Download Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life Audiobook

" What an awesome book to listen too. "

" I am a fan of C. S. Lewis, not just his theological works but also his criticism and fiction. I didn't like this book. I found the thoughts in it confusing and the theology hard to follow. Especially his conversion experience which may be one of the driest things Lewis has ever written. I think he had written, in a sense, this book his entire life. So much so that when time came to write it, well he didn't have much left to say. "

" The book fails as an autobiography, which is just as well since it was never intended to fulfill such a role. When read for what it truly is, Surprised by Joy makes for a highly entertaining (and, more often than not, thought-provoking) read. "

" I prefer the last 5 chapters to the beginning of the book: it took a bit long to get to the point. But the last few chapters were really good and well written. This book differs from his other books (like Mere Christianity, The problem of pain, etc) in the sense that it is not written as systematically - Lewis tends to trail off from the point of discussion quite often; it's like he just wrote down everything he thought of. Some of the quote are for example in Latin, Greek or German, and he does not even bother to translate. That, to me, made the book quite interesting and different from most other books (that tend to explain itself in a systematic way)that I've read. Loved all the references to books and authors - his passion for literature is contagious! "

" "I gave in, and admitted that God was God ... perhaps that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England." "

" I need to reread this; it was a bit dense for me and covered so many thoughts and ideas that I couldn't give them all adequate consideration. I'm excited to read more C.S. Lewis, though, as he has a different way of approaching religion/Christianity than others I've known or read. "

" I've never heard anyone attempt to describe the experience Lewis calls "Joy" in this book, but it was very familiar to me. It is something like the desire you have for an image or an idea...not so much to actually possess the thing, but just to revel in how much you enjoy that image. Maybe nostalgia for a childhood vacation spot would be the easiest to relate to...but not quite it. For me, it's a big part of the enjoyment of reading fantasy stories like Harry Potter or Chronicles of Narnia. I would guess some people might be put off by Lewis' sort of pompous, old fashioned writing style in this book, but I really liked it because of how much I could relate to some of the experiences of his inner-life. "

" Another good read for those investingating Christian Faith from an intellectual point of view. "

" By far, my least favorite Lewis book. It seemed to just drag on and on. Lewis' meandering style, a quality I appreciated in other books, does him no favors here. I found myself walking away from the book without a great sense of relating to the man or his faith journey. The last 20 or so pages were pretty good, but other than that, I had to force my way through this book. "

" Fascinating memoir. Absolutely goofy argument for Christian doctrine. Compare with the "vestryman" chapter in James Branch Cabell's CREAM OF THE JEST. "

" A very unique picture of one man's journey to faith in Christianity. "

" Nice autobiography. Not as much a spiritual journey as I would have thought, but it had some great insights (even when it went over my head). "

" About to reread this for my book group choice. "

" Very interesting. More or less it's about C.S. Lewis' young life and losing his faith and finding it again. I found parts to be fascinating and other parts were just too highbrow for me to really grasp. "

" Incredibly insightful into the thoughts that lead Lewis to find the ultimate source of Joy. Very introspective approach that is helpful for understanding why Lewis wrote the way he did while giving words to any soul longing for something greater than and outside of itself. "

" C. S. Lewis was a horndog. "

" A beautiful description of the inexplicable joy of connecting to God. "

" I started this book in Puerto Rico and finished it in Kentucky. It's a very interesting book. I am still a little confused by his concept of joy, but found it an enjoyable read. I think the book would best be read as a discussional book with others, maybe a group, but especially one other person. "

" currently in the middle of this one. i love c.s.lewis "

" An honest testimony of one man's journey to faith in the one true God. A man with an extraordinary gift for communicating! Thank you C.S. Lewis for your candor I look forward to meeting you.C.S. Lewis "

" Everything he writes is difficult for me but does allow me to stretch a little bit to the next level. "

" EXCELLENT. C.S. Lewis looks retrospectively on his childhood and sees how God lead him to Him and to an intellectual career that made a major impact on the world. "

" Without a doubt, one of my favorites. A desert island read. I've read this book every year for four years and my affection for it continues to grow. "

" Match together 'Surprised by Joy', 'The Problem of Pain', 'A Grief Observed', and 'The Great Divorce' to gain a balanced view on the philosophy of good and evil, happiness and pain, why each happens, and how we deal with both. "

" Excellent read! If you are a Lewis fan this is a must... "

" A fascinating look at the early life of a fascinating person told in his own words. "

" I find it difficult to read Lewis because he is such a scholar and refers to books, authors, mythology that he assumes his readers are familiar with. However, having said that, it's good exercise for my brain and sometimes I even research something he refers to. "

" It's really a shame that C.S. Lewis wrote anything besides nonfiction. "

" Read my last year of college. And I keep coming back to it to read my underlined passages. Some of the best Lewis. "

" An engaging, entertaining, and spiritually enlightening story of the impact of God in everyday life, and the journey to finally accepting him.
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