Surprised by joy: The shape of my early life - Hardcover

Lewis, C. S

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0760732213 ISBN 13: 9780760732212

Publisher: Barnes & Noble Books, 2002

Synopsis

This autobiography of C.S.Lewis's early life, focusing on the spiritual crisis which was to determine the shape of his entire life, now repackaged and rebranded as a key title in the C.S. Lewis Signature Classics range. "In the Trinity Term of 1929 I gave in, and admitted that God was God!perhaps the most dejeced and reluctant convert in all England." Thus C.S. Lewis describes memorably the crisis of his conversion in his famous autobiography. Lewis was for many years an atheist, and in Surprised by Joy he vividly describes the spiritual quest which eventually convinced him of the truth and reality of the Christian faith.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

"A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. There are traps everywhere God is, if I may say it, very unscrupulous."This book is not an autobiography. It is not a confession. It is, however, certainly one of the most beautiful and insightful accounts of a person coming to faith. In this case, that person is C.S. Lewis and his path takes us from a childhood in Belfast through the loss of his mother, to boarding school and a youthful atheism in England, to the trenches of World War I, and then to life at Oxford, where he studied, read, and, ultimately, reasoned his way back to God. It is perhaps this aspect of Surprised by Joy that we believers and nonbelievers find most compelling and meaningful; Lewis was searching for joy, for an elusive and momentary sensation of glorious yearning, but he found it, and spiritual life, through the use of reason. In this highly personal, thoughtful, intelligent memoir, Lewis guides us toward joy and toward the surprise that awaits anyone who seeks a life beyond the expected."Fascinating."--"The Nation""Lewis tempered his logic with a love for beauty, wonder, and magic . . . He speaks to us with all the power and life-changing force of a Plato, a Dante, and a Bunyan." "Christianity Today""The tension of these final chapters holds the interest like the close of a thriller God moves, indeed, in a mysterious way, and this book gives a brilliant account of one of the oddest and most decisive end-games He has ever played." "Times Literary Supplement" C. S. (Clive Staples) Lewis (1898 1963), one of the great writers of the twentieth century, also continues to be one of our most influential Christian thinkers. He wrote more than thirty books, both popular and scholarly, including The Chronicles of Narnia, The Screwtape Letters, The Four Loves, Mere Christianity, and Till We Have Faces."

About the Author:

CLIVE STAPLES LEWIS (1898-1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably the most influential Christian writer of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English literature at Oxford University until 1954 when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. His major contributions in literary criticism, children's literature, fantasy literature, and popular theology brought him international renown and acclaim. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include the Chronicles of Narnia, Out of the Silent Planet, The Four Loves, The Screwtape Letters, and Mere Christianity.

About this edition

• Publisher: Barnes & Noble Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0760732213
• ISBN 13: 9780760732212
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 229