Long Books

“Things need to be treated at length not in so far as they are great but in so far as they are complicated.” C. S. Lewis, English Literature in the Sixteenth Century. Quoted in Around the Year with C.S. Lewis and Friends, compiled by Kathryn Lindskoog.

“‘You can’t get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me,’” said C. S. Lewis to Walter Hooper. In that case, Lewis should have been pleased with English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, Excluding Drama. A 696 page tome with a thirty-three page chronological table and ninety pages of bibliography, it taught him that a long book might be a joy to read, but it could be a burden to write.”
Donald T. Williams, PhD in a draft of an article for Lion and Logos: The Life and Legacy of C. S. Lewis, ed. Bruce L. Edwards, Jr.    doulomen.tripod.com/topics/DTWtopics_csl_ohel.pdf

When I think of the heady literary and philosophical discussions among the Christian scholars at Oxford who called themselves the Inklings (http://www.mythsoc.org/inklings/), my jealousy is boundless, but I don’t believe that I will ever read Mr. Lewis’ 696 page tome. Several things would stop me. I will list three: First, I am not familiar with Sixteenth Century literature, excluding drama. I am the grateful recipient of an excellent education, but my classical studies are limited almost exclusively to the realms of drama and rhetoric. Second, I much prefer Lewis' fiction. Third, a used copy on Ebay is $275.

Ecclesiastes 1:18- For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.