Pilgrim's Regress

The Pilgrim's Regress: An Allegorical Apology for Christianity, Reason, and Romanticism by CS Lewis, 255 pages

 

This is the tale of John, a native of Puritania, raised in terror of the judgement of the Landlord of that country.  Leaving home to escape from the shadow of that tyrant, John journeys through the city of the Clevers and the land of Mammon, into the home of old Mr Halfways and his daughter Media as well as into the home shared by the bachelors Mr Angular, Mr Classical, and Mr Humanist, accompanied at times by the warrior maiden Reason and at times by the adventurer Vertue, chasing an Island he has seen only in dreams and visions.  His quest takes him to the ends of the earth, which turn out to be rather closer to home than he had imagined.

 

This is a remarkable book, full of Lewis' customary insight and wit, which always seems to cut through layers of obfuscation to the heart of the matter.  It is intimated at times that this is the landscape of The Pilgrim's Progress, transformed by the passage of years, but John's regress involves more progress than Christian's pilgrimage.  Unfortunately neglected, it will surely be appreciated by any fans of Lewis' theological fantasies (The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce) or the novels of Chesterton.