Top 10 Interesting Facts About C.S Lewis

Top 10 Interesting Facts about C. S Lewis

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream”. This inspiring quote is by C.S Lewis, the author of many other such quotes. Scholar, Author and Apologist, Clive Staples Lewis is one of the greatest Christian writers of the 20^th century.

Born in 1898, Lewis might have as well been born in a library! He was born into a family of bookworms and was surrounded by limitless books thus he grew up reading; by the time he was three years old, Lewis was already reading! He was also writing stories by the time he was five, about a fantasy land, influenced by one of his favorite writers, Beatrix Potter.

The hours spent indoors due to rainy weather in his home town, with his only brother and playmate away only solidified Lewis’ reading.

Lewis’ mother passed on when he was almost 10. This tragedy made for a withdrawn Lewis and a disconnect between Lewis, his brother and Dad, each of them grieving in their own ways. Lewis thus withdrew and read even more.

Here are some Top 10 facts about C.S Lewis, the prolific author.

1. Lewis did not foresee making money from his books!

Some of C.S Lewis’ books- Pixabay

For someone with a net worth of approximately $ 6 million, it’s rather refreshing knowing that Lewis did not expect to make any money from his books as he was sure they would go out of print by the time of his death. The initial editions however sold for at least 1, 200 dollars in 2019.

2. Lewis was a philanthropist

Statue of C.S Lewis- Wikimedia Commons

Lewis set up a charitable trust through which he gave away monies he received as royalties from his books. This, even without the knowledge that the taxman would still expect him to pay tax on these monies! He did pay these taxes.

Lewis was a college tutor on a modest salary but cared deeply about people. He was full of empathy, was kind and generous. This made him very lovable.

3. He was a published poet

C.S Lewis book page-Pixabay

Lewis first book was a collection of poetry he wrote as a teenager. He had hoped to become a great poet hence wrote purposeful poetry hoping to publish his work and get famous. Lewis wanted to be in the Poets ‘hall of fame’ so much so that he kept revising his poems, some even after publication.  His book was called ‘Spirits in Bondage’ published under the pen name, Clive Hamilton.

4. Lewis was Irish

His long association with Oxford and Cambridge had people under the impression that Lewis was English. He was however Irish, born in Belfast, Ireland, on November 29, 1898.

So Irish was he that when he first joined school in England, he was made fun of for his strong Irish accent. This made him resent the English- he however overcame his prejudice with years of interaction.

5. Lewis experienced some bullying

C.S Lewis plaque -by MartinRobinson- Wikimedia Commons

Lewis was bullied in school for his inability to play sports. Lewis’ anatomy of the hand made it impossible for him to throw, catch or hit balls; instead of a two- jointed thumb, Lewis had only one joint, a predicament that his only other sibling also suffered.

Despite this, Lewis loved his vigorous exercises and was very athletic. He loved taking rapid walks across the countryside over rugged hills and mountains, ride his bike, swimming and rowing.

6. Lewis was a philosopher turned English teacher

If all had gone to plan, Lewis had trained to and would have become a Philosopher. He was passionate about it too. However, when he graduated from his Philosophy studies, Lewis could not get a job.

He thus stayed at Oxford a year longer studying English Literature and ended up teaching English. His studies in English Literature were a walk in the park as Lewis had already read the English syllabus books for his own enjoyment.

7. Lewis did not permit movies or film of his work

Lewis felt that if any of his works were to be turned to a movie, they would fall short of depicting the characters and settings accurately. He, therefore, opposed such attempts. With the advancement in technology, however, such effects and settings have become achievable.

His books turned movies which you could enjoy include the Chronicles of Narnia- the Lion, the Witch and the wardrobe and the Silver Chair.

Lewis’ book “A Grief Observed” was fictionalized to a movie “the Shadowlands”. This was a special one as it depicted Lewis’ love life, having lost his beloved wife to cancer. Quite personal.

8. Lewis couldn’t type

The writer simply never learnt to type. By choice and circumstance.  Lewis felt that typing, as opposed to writing, was mechanical thus interfered with his creative process- the clacking of the typewriter dulled out the rhythms and cadences of the English language.

Lewis’ one jointed thumbs also proved a typing impediment-he could not type properly with the impairment.

9. C. S Lewis, AKA Jacksie

C.S Lewis’ friends and family knew him as Jack- they called him so from his younger years. When Lewis was 4 he lost his beloved pet dog “Jacksie” who was run over by a car. Lewis christened himself Jacksie and would answer only to that! Befitting for a beloved pet.

10. Lewis died on the same day as John F. Kennedy

C.S Lewis’ grave- jschroe- Wikimedia Commons

C. S Lewis and Aldous Huxley, another famous writer died on 22^nd November 1963. This was also the same day that John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. The death of the 35^th president of the United States was definitely bound to get more airtime and attention. The deaths of Lewis and Huxley were therefore overshadowed and didn’t get much coverage.

C.S Lewis died of kidney failure in 1963. In 2013, on the 50th anniversary of his death, Lewis was honored with a memorial stone in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey.

Lewis gifted the world with literature in the form of scholarly works, defenses of the Christian faith, and fiction. His books transcend the motion pictures world just as well as they do in a library. Other writers of famous books such as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter have credited C.S Lewis for inspiration or actual contribution to their books.