Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life Paperback - 2017
by C. S. Lewis
About this book
A repackaged edition of the revered author’s spiritual memoir, in which he recounts the story of his divine journey and eventual conversion to Christianity.
C. S. Lewis—the great British writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster, Christian apologist, and bestselling author of Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many other beloved classics—takes readers on a spiritual journey through his early life and eventual embrace of the Christian faith. Lewis begins with his childhood in Belfast, surveys his boarding school years and his youthful atheism in England, reflects on his experience in World War I, and ends at Oxford, where he became "the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England." As he recounts his lifelong search for joy, Lewis demonstrates its role in guiding him to find God. -C.S. Lewis Official Website.
Reader reviews for Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life
Review summary
Readers describe Surprised by Joy as a thoughtful, pre-conversion memoir that favors ideas over events. Many praise Lewis’s candor and polished prose, finding his spiritual reflections moving and his portraits of place vivid. Others report that the dense web of classical and literary references can be alienating, and some find the narrative philosophically interesting but not especially gripping. A few note an elusive quality to Lewis’s inner account, and one flagged sloppy proofreading in an e-book edition.
Readers say this book is:
honest erudite dense insightful inspiring philosophical reference-heavy beautifully written uneven occasionally not grippingWrite a review for this book
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From the publisher
From the rear cover
In Surprised by Joy, C. S. Lewis shares his enthralling spiritual journey through his early life, chronicling his conversion to the Christian faith. "When we set out, I did not believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, and when we reached the zoo I did. . . . It was . . . like when a man, after a long sleep, still lying motionless in bed, becomes aware that he is now awake." Lewis starts with his childhood in Belfast, then describes his boarding school years and his youthful atheism in En-gland, moves to his experience in World War I, and ends in Oxford. Through it all Lewis explores his lifelong search for joy and its role in pointing him toward God.
First edition identification
Geoffrey Blis published a First Printing, First UK Edition in London, 1955. The hardcover is bound by grey cloth boards with silver lettering and design on the spine.
Harcourt Brace and Company published a First US Edition in New York, 1956.
Details
- Title Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life
- Author C. S. Lewis
- Binding Paperback
- Edition Reissue
- Pages 304
- Volumes 1
- Language ENG
- Publisher HarperOne
- Publication date 2017-02-14
- ISBN 9780062565433 / 0062565435
- Weight 0.5 lbs (0.23 kg)
- Dimensions 8 x 5 x 0.9 in (20.32 x 12.70 x 2.29 cm)
-
Themes
- Religious Orientation: Christian
- Category Biography / Autobiography
- Library of Congress subjects Authors, English - 20th century, Christian biography - England
- Library of Congress Catalogue Number 2016030652
- Dewey Decimal Code B
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