Surprised By Joy, C.S. Lewis

Surprised by Joy
the shape of my early life

CS lewis' autobiography -- comprising the story of his early (and surprisingly complete) apostasy from christianity, and finally his re-conversion.

It's a little bit more taxing to read than his novels, although when he describes his childhood feelings the narrative is round and relatable. Sometimes during descriptions of the schools he attended and authors that affected him, my attention wavered. Luckily Lewis is not out to give a full accounting of his education, or the book would be about a million times thicker and maybe a billion times more unreadable.

Early on, he makes an unexpected distinction between Joy and Happiness. The story then evolves on that axis, describing instances and events that caused him to experience Joy, punctuating long periods attempting to discover how to capture and bottle it.

His final conversion is described in two or three very poignant scenes, describing himself thus, "I gave in, and admitted that God was God ... perhaps that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England."

Lewis' autobiographical voice is similar to that of his novels, with an educated detachment that allows him to candidly and frankly discuss very personal matters.

I was enlightened and touched, although if you want something more engaging, Till We Have Faces is still my favorite. book. ever.