Doom wrote:
GKC wrote:
Doom wrote:
GKC wrote:
I was wondering which interview that was. The usual last interview I know of was a guy named Wirt, and it was in May 63, doesn't touch on FACES. Gimme a reference for the August interview. I'm tired of looking stuff up. Been doing it all week for a history lesson I'm conducting in Another Place, on Another Subject. But in July-August 1963, Lewis was barely up to receiving close friends, latterly drifting in and out of focus. Who was the interviewer?
.
I remember the exact wording of the questions and answers...
Q: Of all the books you have written, which do you think is your best? I think it is 'Perelandra'.
A: I agree
Q: But my favorite book of yours is 'Till We Have Faces'
A: I agree
And...
nothing else?
Could it have been Hooper reporting something said in a conversation? Hooper was there in July and August. Lewis was out of hospital and in the Kilns by early August. Not reliably coherent. Hooper left in late Sep.
No, that isn't it. He went on saying that there is a difference between 'the best' and 'your favorite', and that 'Till We Have Faces' is his favorite because it was the one he most enjoyed writing and that of all his books, his least favorite is 'The Screwtape Letters' because he found it very tedious to write and he found it difficult to constantly think backwards, however, saying that is it his least favorite doesn't mean that he thinks it is bad, and he knows that many people have found it interesting or helpful, but he didn't enjoy writing it, and that is why he never wrote a sequel even though some were clamoring for one.
It was an extended interview about 5 pages long, and it was included in one of those collected books of essays, either 'Fern seed and Elephants' or 'God In the Dock'.
Well, that easy enough to check, if either are the source.
For us folks lacking a r... l..., that is.
The Screwtape comment is certainly familiar, it's often reprinted. However, the no sequel comment overlooks "Screwtape Proposes a Toast", technically.
Edited: and not really, as to the last. Lewis' comments on writing
Screwtape were from an article printed in THE GUARDIAN, in 1961, and often now included in reprints of
Screwtape Letters and
Screwtape Proposes a Toast, as it was originally intended to be used. It does mention his dislike of writing
Letters, and states why he overcame his resolve not to revisit the concept, when THE SATURDAY EVENING POST tempted him, in 1959. The basic concept was also expressed in the May 1963 "last interview" with Wirt. No mention of favorite/best books, or
Faces/Perelandra in that.
I also have a feeling I'm overlooking something.
Checking
Fernseeds is not as easy as I thought. Cant find it. Will continue. After r... l... intervention.