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Brothers and Friends: The Diaries of Major Warren Hamilton Lewis
An Intimate Portrait of C.S. Lewis
Brothers and Friends is an honest, intimate, often deeply affecting portrait of Warren H. Lewis and his beloved brother, "Jack," C.S. Lewis.
The two were inseparable and lived together much of their lives: Jack called Warren "my dearest and closest friend."
These previously unpublished diaries by the elder Warren give us a lively picture of English life, literature, music and thought during one of the most creative periods of recent history.
Here also is an insider's look at notable contemporaries such as "inklings" J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, and Owen Barfield.
Brothers and Friends is an honest, intimate, often deeply affecting portrait of Warren H. Lewis and his beloved brother, "Jack," C.S. Lewis.
The two were inseparable and lived together much of their lives: Jack called Warren "my dearest and closest friend."
These previously unpublished diaries by the elder Warren give us a lively picture of English life, literature, music and thought during one of the most creative periods of recent history.
Here also is an insider's look at notable contemporaries such as "inklings" J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, and Owen Barfield.
308 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 1982
About the author
W.H. Lewis
28 books14 followersWarren Hamilton Lewis was an Irish historian and officer in the British Army. He was the older brother of C.S. Lewis, a member of the Inklings, and a scholar of 17th-century French history.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
Other authors publishing under this name are:
W.H. Lewis, Soliciter of the Suprime Court of the Colony of Victoria
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
Other authors publishing under this name are:
W.H. Lewis, Soliciter of the Suprime Court of the Colony of Victoria
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 6, 2022
Reading of C.S. Lewis’ life and letters, I often encounter his brother Warnie Lewis, and regard him with complete sympathy. An historian and lifelong bachelor, he was happiest with a book, a beverage, a comfy chair, and his pipe. Though overshadowed by his younger brother Jack, Warren held no grudge; he and his brother’s life centered around the other, and he was only happy to help Jack cope with his affairs when the younger Lewis became a celebrity. Brothers and Friends makes their close relationship plain, evidenced by their constant activity together and Warnie’s obvious loss of heart in the years after Jack’s death in November ‘63.
Warren’s initial diary begins at the close of the Great War, upon receipt of a journal for Christmas; he then writes faithfully with interruptions for the remaining decades of his life. He is a vociferous a reader as his brother, and the book brims over with recollections of their frequent pub arguments and long walks together in the English countryside, discussing and debating matters of literature, politics, and theology. (These walks included short strolls with the dogs, and longer annual hikes that went on for days.) Although Warren didn’t share his brother’s tastes for Shakespeare and philosophy, he was an avid consumer of English poetry, biographies, histories, and novels, and he contributed several French histories to his chosen field. A reader who is aware of Warren’s later struggle with alcoholism will note with sadness the frequent and steady mentions of whisky-and-sodas early on, but cheer Warnie on when he begins recording his tee-totaling days, having become aware of the cycle of insomnia, depression, and drunkenness that he was slipping in to. Warren is amusingly uncomfortable around the fairer sex, and asserts that men in general find women poor company indeed unless they’re attracted to them. (Warnie seems to have been fond of at least two, though: his brother’s semi-ward, Maureen Moore, and Joy Davidman.)
Warren is wonderful company, especially for a chronic bachelor-reader like myself who sees in him a kindred spirit. Not for Warren was the rat race, or the pursuit of honors; he wanted nothing but stimulating reads and good conversation, and his life was filled with both. As life wore on, especially after his brother’s death, he was increasingly sad for the world they were leaving behind: he saw country scenes plowed under for dismal architecture, and witnessed a growing sterility in the world around him. In his later years, he turned to the classics with fuller devotion, even reading Shakespeare which he’d once found unpalatable. Although it’s very difficult to separate an appreciation for Warren from an appreciation for Jack — so closely do they stand together — he does appear here a distinct figure, with his own tastes entirely apart from his brother. Those who are interested in the personalities of the Inklings will find this especially attractive, given that Warren documents who was at which meeting and so on, and the subject of conversation at each meeting: poetry and literature, typically. Interestingly, he harrumphs against the idea of the Inklings as a deliberate literary society, with a characteristic influence on its members: Warren writes that they were merely friends, who, by virtue of their common literary interests, spent part of their time comparing and improving the others’ work.
Warren’s initial diary begins at the close of the Great War, upon receipt of a journal for Christmas; he then writes faithfully with interruptions for the remaining decades of his life. He is a vociferous a reader as his brother, and the book brims over with recollections of their frequent pub arguments and long walks together in the English countryside, discussing and debating matters of literature, politics, and theology. (These walks included short strolls with the dogs, and longer annual hikes that went on for days.) Although Warren didn’t share his brother’s tastes for Shakespeare and philosophy, he was an avid consumer of English poetry, biographies, histories, and novels, and he contributed several French histories to his chosen field. A reader who is aware of Warren’s later struggle with alcoholism will note with sadness the frequent and steady mentions of whisky-and-sodas early on, but cheer Warnie on when he begins recording his tee-totaling days, having become aware of the cycle of insomnia, depression, and drunkenness that he was slipping in to. Warren is amusingly uncomfortable around the fairer sex, and asserts that men in general find women poor company indeed unless they’re attracted to them. (Warnie seems to have been fond of at least two, though: his brother’s semi-ward, Maureen Moore, and Joy Davidman.)
Warren is wonderful company, especially for a chronic bachelor-reader like myself who sees in him a kindred spirit. Not for Warren was the rat race, or the pursuit of honors; he wanted nothing but stimulating reads and good conversation, and his life was filled with both. As life wore on, especially after his brother’s death, he was increasingly sad for the world they were leaving behind: he saw country scenes plowed under for dismal architecture, and witnessed a growing sterility in the world around him. In his later years, he turned to the classics with fuller devotion, even reading Shakespeare which he’d once found unpalatable. Although it’s very difficult to separate an appreciation for Warren from an appreciation for Jack — so closely do they stand together — he does appear here a distinct figure, with his own tastes entirely apart from his brother. Those who are interested in the personalities of the Inklings will find this especially attractive, given that Warren documents who was at which meeting and so on, and the subject of conversation at each meeting: poetry and literature, typically. Interestingly, he harrumphs against the idea of the Inklings as a deliberate literary society, with a characteristic influence on its members: Warren writes that they were merely friends, who, by virtue of their common literary interests, spent part of their time comparing and improving the others’ work.
July 12, 2009
This is the second time I've read these excerpts from the diaries of Warren Lewis, the brother of C.S. Lewis. It's a difficult book to find -- I got this copy from the St. Paul Public Library via interlibrary loan -- but well worth it for those interested in the life and works of C.S. Lewis.
It's also an interesting read for me because Warren Lewis' personality seems to be so much like my personality.
Being a diary, this book doesn't contain everything that one might wish to read. Although his brother was by far the most important person in Warren's life, and although he even served as his brother's secretary for many years, there's little mention of C.S. Lewis' books as he was writing them. There's almost more mention of J.R.R. Tolkien in the process of writing "The Lord of the Rings." Of course, this is also fascinating. Can you imagine being part of that group of Oxford Christians known as the Inklings and hearing Tolkien read excerpts from his work while it was in progress?
One of the funniest diary excerpts occurs a few years after C.S. Lewis (referred to as both "CSL" and "J" in this excerpt) died. This excerpt alone tells you quite a bit about Warren Lewis' personality:
"Tuesday 1st August [1967:]
"CSL's home, complete with the great man's brother, is [now a:] show piece for any American who happens to visit Oxford. ... And what is the worst of it is that this situation is going to continue for the rest of my life. ... I suppose that on my death bed -- or at any rate the day before -- I shall have some verbose American standing over me and lecturing on some little observed significance of J's work. Oh, damn, damn, DAMN!"
It's also an interesting read for me because Warren Lewis' personality seems to be so much like my personality.
Being a diary, this book doesn't contain everything that one might wish to read. Although his brother was by far the most important person in Warren's life, and although he even served as his brother's secretary for many years, there's little mention of C.S. Lewis' books as he was writing them. There's almost more mention of J.R.R. Tolkien in the process of writing "The Lord of the Rings." Of course, this is also fascinating. Can you imagine being part of that group of Oxford Christians known as the Inklings and hearing Tolkien read excerpts from his work while it was in progress?
One of the funniest diary excerpts occurs a few years after C.S. Lewis (referred to as both "CSL" and "J" in this excerpt) died. This excerpt alone tells you quite a bit about Warren Lewis' personality:
"Tuesday 1st August [1967:]
"CSL's home, complete with the great man's brother, is [now a:] show piece for any American who happens to visit Oxford. ... And what is the worst of it is that this situation is going to continue for the rest of my life. ... I suppose that on my death bed -- or at any rate the day before -- I shall have some verbose American standing over me and lecturing on some little observed significance of J's work. Oh, damn, damn, DAMN!"
October 3, 2011
Warren Lewis kept a diary for most of his adult life. This book is pulled from thousands of pages of his diaries and consolidated into a manageable book. I very much enjoyed reading the diary entries, and found a wonderful view into the Lewis family through Warnie. As I mentioned in my review of C.S. Lewis' diaries "All My Road Before Me", I enjoyed reading about the same event and then looking it up in the other brother's diary!
A sweet and interesting habit that both brother's had was to give their diary to the other brother to read. In this way the other brother could be brought up to date with events and happenings in their lives. C. S. Lewis writes some interesting descriptions of Warnie, Warnie reads his brother's diary, and then writes in his own diary about how shocked he is to see how his brother sees him! It is wonderfully entertaining.
Equally wonderful are the passages about Joy Davidman Gresham, how she came to be friends with both Warnie and Jack, and how Warnie viewed her as both a friend and eventually a sister-in-law. Anyone who calls Joy a cold blooded gold-digger, out to marry C.S. Lewis and infiltrate his "men only" world needs to read Warnie's warm expressions of love for Joy. She blessed not only Jack Lewis, but his brother Warnie. And I believe was loved dearly by both of them.
A sweet and interesting habit that both brother's had was to give their diary to the other brother to read. In this way the other brother could be brought up to date with events and happenings in their lives. C. S. Lewis writes some interesting descriptions of Warnie, Warnie reads his brother's diary, and then writes in his own diary about how shocked he is to see how his brother sees him! It is wonderfully entertaining.
Equally wonderful are the passages about Joy Davidman Gresham, how she came to be friends with both Warnie and Jack, and how Warnie viewed her as both a friend and eventually a sister-in-law. Anyone who calls Joy a cold blooded gold-digger, out to marry C.S. Lewis and infiltrate his "men only" world needs to read Warnie's warm expressions of love for Joy. She blessed not only Jack Lewis, but his brother Warnie. And I believe was loved dearly by both of them.
September 3, 2016
It was more of an intimate portrait of Warren Lewis than it was of Jack since Warren was out of the closely guarded loop when it came to the precise nature of the Lewis household at The Kilns (as is the reader but we can surmise). His retirement turned out to be not all he had hoped for, at least for many years, which was a great injustice. I hope that, like Christopher Robin and Pooh, Warnie and Jack are together in the Enchanted Place.
August 6, 2017
This book reads even better on a second reading. And the key to its gems (and there are many) is letting the author be himself. I found the first time around that for some reason I couldn't accept Warnie Lewis for who he was. I had based my image of him solely on being C.S. Lewis's brother, and I expected to find myself entering into Jack's world. I remember that after a series of entries in which Warnie was depressed I put the book aside for a while --not because I don't myself experience depression, but because I wasn't looking for Warnie. I was looking for his brother.
This time around I found the book to be charming as well as insightful and a world I delighted to inhabit. I also agree with the Kirkus Review which calls it "a nourishing slice of a solid British...soul...Finely written and steadily interesting."
Warnie was well-read and enjoyed writing about the books that captured him. He gives many insights into those books (which make for a great reading list and are footnoted). The entry for Saturday 12th November is a critique of Tolkien's manuscript for The Lord of the Rings, and one of the best ones you will read. Unlike his brother, he didn't care much for Shakespeare but only came to that final conclusion after reading the most important plays. He also doesn't hesitate to say when he doesn't understand what he is reading. For example, Monday 27th March 1967 he writes that he's been reading Jack's Christian Reflections --"My only failure was [Jack's] Xtian Reflections which was far above my head and which I think might more fairly have been Philosophical [Reflections]."
One thing that does shed much light on C.S. Lewis is the way Warnie viewed his (Jack's) relationship with Mrs. Moore. There comes a point at which his vitriolic dislike of her dominated his entries. I found myself thinking about how Jack accepted interruptions as obedience --he once wrote about interruptions as being the "raw material of spiritual life" --and can't help wondering if that's not why his life was seemingly so full of faith. He did say that a person must train the habit of faith, and this is borne out by Warnie who lets you see it by his own inability to do the same thing towards Mrs. Moore and other similar situations/inconveniences. It seems to me that Jack grew his faith and then his faith grew him.
But Warnie is also a man of faith who doesn't articulate it as neatly as his brother. He often stumbled and struggled, and it is refreshing to be thus affirmed in this humanity we all wear. He had a deep sense of courage --which I take as faith.
There are inside jokes that he lets the reader into as well as petty jealousies --as when Tolkien brought uninvited guests to Inkling meetings--, music, walks, pubs, history. Littered throughout his diaries are countless entries about the weather --charming in their description as this one from Tuesday 7th October 1930-- "I enjoyed the walk in gentle steady autumn rain, smoke curling up slowing from the cottages, and the patter of the rain on the still brown trees: some people find this sort of thing depressing, but I don't..."
What he did find most depressing of all was the loss of his brother. It never left him from 1963 to his own death in in 1972. The reader walks with him through the final years with more and more appreciation for Warnie Lewis, and who God was in his story.
This time around I found the book to be charming as well as insightful and a world I delighted to inhabit. I also agree with the Kirkus Review which calls it "a nourishing slice of a solid British...soul...Finely written and steadily interesting."
Warnie was well-read and enjoyed writing about the books that captured him. He gives many insights into those books (which make for a great reading list and are footnoted). The entry for Saturday 12th November is a critique of Tolkien's manuscript for The Lord of the Rings, and one of the best ones you will read. Unlike his brother, he didn't care much for Shakespeare but only came to that final conclusion after reading the most important plays. He also doesn't hesitate to say when he doesn't understand what he is reading. For example, Monday 27th March 1967 he writes that he's been reading Jack's Christian Reflections --"My only failure was [Jack's] Xtian Reflections which was far above my head and which I think might more fairly have been Philosophical [Reflections]."
One thing that does shed much light on C.S. Lewis is the way Warnie viewed his (Jack's) relationship with Mrs. Moore. There comes a point at which his vitriolic dislike of her dominated his entries. I found myself thinking about how Jack accepted interruptions as obedience --he once wrote about interruptions as being the "raw material of spiritual life" --and can't help wondering if that's not why his life was seemingly so full of faith. He did say that a person must train the habit of faith, and this is borne out by Warnie who lets you see it by his own inability to do the same thing towards Mrs. Moore and other similar situations/inconveniences. It seems to me that Jack grew his faith and then his faith grew him.
But Warnie is also a man of faith who doesn't articulate it as neatly as his brother. He often stumbled and struggled, and it is refreshing to be thus affirmed in this humanity we all wear. He had a deep sense of courage --which I take as faith.
There are inside jokes that he lets the reader into as well as petty jealousies --as when Tolkien brought uninvited guests to Inkling meetings--, music, walks, pubs, history. Littered throughout his diaries are countless entries about the weather --charming in their description as this one from Tuesday 7th October 1930-- "I enjoyed the walk in gentle steady autumn rain, smoke curling up slowing from the cottages, and the patter of the rain on the still brown trees: some people find this sort of thing depressing, but I don't..."
What he did find most depressing of all was the loss of his brother. It never left him from 1963 to his own death in in 1972. The reader walks with him through the final years with more and more appreciation for Warnie Lewis, and who God was in his story.
February 17, 2019
I can add little to the many wonderful reviews here about this touching book, and I note that many have read Jack's ALL MY ROAD BEFORE me, which may be taken as a companion volume.
The loving relationship between Jack and Warnie is so very touching, and Warnie as a soldier, a traveler, an Inkling, and a writer in his own right, as John and others note below, is worth reading because of his interesting life.
A re-read of BROTHERS AND FRIENDS has been my bed-time calm-down since December, and I regret that I finished it (again, but not for the last time) last night.
The loving relationship between Jack and Warnie is so very touching, and Warnie as a soldier, a traveler, an Inkling, and a writer in his own right, as John and others note below, is worth reading because of his interesting life.
A re-read of BROTHERS AND FRIENDS has been my bed-time calm-down since December, and I regret that I finished it (again, but not for the last time) last night.
September 10, 2017
Recommended for anyone who thinks of Warren Lewis as "Jack Lewis' alcoholic brother." Yes, he was that--but in these diaries, he comes across as a gentle, insightful man who did the best he could with the problems he had. In many ways, he seems more thoughtful than his brother, (and he, too, wrote many books!), and the picture of the times and the extended circle of intellects surrounding Jack and Warren is compelling.
September 6, 2018
This book really cute and funny . I really like it and recommend it to young children that are middle school.
April 10, 2020
A little known character compared to his brother, 'Warnie' Lewis led a life of travel, friends and thought. The diaries demonstrate the strong relationship of friendship and love between the two brothers. Although a little long winded in places (but remember this is a diary) it gives an intimate view into the simple yet intriguing life of the Lewis brothers.
October 16, 2023
I knew that Mrs. Moore was a heavy burden for the Lewis brothers (Jack, in particular), but my second reading of Warren's letters made me realize just how difficult it must have been for them to care for an increasingly neurotic woman. On the other hand, what a dream to retire at 37, read, walk, and chat with friends each day and occasionally bathe in the sea!
May 15, 2020
Same opinion as from the start -- interesting and enjoyable, but not surprising on any account.
Still, it was worth reading if only to get a nice picture of daily British life (especially c. 1920-1940 before things changed drastically).
Still, it was worth reading if only to get a nice picture of daily British life (especially c. 1920-1940 before things changed drastically).
October 21, 2017
Amazing book. Warren has possibly become my favorite Inkling.
July 12, 2018
Something about this and CS Lewis's own diary, All My Road Before Me, make me feel so close to Lewis and his family. I loved this because it was like a vaction to the hills with Warnie.
October 20, 2020
Interesting not only for those who are fans of CS Lewis or the Inklings but for anyone who wants to read about British life in the 20s-50s.
August 13, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this from start to finish. I've read many bios of C S Lewis over the years, and just about all his works many times, but this simple, elegant diary introduced a whole new level of understanding. Perhaps that is simply the brotherly view, but it is intimate and of course rounds out the picture a bit by showing us just who this Warnie was. A real person with real thoughts (very sharp incisive ones too), and a different, but close, POV on the whole living situation at the Kilns. Highly recommended.
July 31, 2016
There is a growing population of CS Lewis devotees who must read anything and everything about him. Luckily for them/myself, Lewis' brother, Warren, was himself a committed satellite constantly revolving around the life of Jack. The book offers insights to their relationship and settles the debate about Warren's faith. Although Warren was an alcoholic who's binges would land him in rehab from time to time, he outlived his brother by 9 years. His diary reveals the loss he experienced from Jack's death.
July 6, 2008
This was a fascinating and inciteful look into the lives of C.S. Lewis and his brother. I must have made about 20 notes from this book on topics, (and people) to research further into. Major Warren and his brother were very close. The Major was an author in his own right, authoring 5 or 6 books on French history. I really want to read more on C.S. Lewis now.
July 13, 2011
C.S. Lewis' brother has a distinct and very descriptive writing style.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews