Which 1956 book is C.S. Lewis's autobiographical account of his spiritual journey?
Answer
Surprised by Joy
Surprised by Joy is C.S. Lewis's 1956 autobiographical account of his spiritual journey.
The book traces Lewis's intellectual and religious development from childhood through his conversion to Christianity. It discusses his early love of mythology and literature, his rejection of Christianity during adolescence, his experiences in the First World War, and the influences that helped lead him back to belief.
The title refers to an idea Lewis associated with “joy,” an intense experience of longing or desire that he believed pointed beyond ordinary satisfaction. The book is not a complete day-by-day autobiography; it is selective and focused especially on the formation of his imagination and religious thought.
A Grief Observed, published in 1961, is a different autobiographical work, centered on Lewis's grief after the death of his wife, Joy Davidman. The Pilgrim's Regress is an allegorical novel, not a straightforward autobiography.