Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • Surprised by Joy

  • The Shape of My Early Life
  • By: C. S. Lewis
  • Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
  • Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (137 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Surprised by Joy cover art

Surprised by Joy

By: C. S. Lewis
Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Buy Now for £12.82

Buy Now for £12.82

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Father and Son cover art
The Screwtape Letters cover art
C. S. Lewis cover art
God in the Dock cover art
The Pilgrim's Regress cover art
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus cover art
C.S. Lewis cover art
Surprised by Oxford cover art
The Narnian cover art
The Most Reluctant Convert cover art
The Way of All Flesh cover art
The Brothers Karamazov [Naxos AudioBooks Edition] cover art
Demian cover art
The Great Good Thing cover art
Anna Karenina cover art
Martin Luther cover art

Summary

In the closest thing we have to an autobiography, C. S. Lewis, an unfailingly honest and perceptive observer of self, here shares the story of his personal spiritual journey. With characteristic candor and insight, he describes how his “search for joy” led him from the conventional Christianity of his childhood to a youthful atheism, and finally back to an assured Christianity compatible with his formidable intellect. With no pretense, Lewis describes his early schooldays, his experiences in the trenches during World War I, and his undergraduate life at Oxford, where he reasoned his way to God. Lewis’ “surprise” holds continuing interest not only for admirers of his work but for any modern seeker concerned with the compatibility of the rational and the spiritual.

Click here to see all the titles in our C.S. Lewis collection.
©1955 C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. (P)2000 Blackstone Audiobooks

What listeners say about Surprised by Joy

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    94
  • 4 Stars
    29
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    80
  • 4 Stars
    22
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    83
  • 4 Stars
    23
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Surprised by the journey!

What did you like most about Surprised by Joy?

I was first introduced to C S Lewis by 2 friends, separately. The title, Mere Christianity, was both an eye opener and a mind opener. Of course, I was minded to enjoy it anyway, being a Christian myself, but he was an intellectual Christian - a novelty to me - and I was amazed! I would highly recommend that book to everyone, Theists and Atheists alike.

This book, Surprised by Joy, is a semi autobiographical telling of how Lewis went from a childish belief in God, to Materialism, Atheism, the Occult & other isms, to Christianity. It makes for very interesting reading. I had only intended to read a couple of chapters tonight, instead I read the whole book! Impressive how he gained his acceptance of God through his extensive perusal of the classics!

What other book might you compare Surprised by Joy to, and why?

If you haven't read it already, your next title to follow this one should be, Mere Christianity, Lewis's Apologetics book! It makes great reading and is Christianity for intellectuals.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Discovering God Through The Classics!

Any additional comments?

Since my first introduction to C S LEWIS, I have read and re-read many of his Christian books. I will always re-read Mere Christianity twice a year. He had also written an essay called "The Trouble With X". You must read it, it's about you!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

long winded but interesting in parts

long-winded at times but interesting especially the last two chapters. I found the description of the physical and sexual abuse of boys in the public school system shocking. No wonder many upper class men seen to me to be warped.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting detail let down by narrator

Overall the narrator is fine, but anyone from the North of Ireland will cringe at his mispronunciations of names. Lewis’s story of how he came to faith is nonetheless fascinating.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

God book/distracting performance

Loved the book, hated all the little gasps of breath before almost every line which was rather distracting.

Having recently listened to ‘Surprised by Oxford’, this seemed a natural book to follow on. Fascinating to hear Lewis go on the opposite journey to me with regards to faith.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I was surprised he ended up rather joyless.

It’s a fine read. Well worth it on many different levels. I think his conversation was more about what made sense. And the surprise is he looses interest in joy.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Crisp

Unsurprisingly Lewis writes with clarity & poise, each paragraph an integral part of his journey. Whilst it is not a full autobiography it sheds light on his begrudging journey into joy. His moment of free will was particularly well articulated. Bravo!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Surprised at how interesting and moving this was

I had in my mind that a semi autobiographical account would be very dull, yet this book was very vivid and moving in its depictions. I was pleasantly surprised.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great insight into CS Lewis' personal story

Great for learning more about CS Lewis personal life, especially his childhood, and his philosophical/thought-journey from Atheism to Christianity. If you love his books you won't be disappointed with this one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great autobiography

As with most of C.S. Lewis' writing there's plenty of great humor but sometimes it gets a bit technical. Overall, a great book that I would recommend to everyone.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enlightening and engaging.

Enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected, was struck by Lewis and his observations of life and learning. His use of the language is from another age but still not off-putting.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!