Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer

Engaging

What did you love best about Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer?

It's as if the reader is eves-dropping on a personal conversation between Lewis and his correspondent. At times I wondered what Lewis would think of his personal correspondence being published.

What did you like best about this story?

It was refreshing & engaging.

What about Ralph Cosham???s performance did you like?

Ralph is consistently good. For me, he has become the voice of CS Lewis.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A fly-on-the-wall

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

A must for all serious CSL students.

Would you listen to Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer again? Why?

Learn aspects of why CSL had a nearness to God that may well expand into your experience as you see and hear his perspective on prayer's place in the life of the believer.

Would you recommend Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer to your friends? Why or why not?

To my friends and enemies. Especially my enemies...

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

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.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I have a better understanding of prayer.

What did you love best about Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer?

The personal touch. I had a real sense of the character of C.S. Lewis. What a remarkable thinker he is. I laughed, smiled, reflected, determined to be more fervent in prayer, and listen to this audible a few more times.

What did you like best about this story?

A friendship between two men who respected each other and loved each other though they differed in their understanding of God. It was refreshing to see two men

Which character – as performed by Ralph Cosham – was your favorite?

I would say C.S. Lewis.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The time when C.S. Lewis talked of Malcolm's son and they joked about his future and then the boy was possibly in dire straights. The words of comfort C.S. Lewis gave were moving.

Any additional comments?

Reading or listening to the writing of C.S. Lewis makes me want to read all that he wrote. I am not totally clear on all that was spoken in the audio but his intellect is far above mine. Still I glean much from what I hear. Thanks for making this an audible.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Makes me want to start writing letters

This is incredible personal and interesting look at CS Lewis. These are letters that were intended to be read the original reader, not a wider audience. So Lewis is thinking on the fly. Giving ideas, working things out in written form, counseling a friend and learning from him. Great reminder that spiritual friendships are important. I only wish that the other side of the conversation were also present. That does not really detract from the books (you understand what Malcolm has said by Lewis' response) but I think it would be interesting to hear the other side as well.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Very entertaining and informative

Though C.S. Lewis speaks in terms that aren't common to the English language of today, he still brings intelligent insight into prayer and all its many facets. His dialogue between himself and Malcolm is very entertaining, a reflection of conversations between friends. I definitely recommend Letters to Malcolm for a different approach to a theological topic from a logical perspective.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

OK, but not one of his best.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Probably not. This is a collection of letters that he wrote to a friend, and while there are some good moments, I didn't find it particularly helpful.

What other book might you compare Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer to and why?

There's really not another book like this one. This collection of letters is just that - a collection of letters from one friend to another.

What does Ralph Cosham bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The saving grace of this book was the narrator's performance.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not really. My favorite part was when he said that he wished that ministers would remember that the Lord said Feed my flock, not Experiment with my rats. I've had that feeling before, myself.

Any additional comments?

For fans of C.S. Lewis' non-fiction works, this is not the best choice. I found it somewhat dry compared to his other works, but then again, this is a collection of letters - not a book that he wrote for a larger audience.

There are traces of his sense of humor here and there, but the style is far less entertaining and made less of an impression on me than other works of his that I have read.

This is almost a theological (study of God) book, but it doesn't really make it to that category. Neither is it a mentoring or encouraging book on prayer, it's more about complaints he had about the service at his church and problems he has with his friend's (Malcolm's) opinions on theology.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Salve on the soul

Who doesn’t love Lewis? Such a honest look at prayer: unanswered questions coupled with comfort and reassurance in Christ and the salvation he has won for us in spite of the hardships of this life.

Helps understanding prayer

Loved how clear C.S Lewis is on prayer - the connection with God and talking to God with parts of our mind and heart which is beyond our understanding.

great reading

loved it. so many things to ponder upon. recommend to anyone that is willing to listen.