What was the name of C.S. Lewis’s conversion memoir published in 1955?

C.S. Lewis’s conversion memoir published in 1955 was Surprised by Joy. The book recounts his intellectual and spiritual development from childhood through his return to Christianity.

Lewis describes early experiences of intense longing, which he called “joy,” and connects them with literature, imagination, friendship, and religious thought. The memoir covers his movement away from childhood Christianity, his years as an atheist, and his eventual return to belief. It also discusses formative influences including George MacDonald and his friend Owen Barfield.

The title does not mean that Lewis experienced constant happiness. In his usage, “joy” was a piercing desire or longing for something beyond ordinary satisfaction. Readers sometimes confuse the book with Mere Christianity, which developed from wartime radio talks and presents an argument for Christian belief rather than a primarily autobiographical narrative.