Which C.S. Lewis autobiography describes his conversion and early life through the idea of joy?

C.S. Lewis’s autobiography about his early life and conversion is Surprised by Joy.

Published in 1955, the book traces Lewis’s childhood, education, intellectual development, and movement from atheism toward Christianity. The title uses “joy” in Lewis’s distinctive sense: a sudden, intense longing sparked by beauty, literature, or imagination, rather than simple happiness or pleasure.

Lewis discusses formative experiences including his childhood reading, his relationship with his brother Warren, and his years at Oxford. He also describes the influence of writers and friends, including Owen Barfield and J.R.R. Tolkien. His conversion unfolded in stages, with the eventual shift to Christianity taking place in the early 1930s.

Surprised by Joy is sometimes mistaken for A Grief Observed, which concerns Lewis’s experience after the death of his wife, Joy Davidman. The shared word “joy” can cause confusion, but the two books have different subjects and dates.