Surprised by Joy is C.S. Lewis’s 1955 spiritual autobiography about his intellectual and religious development.
The book traces Lewis’s childhood, education, early atheism, return to Christianity, and understanding of a distinctive longing he called “Joy.” In Lewis’s usage, Joy was not simply happiness; it was an intense desire awakened by experiences of beauty, literature, mythology, and nature.
The autobiography ends before the later stages of Lewis’s public career and does not provide a complete account of every aspect of his life. It focuses especially on the movement of his imagination and beliefs.
The title can be confused with A Grief Observed, Lewis’s later book about mourning his wife Joy Davidman. The two works differ sharply: Surprised by Joy recounts Lewis’s path toward faith, while A Grief Observed records the emotional and theological struggle that followed bereavement.