Editing The Screwtape Letters (section)

== Summary ==
In ''The Screwtape Letters'', Lewis imagines a series of lessons on the importance of taking a deliberate role in Christian [[faith]] by portraying a typical human life, with all its temptations and failings, seen from devils' viewpoints. Screwtape holds an administrative post in the [[bureaucracy]] ("Lowerarchy") of Hell.  Until the book's final pages, Screwtape acts as a [[mentor]] to his nephew Wormwood, an inexperienced and incompetent tempter.

In the 31 letters which compose the book, Screwtape gives Wormwood detailed advice on various methods of undermining [[God]]'s words and of promoting abandonment of God in "the Patient" (whom Wormwood is tempting), interspersed with observations on human nature and the [[Bible]]. In Screwtape's advice, selfish gain and power are seen as the only good, and neither devil can comprehend [[agape|God's love for man]] or acknowledge human virtue.

Versions of the letters were originally published weekly in the Anglican periodical ''[[The Guardian (Anglican newspaper)|The Guardian]]'' during [[World War II|wartime]], from May to November 1941.{{Sfn | Lancelyn Green | Hooper | 2002 | p = 236}}<ref>{{Citation |last= Griffin |first= William |year= 2005 |title= C. S. Lewis: The Authentic Voice |page= 188 |publisher= Lion Hudson |place= Oxford |isbn= 0-7459-5208-9}}</ref> The book adds an introduction explaining how the author chose to write his story.

Lewis wrote a sequel, "Screwtape Proposes a Toast", in 1959. The satirical essay criticizes trends in British society, education, and public attitudes. The essay was included, with a new preface by Lewis, in editions of ''The Screwtape Letters'' published by Bles in 1961 and by Macmillan in 1962.

''The Screwtape Letters'' became one of Lewis' most popular works, although he said it was "not fun" to write and "resolved never to write another 'Letter{{'-}}".<ref>{{Citation |last= Lewis |first= C. S. |title= The Screwtape Letters |place= New York |publisher= HarperCollins |year= 2001 |page= 184 }}</ref>

Both "The Screwtape Letters" and "Screwtape Proposes a Toast" were released on audio cassette and CD, with narrations by [[John Cleese]],<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEf7sdiohjk |archive-url= https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/HEf7sdiohjk |archive-date= 2021-12-11 |url-status= live |title= The Screwtape Letters Audiobook |via= www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Joss Ackland]],<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.audible.com/ |title= Audible.com &#124; Audible.com |via= www.audible.com}}</ref> and [[Ralph Cosham]].<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.amazon.com/The-Screwtape-Letters-audiobook/dp/B000ICM1G6 |title= The Screwtape Letters (Audible Audio Edition): Ralph Cosham, C. S. Lewis, Blackstone Audio, Inc.: Audible Books & Originals |website= Amazon |publisher= |date= |access-date= 2022-04-11}}</ref> Cleese's recording was a [[Grammy Awards]] Finalist for Best Spoken Word.