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Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life

by C.S. Lewis
Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life
Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life

Spiritual awakening of a reluctant convert.

If you've ever grappled with matters of faith or found yourself intrigued by personal spiritual journeys, "Surprised by Joy" offers a candid look at C.S. Lewis's path from skepticism to belief. It's not just for fans of his fantasy works but for anyone interested in the twists and tribulations that can shape a person's convictions. The eloquence and honesty with which Lewis shares his story can be both comforting and enlightening, making it a meaningful read.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.
New

Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life

by C.S. Lewis
ISBN: 9780006280835
Authors: C.S. Lewis
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: Religion, Biographies & Memoirs
Related Topics: Faith, Theology, Christian, Christianity, Biography, Memoir, Autobiography
Goodreads rating: 4.06
(rated by 62975 readers)

Description

Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life is a partial autobiography describing Lewis' conversion to Christianity. The book overall contains less detail concerning specific events than typical autobiographies. This is because his purpose in writing wasn't primarily historical. His aim was to identify and describe the events surrounding his accidental discovery of and consequent search for the phenomenon he labelled "Joy". This word was the best translation he could make of the German idea of Sehnsucht, longing. That isn't to say the book is devoid of information about his life. He recounts his early years with a measure of amusement sometimes mixed with pain. However, while he does describe his life, the principal theme of the book is Joy as he defined it. This Joy was a longing so intense for something so good and so high up it couldn't be explained with words. He's struck with "stabs of joy" throughout life. He finally finds what it's for at the end. He writes about his experiences at Malvern College in 1913, aged 15. Though he described the school as "a very furnace of impure loves" he defended the practice as being "the only chink left through which something spontaneous and uncalculating could creep in." The book's last two chapters cover the end of his search as he moves from atheism to theism and then from theism to Christianity. He ultimately discovers the true nature and purpose
Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

Books in Like New Condition

This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Very Good Condition

This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Good Condition

We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Well Read Condition

This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

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Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life
Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life
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Spiritual awakening of a reluctant convert.

If you've ever grappled with matters of faith or found yourself intrigued by personal spiritual journeys, "Surprised by Joy" offers a candid look at C.S. Lewis's path from skepticism to belief. It's not just for fans of his fantasy works but for anyone interested in the twists and tribulations that can shape a person's convictions. The eloquence and honesty with which Lewis shares his story can be both comforting and enlightening, making it a meaningful read.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.