British writer Lewis' (1898-1963) presentation of Christianity in both his fiction and his non-fiction depended upon the convention of the public sphere, contends Joeckel (English, Palm Beach Atlantic U., Florida). He sets out an interpretive framework for understanding both Lewis' accomplishment and the critical preoccupations of Lewis studies, which he finds to have helped generate uncreative, hagiographical, and thus mediocre books. Among his topics are the vantage point of the outsider and other advantageous perspectives, the demise of the public sphere, localizing the problem of evil in A Grief Observed, the evolution of his reputation in the public sphere 1970-2012, and explaining some meta-critical curiosities. Only names and titles are indexed. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)