Record Number: 32390

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

(1) 'I have been reading again the second volume of Malory, especially the part of the "Sangreal" which I had forgotten. With all its faults, in small doses this book is tip-top: those mystic parts are very good to read late at night when you are drowsy and tired and get into a sort of "exalted" mood. Do you know what I mean?' (2) 'It was unfortunate that I should choose a word like "exaltation" which is so often used in connection with religion and so give you a wrong impression of my meaning. I will try to explain again: have you ever sat over the fire late, late at night.... Everything seems like a dream, you are absolutely contented, and "out of the world".... It is in this sort of mood that the quaint, old mystical parts of Malory are exactly suitable...' (3) '...the "Morte" which I have now read from the beginning of the Quest of the Grael to the end, thus finishing the whole thing. I certainly enjoyed it much better than before, and wished that I had the first volume here as well.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 27 Sep 1916 and 25 Oct 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:

Thomas Malory

Title:

Le Morte d'Arthur

Genre:

Fiction, Chivalric romance, Arthurian legends

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

London: Dent, 1906 (Everyman's Library)

Provenance

owned

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Source Information:

Record ID:

32390

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:

227, 230, 239

Additional Comments:

(1) From a letter to Arthur Greeves, [4 October 1916] (2) From a letter to the same, (The 12th. Oct., I think) [1916] (3) From a letter to the same, 25 October 1916

Citation:

C. S. Lewis, Walter Hooper (ed.), C. S. Lewis Collected Letters, (London, 2000), 1, p. 227, 230, 239, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=32390, accessed: 18 May 2024

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Additional Comments:

None