Deep Reading C. S. Lewis: A 3-Stage Approach

My techniques for a deep dive into Lewis' greatest works

Photo by Caleb Woods on Unsplash

I have a confession to make, I have read a few of Lewis’ books before and can remember very little of what he said or taught. Since that time, I have developed this 7-step process to help me remember what I am reading. This time, I am taking this process and applying it in my deep dive to get a better understanding and integrated picture of Lewis’ thinking and writings. If you read my post on remembering what you read, this is the next step for deeper reading.

This reading plan with Lewis is not a book club but more of a reading guide. Lewis’ writing is not difficult to understand, however he writes in a way that you must stay engaged throughout each chapter. His ideas build on each other and it can feel at times like he is going on a tangent, but this is his style. Stick with it and stay focused. If you find that your mind wanders, that is okay, just go back and start at the place where your mind began wandering. I hope to help give you value and practical tips along the way.

These tips may not work for each person, but these are the tips I will be using while reading through Lewis' works.

The system I developed (through years of trial and error) has 3 distinct stages: The first stage is to set up your plan for success. Then move onto stage 2 where you actively carry out the plan and read the books. Stage 3 involves integrating the information into your mind and life.

Reading deeply is completed in 3 stages:

Stage 1 - setup the plan (step 1)

Stage 2 - active reading (steps 2-3)

Stage 3 - integration (steps 4-7)

Here are the stages of reading I use when doing a deeper reading plan:

1. Come up with a reasonable reading plan

Decide what type of reader you are and when your mind is most fresh. I do morning reading time for deeper reading as it is before the cognitive load of the day and when my family is still asleep. After deciding when your best reading time is, decide which pace you want to read.