The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis - A Review
For some people, another book about C. S. Lewis leaves them scratching their head wondering what else there is to say. For other people, new analysis of Lewis’ grocery shopping habits would be a must read.
I can say that I am much closer to being in the second camp than the first, though I have reached the point in my studies that the mere presence of Lewis’ portrait on the cover or his name in the title of a book are no longer enough to get me excited.
I am, however, excited to have read the recent book on Lewis by Jason Baxter, The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis: How Great Books Shaped a Great Mind. It is a relatively brief volume and it takes up questions that have been explored in other volumes, but it also explores them in ways that I have not encountered in my research in the secondary literature on C. S. Lewis.
Allow me to begin by explaining a few reasons why this book is worth your time and money.
First, it is a concise volume at just over 160 pages. Too many books are about twenty-five percent too long these days. They make their case and then they continue to do so well after their point has been well expressed. Baxter avoids that, leaving the reader interested by the end, which is a gift to the serial reader.
Second, Baxter makes Lewis the main subject of the book not his own research. When writing on a subject has reached a certain critical mass it becomes possible to read a book that claims to be about a topic, but it is really about the author’s interactions with books and articles about the topic instead of the topic itself. The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis interacts with significant segments of the secondary literature, but the majority of the sources are Lewis’ works and the main thrust of the book’s arguments is an interaction with and exposition of C. S. Lewis. This is a volume that leads the reader to Lewis and beyond the author’s own mind.
Third, The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis explores a major aspect of Lewis’ work that is well-deserving of attention. Lewis described himself as a dinosaur, by which he meant that he was really a man of an earlier age, specifically the medieval age. This has been explored to some degree in several biographies of Lewis. It was also the thrust of Chris Armstrong’s book, Medieval Wisdom for Modern Christians. Baxter’s book is distinct from these earlier volumes because it explores some of Lewis’ lesser known works, like Allegory of Love and Discarded Image, while tying those resources to the books that Lewis read, interacted with, and in some cases helped maintain some interest in among contemporary scholars.
The end result is a volume that is a pleasure to read, deepens the readers understanding of Lewis and medieval thought, and connects to some lesser explored aspects of Lewis scholarship.
This is the sort of volume that has significant explanatory power. It helps to explain why Narnia feels different and that when reading Lewis one encounters something deeper than the offerings of much of modernity. Baxter begins by describing the medieval cosmos, then explores Lewis’ deep roots in the scholarship of the era. He then introduces some of the counterpoints between antiquity and modernity, the shifts in the understanding of the human mind and person. Baxter goes on to explore the ways Lewis went beyond the presuppositions of his day to see the wonder of humanity, and the mystery of God. These all contribute to a worldview that tends to tear down barriers build by modern constructs.
The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis is an instructive book that may serve for some readers as an introduction to sources often unknown to contemporary readers. For those coming to Lewis anew, being pointed to Boethius and Dante, for example, may open up new worlds for explorations and broader reading lists for continued digging.
Baxter’s book is a good one. It is thoroughly readable and can be consumed by someone without an advanced degree in literature, philosophy, or theology. It is engaging and carefully constructed. For those that love C. S. Lewis, it is a welcome exploration in a cherished topic. This is a book that belongs on the shelf of the Lewis scholar, the teacher hoping to get a student engaged in some deeper thinking. More significantly, it belongs in the hands of a reader hoping to be delighted and broadened through the reading experience.
NOTE: I was provided a gratis copy of this volume with no expectation of a positive review.
The way we talk about humans also has moral implications, which are more significant than how we treat our pets. In his 2011 book, Less than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave, and Exterminate Others, David Livingstone Smith explores how language changes culture and leads to the justification of extreme violence against others, especially when they become perceived as less than human.