The Brilliant Mind of Clive Staples Lewis (C.S. Lewis)

            Clive Staples Lewis was one of the most influential Christian writers of the 20th century. He was known for his popular children's books, fantasies, and theological books. Owen Barfield, one of Lewis' good friends, classified his life in three categories. He was a distinguished literary scholar and critic at Oxford, and an excellent children's writer and science fiction author, and writer for Christian apologetics. Knowing Lewis in one of these roles easily could have meant not knowing his other two roles existed because of his excellence in what he did, Barfield said.2 He wrote more than 30 books that reached many people, touching their lives in a way that continues to this day.
             Lewis was born in Ireland. He had one brother. At 9 his mother died from cancer.1 His mother's death encouraged his excellence in scholastics and early story writing.2 Early in life he claimed the nickname Jack. Interestingly enough, the influential Christian writer Lewis, at age 15 became an atheist, and completely abandoned the Christian faith that he had learned from birth. This came while he was enrolled at Monroe College, and soon after he left the college to be taught by a private tutor, William Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was familiar to Lewis because he had been a tutor for Lewis' father as well. Lewis, at age 18, received a scholarship from University College, Oxford. Instead of pursuing his studies he decided to take a hiatus and pursue life in the British army. Less than a year after enlisting he was injured in a battle and then soon discharged. All this time he continually denied Christ and continued in his atheistic lifestyle. .
             In 1925, at age 27, he went back to Oxford and became a tutor in English literature. He held this position for 29 years. During this time as a tutor, he found Jesus and realized that He was the only way to receive true joy! Lewis' friend J.R.R. Tolkien, well known for writing the Lord of the Rings series, was influential in Lewis' conversion when Lewis was 33.