Record Number: 32410

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'As a matter of fact I am at present reading a real "old french" romance "The High History of the Holy Graal" translated in the lovely "Temple Classics". If I dared to advise you any longer -. It is absolute heaven: it is more mystic and eerie than the "Morte" & has [a] more connected plot. I think there are parts of it even you'd like.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 1 Nov 1916 and 15 Nov 1916

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

Great Bookham
Surrey
'Gastons'

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Clive Staples Lewis

Age:

Child (0-17)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

29 Nov 1898

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Student

Religion:

Church of England

Country of Origin:

Northern Ireland

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

[Anon] [Anon]

Title:

The High History of the Holy Graal

Genre:

Fiction, Prose Arthurian romance, translated from the Old French

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

Translated from the first volume of "Perceval le Gallois", edited by C. Potvin) by Sebastian Evans. London: J. M. Dent, 1898 (Temple Classics Series)

Provenance

owned

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Source Information:

Record ID:

32410

Source:

Print

Author:

C. S. Lewis

Editor:

Walter Hooper

Title:

C. S. Lewis Collected Letters

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

2000

Vol:

1

Page:

249/250

Additional Comments:

From a letter to Arthur Greeves, 8 November 1916. The 'Morte' is Sir Thomas Malory's 'Morte d'Arthur'.

Citation:

C. S. Lewis, Walter Hooper (ed.), C. S. Lewis Collected Letters, (London, 2000), 1, p. 249/250, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=32410, accessed: 19 May 2025

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Additional Comments:

Lewis was reading a translation of 'Li Hauz Livres du Graal', also known as 'Perlesvaux', an anonymous work of the early 13th century which purports to be a continuation of 'Le Conte du Graal' of Chretien de Troyes. I find it odd that Lewis, who loved this kind of literature, does not mention Chretien's work anywhere in his correspondence until 1946: '...you remember that all was lost because Perceval failed to ask "for what does it serve?"' (Letter to Ruth Pitter, 24 July 1946)