Two years ago this month, this book took its place alongside the multitude of books about C.S. Lewis. Each author hopes to find a niche for his topic; my co-author, Jamin Metcalf, and I believed we had settled on an aspect of Lewis’s life and writings that few others had emphasized: the fact that Lewis not only was a masterful apologist for the Christian faith, a wonderfully imaginative writer of fiction, and a superb analyst in his primary field of study and teaching—literature—but that he was an accomplished historian as well.
Now, two years later, we can look back on the publication of Many Times & Many Places: C.S. Lewis & the Value of History and be confident that we indeed did find a niche that needed filling.
Writing a book that is primarily academic (but certainly readable, I trust) is rarely a path to great financial reward. We didn’t expect to be enriched in that way, but we have been enriched nevertheless by the positive reception the book has received among those who are avid readers of Lewis. While monetary rewards are always welcome, the knowledge that one has contributed valuable information and analysis for others to ponder is a reward particularly gratifying for those who labor in academic circles.
SOME HIGHLIGHTS
William O’Flaherty’s All About Jack podcasts are well known and followed by Lewis fans, so I was honored to be his guest in October 2023 to introduce the book to his audience. You can go here to check it out.
November 2023 saw us going to Romania for the Lewis and Inklings conference held there. I was able to speak on one of the chapters in the book during the opening panel of the conference.
We also were highlighted with a “book launch” at the university bookstore. All the copies we brought with us sold immediately. If only we could have packed more.
Our time in Romania was truly a blessing. As we interacted with Lewis enthusiasts from a number of countries, we felt a part of something much bigger and much more extensive than previously experienced just within America.
Back in the States, we prepared for the invitation to speak at Wheaton College’s Marion E. Wade Center in April 2024. The live audience that evening was very interested in our thesis and welcomed us warmly. While there, we recorded a podcast with David and Crystal Downing that was actually a lot of fun. You can give a listen to it here and experience it yourself.
We’ve also had some Zoom meetings with Lewis and Inklings groups and I was invited to speak online with professors and students at Gordon-Conwell Seminary.
So, we celebrate what the Lord has done through this book and hope that its influence will continue. I appreciate hearing from those who have purchased it and reported back on how helpful it has been. You can get it on Amazon here, if interested.