Beyond the Walls Book Chat

The first book of the Chronicles of Narnia opens our eyes to the mythical mind of C.S. Lewis. What is it about this simple fairy tale that has captured the hearts of children for more than 70 years? And how deep could the symbolism really be? Tonight's episode explores the simplicity and also the depth this book supplies. NB: I realized I'm oversimplifying Ward's thesis from Planet...

Conceived during a boring Sunday morning sermon, Lewis's The Screwtape Letters has become a landmark book in how we look at temptation. Written from the perspective of a senior demon advising a junior demon, this book gives us insight into what is the key method used in keeping a Christian from following God. Tonight's episode explores the dingy thread that is woven through every letter...

The first book to explore in Lewis's oeuvre is The Great Divorce . This classic joins the notable list of "dream of" or "trip to" heaven books from the centuries. It's no surprise that Lewis had his own original take and rather than Virgil as his guide he chooses George MacDonald. Let's travel together through the imagination of this great author. Books I mention...

Season Three opens with a brief biography of our new author. C.S. Lewis, a towering intellect of the 20th century, continues to influence Christian apologetics and fantasy literature. His legacy is still being analyzed and discussed in numerous books, blogs, and podcasts. Some books I mention in tonight's episode: A Hobbit A Wardrobe and A Great War The Myth Made Fact The Medieval Mind of C.S...

More than three centuries after its creation, Paradise Lost retains its significance. Tonight's concluding episode will revisit the essential literary elements of this masterpiece and explore why the Great Books continue to be read today. Get your own copy of Paradise Lost today. Send us Fan Mail For questions and comments please email beyondthewallsbookchat@gmail.com

We've reached the end of the Garden story. But really it's only the beginning for the rest of humanity. Tonight's episode explores what makes these last two books different from the rest of the poem and why we are still reading this Epic after nearly 400 years. Send us Fan Mail For questions and comments please email beyondthewallsbookchat@gmail.com

Last week we left Adam and Eve squabbling in the Garden. This week the story opens in Heaven and from there we will visit all the locations this book has mentioned so far: Heaven, Hell, Chaos, and Eden. The range and scope of Book 10 is an example of the massiveness of this Epic. Tonight, we'll explore all the places and see all the people as we witness everything that is affected by the Fall...

In the second part of Book 9 Satan (disguised as the serpent) approaches the solitary Eve. What takes place next has been described by Ryken as the "grandest temptation story in all of English literature." Tonight, we'll discuss what makes it so impactful and how Adam and Eve approach this turning point so differently. In this episode I refer to the following books: Milton's Pa...

The climax of the entire poem comes in Book 9. Milton holds nothing back in this section and in the end, it comes out to more than 1100 lines. So, tonight's episode is only tackling the first third of the story where Milton sets the stage for the Epic Fall that is about to take place. Together let's look at the three main parts of this opening and what they show us about ourselves and th...

Book 8 is a collection of back-and-forth conversations between Adam and Raphael as they share the various things they know about God, the world, and their place in God's creation. How much did Adam truly understand about his position in the cosmos? According to C.S. Lewis, he understood it all. This episode explores Milton's depiction of Adam and Eve before the Fall. And we'll watch...

Milton employs the full range of baroque style in Book 7 of Paradise Lost, as he tells the story of Creation. Following the war in Heaven God takes on an epic task that shows off His majestic creativity. From the moment Jesus holds the Golden Compass and begins to circumscribe the Universe we are able to see a beautiful picture of what Aristotle called the Prime Mover or Uncaused Cause. Tonight&ap...

The ultimate battle scene unfolds in Book 6, depicting the celestial war and the expulsion of the rebels from God's presence. Drawing inspiration from the epic war poems, Milton surpasses them once more. The conflict spans three days, featuring aerial hand-to-hand combat, rousing speeches, plummeting mountains, anguished angels, and a hellish fall lasting nine days. The angel Abdiel returns i...

Book 5 is the introduction book for the Battle in Heaven. The angel Raphael is dispatched to the Garden to instruct Adam and Eve in the created realms. Along with his instruction comes the story of Satan's rebellion. And woven into that is a beautiful picture of a faithful angel named Abdiel who stands up for the right thing even when he's all alone. Let's discover together the less...

Book 4 of Paradise Lost records a momentous point in the story. Here is the place we listen to Satan speak honestly about his feelings and situation for the first and last time. This is the book where we finally meet Adam and Eve and see their beautiful home in Paradise. The action is picking up and there are many things to explore in this part of the story. For references and helps in today'...

Theologians dissect and divide and make us all dizzy. Meanwhile Milton takes that high wisdom and tells a story to make the invisible visible for us. Book 3 of Paradise Lost shows us a Heavenly Dialogue that will touch our hearts and offer us peace. Since before it all, God had a plan to redeem us. What a blessing! The primary source for my episode today was from this book: Milton's Paradise...

The first half of Book 2 is the war counsel in hell when the demons discuss the best way to take back Heaven. Three main arguments are presented, but there's still one more that's worse. What can we learn about ourselves from the suggestions raised in hell? Find out in tonight's episode on Book 2 of Paradise Lost. Books I've used for research: A Preface to Paradise Lost  by C.S...

Book 1 of Paradise Lost opens with an invocation that's longer and better than any that have come before. Following that we watch as Satan states his list of grand and epic grievances and calls all his troops to order. Tonight's episode sorts through all the parts of this book and covers why it's the stopping point for many readers. Let's stick together and tackle the hard part...

Tonight's episode contains an overview of Milton's massive poem. Paradise Lost reaches to answer the deep questions of our souls. Milton threw all his skills at this grand epic and has given us a story rich in allusions, drama, character, and rich language. Better than that, his story has truth; truth we can grasp with both hands. This is just a flyover of the whole adventure. Buckle up,...

Ever wondered how John Milton's life experiences and the turbulence of his time shaped one of the greatest epic poems in the English language? Join us on a fascinating exploration of Milton's world as we kick off our new series dedicated to "Paradise Lost." From his birth in 1608 London to his travels across Europe, we'll uncover the historical and intellectual forces that...

Oscar Wilde wrote only one novel. But when you've written something so perfect, there's no need to write anything more. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a haunting story of the pursuit of eternal beauty and what it ultimately costs. Is this Victorian era lesson still applicable in 2024? Let's find out together. Need your own copy? You can buy the book here . Send us Fan Mail For questi...

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is sometimes pushed aside as a simple children's story. But the story of Francie in 1912 Brooklyn is so much more than simple. It's an inspiring hero's journey seen through the eyes of a little girl. Send us Fan Mail For questions and comments please email beyondthewallsbookchat@gmail.com

Take the 2050s, time travel, a time-lagged historian, the Victorian Era, a couple winks to some of the best mystery writers of all time, and you get a hilarious comedy of errors in a book like no other. Tonight we explore To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis. This book is an excellent example of the magic of storytelling. Send us Fan Mail For questions and comments please email beyondthewall...

Outsold by only the Bible and Shakespeare, let's talk tonight about why Agatha Christie is still at the top of the mystery game. Send us Fan Mail For questions and comments please email beyondthewallsbookchat@gmail.com

The Golden Age of mysteries was 100 years ago. Yet one of the queens of that Age, Dorothy Sayers, has books and plays that we're still reading. Find out why her detective Lord Peter Wimsey is the best at making connections and solving the puzzles. Send us Fan Mail For questions and comments please email beyondthewallsbookchat@gmail.com

The Anglo-Saxon masterpiece, Beowulf, jumped from a dusty old manuscript only available to academics to a classic that a new generation of readers are still enjoying in the 21st century. It was all thanks to J.R.R. Tolkien. Today I explore the beautiful things that can be found in the thousand-year-old English poem full of the heroism and virtue of a long-lost culture. Send us Fan Mail For questio...