Which C.S. Lewis book records his spiritual autobiography?

Surprised by Joy is C.S. Lewis’s spiritual autobiography. Published in 1955, the book describes his intellectual and religious development from childhood through his return to Christianity.

Lewis discusses his early imaginative experiences, his education, his fascination with mythology, and his movement from childhood belief to atheism. He later describes the influence of authors and friends, including J.R.R. Tolkien, on his eventual conversion.

The title refers to Lewis’s idea of joy, an intense and elusive longing that he associated with moments of imaginative desire. He treated this feeling as an important clue in his spiritual journey rather than simply as ordinary happiness.

Surprised by Joy is not a complete account of every period of Lewis’s life. It ends before some major later events, including his marriage to Joy Davidman and the publication of several important Narnia books.