Dorothy and Jack - by Gina Dalfonzo (Paperback)

About the Book

Author unpacks the intriguing friendship of C. S. Lewis and Dorothy Sayers, examining how it pushed them both to grow in their faith and to explore new facets of their creativity.

Book Synopsis

What happens when we push past the surface and allow real, grounded, mutually challenging, and edifying friendships to develop? We need only look at the little-known friendship between eminent Christian thinkers Dorothy L. Sayers and C. S. Lewis to find out. Born out of a fan letter that celebrated mystery novelist Sayers wrote to Lewis as his star was just beginning to rise, this friendship between a married woman and a longtime bachelor developed over years of correspondence as the two discovered their mutual admiration of each other's writing, thinking, and faith.

In a time when many Christians now aren't even sure that a man and a woman can be "just friends" and remain faithful, Gina Dalfonzo's engaging treatment of the relationship between two of Christianity's most important modern thinkers and writers will resonate deeply with anyone who longs for authentic, soul-stirring friendships that challenge them to grow intellectually and spiritually. Fans of Lewis and Sayers will find here a fascinating addition to their collections.

From the Back Cover

"An engaging, creative, and thorough portrayal of a remarkable friendship."--Colin Duriez, author of C. S. Lewis: A Biography of Friendships and Dorothy L. Sayers: A Biography: Death, Dante and Lord Peter Wimsey


What happens when we push past the surface and allow real, grounded, mutually challenging, and edifying friendships to develop? We need only look at the little-known friendship between eminent Christian thinkers Dorothy L. Sayers and C. S. Lewis to find out.

Born out of a fan letter that celebrated mystery novelist Sayers wrote to Lewis as his star was just beginning to rise, this friendship between a married woman and a longtime bachelor developed over years of correspondence as the two discovered their mutual admiration of each other's writing, thinking, and faith.

Gina Dalfonzo's absorbing treatment of the relationship between two of Christianity's most important modern thinkers and writers will resonate deeply with those who long for authentic, soul-stirring friendships that challenge them to grow intellectually and spiritually.


"Beautifully written, Dorothy and Jack will transform not only common understanding of both Lewis and Sayers but also common assumptions about male/female friendships."--Crystal Downing, codirector of the Marion E. Wade Center, Wheaton College; author of Subversive: Christ, Culture, and the Shocking Dorothy L. Sayers and Writing Performances: The Stages of Dorothy L. Sayers


Gina Dalfonzo is the author of One by One, a columnist at Christ & Pop Culture, and the founder and editor of Dickensblog. Her writing has been published in The Atlantic, Christianity Today, First Things, The Weekly Standard, Guideposts, OnFaith, and Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal, among others. She earned her BA in English from Messiah College and her MA, also in English, from George Mason University. The recipient of a Clyde S. Kilby Research Grant for 2018, Dalfonzo lives in Virginia.

About the Author

Gina Dalfonzo is the author of One by One, a columnist at Christ & Pop Culture, and founder and editor of Dickensblog. Her writing has been published in The Atlantic, Christianity Today, First Things, National Review, The Weekly Standard, Guideposts, Aleteia, Sehnsucht: The C.S. Lewis Journal, In Pursuit of Truth: A Journal of Christian Scholarship, Literary Life, and OnFaith, among others. She earned her BA in English from Messiah College and her MA, also in English, from George Mason University. Dalfonzo lives in Springfield, Virginia.