Which C.S. Lewis book recounts his journey from atheism to Christianity?

Surprised by Joy recounts C.S. Lewis’s journey from atheism to Christianity.

Published in 1955, the book is an autobiographical account of Lewis’s intellectual and spiritual development. It describes childhood experiences, his growing interest in Norse mythology and literature, his rejection of Christianity, and his eventual return to belief.

Lewis used the word “joy” for a particular kind of intense longing or desire, not simply for ordinary happiness. He connected this longing with experiences of beauty and imagination, including reading George MacDonald and other authors. The book traces how these influences contributed to his religious transformation.

Lewis’s conversion unfolded in stages. He first returned to theism, later became a Christian, and described conversations with friends such as Tolkien as significant. Surprised by Joy is not a systematic defense of Christianity; Mere Christianity serves that different purpose. The autobiography also ends before the later fame of the Narnia books.