Which C.S. Lewis autobiography describes his conversion and is titled Surprised by Joy?

Surprised by Joy is the C.S. Lewis autobiography describing his conversion.

Published in 1955, the book traces Lewis’s intellectual and spiritual development from childhood through his return to Christianity. It discusses his early imagination, his experiences with literature, his movement away from religious belief, and the friendships and arguments that influenced his eventual conversion.

The word “joy” has a specialized meaning in Lewis’s account. It refers to intense, often elusive experiences of longing or desire that he associated with particular books, places, and memories. Lewis considered this longing important, but he did not simply equate it with ordinary happiness.

The autobiography is not a complete day-by-day life story. It concentrates on the development of Lewis’s inner life and religious thought. His conversion unfolded over several stages: he became a theist before returning to Christianity, with conversations involving J.R.R. Tolkien and Hugo Dyson playing a notable role in the story.