First edition of C.S. Lewis's They Asked for a Paper,
presentation copy inscribed by Lewis

LEWIS, C.S. They Asked for a Paper: Papers and Addresses. London: Geoffrey Bles, 1962. Octavo, original tan cloth, original dust jacket; housed in custom half-leather box. $5000.

First edition of Lewis's notable collection of essays and addresses, inscribed by Lewis on the front free endpaper, "To Kay with loving duty from C.S.L." "Kay" is believed to be Kay Stillwell, a Lewis scholar and critic, who met and corresponded with Lewis on his works. In a letter to Stillwell in 1957, Lewis wrote, "You know my work better than anyone else I've met... you (alone of the critics I've met) realize the connection, or event the unity, of all the books - scholarly, fantastic, theological - and make me appear a single author, not a man who impersonates half a dozen authors, which is what I seem to most." The collection includes: "The Weight of Glory," "De descriptione temporum," " The literary impact of the authorised version," " Lilies that fester," " The inner ring," " On obstinacy in belief," and several others. Book near-fine with usual light foxing to edges and endpapers; dust jacket nearly fine with only slight edgewear. Presentation copies by C. S. Lewis are notoriously scarce.