What was C.S. Lewis’s first published book under his initials, released in 1933?
Answer
The Pilgrim's Regress
C.S. Lewis’s first published book under his initials was The Pilgrim's Regress, released in 1933.
The Pilgrim’s Regress is an allegorical novel subtitled An Allegorical Apology for Christianity, Reason and Romanticism. It follows a character named John as he travels through a symbolic landscape while searching for the source of a troubling desire.
Lewis wrote the book soon after his return to Christian belief. Its title deliberately echoes John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, but Lewis’s work reflects twentieth-century debates about philosophy, modern culture, reason, and religious faith.
The book is sometimes confused with Lewis’s later nonfiction because it presents Christian ideas through a journey. Unlike Mere Christianity, which grew from radio talks, The Pilgrim’s Regress is a sustained fictional allegory and appeared in 1933.