Introduction Summary and Analysis

C.S. Lewis begins the book by talking about how he came to want to write about love, how he began to organize the thoughts in his mind, and the problems he encountered. Lewis says there are different types of love. Though it's not a new concept, Lewis divides love first into two categories: "gift love" and "need love." Lewis uses the example of a man who works, saves, and plans for his family's future, even though he "won't be around to enjoy the fruits of his labor," to explain gift love.

Need love is the need of a child for a parent. Lewis then goes on to say that need love need not be a bad thing, and that it's actually what people feel when they ask for God's intervention or forgiveness. No one calls a child selfish simply because...