lewis, Bertrand Russell (who plays more of a cameo role), and David Hume, Wielenberg explores key arguments for and against the Christian god. He plays fair with all the arguments, going so far as to put weaker arguments in a better and brighter modern light, and pointing out drawbacks to venerable and well-respected older arguments. If the hellfire and brimstone "New Atheists" have piqued your interest in faith-free thought, the much gentler, more amiable tone Wielenberg adopts in this book will probably give you more space and quiet to think through the issues raised in the more hysterical screeds. For example, while some non-Christian authors dismiss Lewis with a hand-wave and one-finger salute, Wielenberg recognize that Lewis's arguments are novel and often ahead of their time. And sometimes, as with his argument from Reason, quite convincing.

One area where I might have taken an additional step that Wielenberg has not taken is to suggest that, far from being the near-tie that he portrays the debate between theism and atheism being, the very fact that God's existence is so arguable is a perhaps deciding factor in favor of atheism. If, as Lewis maintains, God wishes to make himself known to us and our ultimate happiness depends on a relationship with Him (to the extent that God will use severe pain as his "megaphone" to get our attention), why is this same God so coy? The fact that such a conversation is possible, and that upon final reflection, while theism remains a bare possibility, atheism has the better arguments, IN ITSELF seems to argue strongly against a personal God. It could be that some sort of god does exist and has no interest in revealing itself to us. If this is the case, surely we should respect its privacy and quite bothering it all of the time.

All in all, a superb entry into the continuing discussion about God's existence, written with philosophical precision, but completely comprehensible to any interested layperson.

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