The Four Loves

By C.S. Lewis

Book Overview

The revered author's classic work that examines the four types of human love: affection, friendship, erotic love, and the love of God.

In this work Lewis examines four varieties of love, as approached from the Greek language: storge, the most basic form; philia, the rarest and perhaps most insightful; eros, passionate love; and agape, the love of God, the greatest and least selfish. Throughout this compassionate and reasoned study, he encourages readers to open themselves to all forms of love--the key to understanding that brings us closer to God. "There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable . . . draw nearer to God, not be trying to avoid the sufferings inherent in all loves, but by accepting them and offering them to Him; throwing away all defensive armor. If our hearts need to be broken, and if He chooses this as the way in which they should break, so be it."

In Four Loves, C. S. Lewis explores love to help you

Strengthen your interpersonal relationshipsUnderstand the different between needed pleasures and appreciation pleasures and need-love and gift-loveCare for the people in your life, avoid pitfalls, and improve your relationship God

The Four Loves holds a mirror to our current society and leaves no doubt that our modern understanding of love is heavily misunderstood.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062565397
• ISBN13: 9780062565396
• Release Date: February 2017
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Poor condition

The Book has sticky substances all over the back of it, and every single page is written in. Extremely disappointed.

Loved "The Four Loves"

An excellent starting point for a reader only acquainted with C. S. Lewis through his fiction, "The Four Loves" stems from his "day job" at Oxford and Cambridge as a lecturer in Medieval and Rennaissance literature. "Loves" also invites the serious reader into Lewis' thoughts about the contrast between his Christian faith and the "psychological" bent of Western values and theory took in the late Twentieth Century. Well written and easy to understand.

Highly recommended

I own nearly 1000 books, of which a few I have multiple copies of: The Bible, Sun Tzu's The Art of War, The Prince. This book I have only one copy of, but have bought at least 5 that I can recall off-hand. That's because I loan it out, and it rarely gets returned (folks always return the Bibles, for some reason...). Anyone concerned with the nature and types of love should read this book. C.S. Lewis compares and contrasts love of God, Family, Lovers, and Friends in a way that makes good sense, is easy to understand, and is practical in real life. Should be required reading for anyone that has just started a relationship of any kind, or just ended a relationship for any reason.

Amazing!

For those parents who have "encouraged" their teenage children to read "I Kissed Dating Goodbye", I would recommend "The Four Loves" far more. I am sixteen, and I read this book not long ago - I was absolutely speechless when I finished the last page. It is, by far, one of the most profound books I have ever read on ANY subject, not just love. C.S. Lewis seems to get stronger with each page, and his observations about today's understanding of love are right on. His insight as he places the four loves in priority with God and fellow man is astounding. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

For those who have felt that sense of longing in our hearts.

Trust is fragile and does not come without an open heart. C.S. Lewis' book on the four loves: affection (between a parent and a child), friendship, romantic love, and charity or love towards God is truly a remarkable piece of work. Professor Lewis writes with an easiness rare amongst writers, speaks deliberately and with wisdom in his words. He speaks of trust and of hearts, of humanity and humility. Truly, this is a moving book (or was for me) as well as a book which takes the seriousness of love rather lightly and playfully, for good reason. The seriousness and playfulness of love are but opposite sides of the same coin. Read this book with an open, honest, yet vulnerable heart. One needs to take risks in the matters of the heart. And you shall experience the best of dark and bright. --spaceboy