Book 8- "The Screwtape Letters and Screwtape Proposes a Toast" by C.S. Lewis

This book fulfills another book for the Modern Mrs. Darcy 2016 Reading Challenge! "A book you've been meaning to read".
I remember I started this book years and years ago (how sad is it that I can say that now...) and I really enjoyed it but I think I went back to school and forgot to bring it with me. Well, I just read it all the way through. It is a FASCINATING book. Lewis is a genius.

I read the letters from Lewis that was in the back of this book, before "Screwtape Proposes a Toast", which explained a lot of how I was feeling. It is so confusing to read the things that Screwtape describes as disgusting, horrible, etc. and realize he is talking about the good in the world. And to read him describing a person as idiotic, moronic, simple, and realize he is talking about God. And the things that he glorifies are the things that we shun in life. He discusses many different virtues and vices, and it is so believable to think that this is how the devil and his minions communicate about how to best tempt us.

They cover issues of "Love" vs lust, gluttony, satisfaction, charity vs unselfishness (Charity is the "bad" virtue, while Unselfishness is the "good" facade of an issue that really sews seeds of resentment), the social aspect of religion vs the spiritual aspect, repetitive prayers... they really covered everything. And the final battle was over making sure that Wormwood's client never felt like his prayers were being answered, and that he never felt that he could really endure to the end. As it were, the client was killed in an air raid (WWII), and when he saw Wormwood he immediately turned away and was welcomed into heaven. You've never wanted the main character (Wormwood, not the client) to fail so badly!

I recommend this to everyone. If you don't believe in Heaven or Hell, you will still find it an interesting take on the good and bad in the world. If you do, this will seem pretty real!