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JACKSON, Tenn. — Sept. 1, 2021 — Written as the second biography in his trilogy on C.S. Lewis’ life, Hal Poe hosted a lecture and book signing Aug. 31 in Harvey Auditorium for his new book, “The Making of C.S. Lewis (1918-1945): From Atheist to Apologist.”

Poe’s first book of the trilogy, Becoming C.S. Lewis (1898-1918): A Biography of Young Jack Lewis,” covers an overview of Lewis’ early life, childhood interests and experiences. Poe said it is essential to understand Lewis’ childhood and teenage years to fully appreciate his work as an adult.

“The first book ends, and [Lewis] is an atheist in World War 1,” said Poe, the Charles Colson University Professor of Faith and Culture at Union. “For this second book, I wanted to tell the story of how his teenage years then influenced his conversion and his career.”

Poe outlines three important decades that transformed Lewis’ life forever and offers insight into the moments that defined Lewis’ early adulthood, career and conversion to Christianity – such as his time studying at the University of Oxford and his friendships with well-known Christians like J.R.R. Tolkien and Dorothy Sayers.

Poe focused on the primary sources of diary entries and letters between Lewis and his colleagues for his book, and he said the detailed diary of Warnie Lewis, Lewis’ brother, served as an important tool for his research.

“Warnie is the primary record keeper,” Poe said. “Warnie kept his diary every day, so we know what was going on every day.”

Poe said Lewis has influenced his life for a number of years, and his interest in Lewis stems from almost 28 years of researching and studying the well-known author. Lewis wrote more than 30 books, including “Mere Christianity,” “The Great Divorce” and the beloved classics, “The Chronicles of Narnia.”

Poe is contracted to write the third volume of Lewis’s life, “The Completion of C. S. Lewis: From Bachelor to Widower (1945-1963)” for Crossway Publishing. “The Making of C.S. Lewis” is available for purchase on