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The Inspirational Writings of C.S. Lewis Surprised by Joy, Reflections on the Psalms, The Four Loves, The Business of HEaven
Surprised by Joy. Reflections on the Psalms The Four Loves. The Business of Heaven.
523 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1987
35 people are currently reading
710 people want to read
About the author
C.S. Lewis
1,014 books47.7k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Clive Staples Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954. He was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. 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 Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures.
Lewis was married to poet Joy Davidman.
W.H. Lewis was his elder brother]
Clive Staples Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954. He was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. 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 Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures.
Lewis was married to poet Joy Davidman.
W.H. Lewis was his elder brother]
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 26, 2009
Oh, I am really liking this so far. I dived into the last part called the business of heaven and I am enthralled by some of the writings. Short excerpts of C.S. Lewis - one for each day. I will let you know more as I continue reading :-)
Just keeps getting better! I only wish that this wasn't a borrowed copy, as I feel an almost desperate need to underline, highlight and turn down page corners!! I think I must find a used copy of this to buy for myself :-)
Just keeps getting better! I only wish that this wasn't a borrowed copy, as I feel an almost desperate need to underline, highlight and turn down page corners!! I think I must find a used copy of this to buy for myself :-)
October 15, 2025
Surprised by Joy – The Shape of My Early Life by CS Lewis author of Mere Christianity http://realini.blogspot.com/2015/02/m... and other splendid masterpieces
10 out of 10
Andrei Plesu is our greatest and most amusing luminary http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/01/e... he shares with CS Lewis a serene, profound, solid belief in God, the former quotes the latter in his lectures and public speeches, and from one of them I have taken the recommendation for Surprised by Joy, though I had had the chance to be familiar with CS Lewis, first through The Screwtape Letters and then with The Problem of Pain and other books by the same religious don, portrayed in a film about part of his life by Anthony Hopkins…
He is such a magnificent intellectual – and this opus confirms it again – that the strength of his faith has the effect of shaking my disbelief, I do not go as far as to say Ecce Homo, voila, I see God, or at least I am Surprised by Joy, and experience the coveted epiphany, but at the very least, religion does not seem so much ‘the opium of masses’, the hobby of millions of evangelicals that vote with Trump (hence the temptation to say believer equals eejit) but a very serious idea, and in some ways, I wish I follow the author’s path
There is quite a lot of material that not only denies the existence of the ‘Great Sculptor and Colorist’, but explains his vile influence…The Psychological Effects of Religion http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/04/p... by the ultimate expert on self-esteem, Nathaniel Branden, concludes that religion is devastating, with its insistence that there is a heaven, or hell waiting at the end of this (others say only) life will prompt most practitioners to miss a lot…
On the other hand, Surprised by Joy might just demonstrate the contrary – ‘Joy is distinct not only from pleasure in general but even from aesthetic pleasure…It must have the stab, the pang, the inconsolable longing…"- the fact that, at least for the lucky few, or many, the belief in a Supreme Being could be the conduit through which they reach Joy, Ataraxia, serenity (now, as Frank Constanza shouts in Seinfeld)
There are arguments for the existence of God – some of them have been ‘explained’, or just mentioned in works by CS Lewis http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/08/t... with insistence on ‘Free Will’, the key to accepting the concept of an Almighty, magnanimous Supreme Being that ‘allows’ so much pain, suffering, injustice, it is because he had not made (in that religious version) a world with automatons, humans that have no will, just act like puppets, and therefore they act atrociously sometimes, or very often, it is not because God does not have the power or the will
The Anselm ‘demonstration’ attracts me, the thought that God is perfection, and we find that in our minds, and for perfection to exist, then God must also be extant, however limited this argument can be, there is also the watch – if you find a watch in the desert, you do not assume that it just created itself, there was a big bang, you know it was an Intelligent Creator, without having to meet him in person…
When Ricky Gervais, Louis CK http://realini.blogspot.com/2018/03/l... and other comedians take on God and religion, it is amusing, and most often they make good points, such as when Gervais laughs at the billions of creatures to be packed on the Arc of Noah, or CK reads from the bible, the passage on the fig that could not provide Jesus with figs, since it was not the season, and then the alleged Son of God is so upset that he curses the tree and this one…just dies…
Indeed, CS Lewis himself writes that ‘you either believe that Jesus is the Son of god, or else, he was the biggest fraud’ or words to that effect, the author had clearly not met Donald Trump, the ultimate Confidence Man, Jesus does strike one as ‘genuine’ on some levels (or all), but there are strange aspects, satirized in Monty Python’s Life of Brian http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/03/m...
The most respected expert on religion seems to be Karen Armstrong http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/08/t... and in her books, she writes that when the Bible, scriptures were written, people believed in myths, did not take things literally, the creationists, those who insist that the earth is just five thousand years old or whatever number the holy book proposes, the world was created in seven days, and take everything else verbatim, do more harm to religion that atheists and others, because we need to look at the symbols, metaphors
Since we talk about Surprised by Joy, then we need to look at “Happiness Activity No 11: Practicing Religion and Spirituality- becoming more involved in your church, temple or mosque or reading and pondering spiritually themed books” from the marvelous The How of Happiness http://realini.blogspot.com/2014/07/t... by Sonja Lyubomirsky, who argues that Religion (and spirituality) help boost our Joy, she is a glorious psychologist and she knows, and there is logic in there – people congregate for service, they feel the support of the community, they can also rely on God, at least He is up there, virtually, for most of them – the downside in Nathaniel Branden’s view is that this can act as a permanent, damaging, all powerful threat and pain, a torture for many – these elements help, and if they reach that State of Grace, where they see the ‘magic of creation’, the sublime works of the Almighty, the munificence of human beings, then they can enjoy, and vote with Trump with a satisfied mind and heart, and bring about the Apocalypse…
Now for a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
10 out of 10
Andrei Plesu is our greatest and most amusing luminary http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/01/e... he shares with CS Lewis a serene, profound, solid belief in God, the former quotes the latter in his lectures and public speeches, and from one of them I have taken the recommendation for Surprised by Joy, though I had had the chance to be familiar with CS Lewis, first through The Screwtape Letters and then with The Problem of Pain and other books by the same religious don, portrayed in a film about part of his life by Anthony Hopkins…
He is such a magnificent intellectual – and this opus confirms it again – that the strength of his faith has the effect of shaking my disbelief, I do not go as far as to say Ecce Homo, voila, I see God, or at least I am Surprised by Joy, and experience the coveted epiphany, but at the very least, religion does not seem so much ‘the opium of masses’, the hobby of millions of evangelicals that vote with Trump (hence the temptation to say believer equals eejit) but a very serious idea, and in some ways, I wish I follow the author’s path
There is quite a lot of material that not only denies the existence of the ‘Great Sculptor and Colorist’, but explains his vile influence…The Psychological Effects of Religion http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/04/p... by the ultimate expert on self-esteem, Nathaniel Branden, concludes that religion is devastating, with its insistence that there is a heaven, or hell waiting at the end of this (others say only) life will prompt most practitioners to miss a lot…
On the other hand, Surprised by Joy might just demonstrate the contrary – ‘Joy is distinct not only from pleasure in general but even from aesthetic pleasure…It must have the stab, the pang, the inconsolable longing…"- the fact that, at least for the lucky few, or many, the belief in a Supreme Being could be the conduit through which they reach Joy, Ataraxia, serenity (now, as Frank Constanza shouts in Seinfeld)
There are arguments for the existence of God – some of them have been ‘explained’, or just mentioned in works by CS Lewis http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/08/t... with insistence on ‘Free Will’, the key to accepting the concept of an Almighty, magnanimous Supreme Being that ‘allows’ so much pain, suffering, injustice, it is because he had not made (in that religious version) a world with automatons, humans that have no will, just act like puppets, and therefore they act atrociously sometimes, or very often, it is not because God does not have the power or the will
The Anselm ‘demonstration’ attracts me, the thought that God is perfection, and we find that in our minds, and for perfection to exist, then God must also be extant, however limited this argument can be, there is also the watch – if you find a watch in the desert, you do not assume that it just created itself, there was a big bang, you know it was an Intelligent Creator, without having to meet him in person…
When Ricky Gervais, Louis CK http://realini.blogspot.com/2018/03/l... and other comedians take on God and religion, it is amusing, and most often they make good points, such as when Gervais laughs at the billions of creatures to be packed on the Arc of Noah, or CK reads from the bible, the passage on the fig that could not provide Jesus with figs, since it was not the season, and then the alleged Son of God is so upset that he curses the tree and this one…just dies…
Indeed, CS Lewis himself writes that ‘you either believe that Jesus is the Son of god, or else, he was the biggest fraud’ or words to that effect, the author had clearly not met Donald Trump, the ultimate Confidence Man, Jesus does strike one as ‘genuine’ on some levels (or all), but there are strange aspects, satirized in Monty Python’s Life of Brian http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/03/m...
The most respected expert on religion seems to be Karen Armstrong http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/08/t... and in her books, she writes that when the Bible, scriptures were written, people believed in myths, did not take things literally, the creationists, those who insist that the earth is just five thousand years old or whatever number the holy book proposes, the world was created in seven days, and take everything else verbatim, do more harm to religion that atheists and others, because we need to look at the symbols, metaphors
Since we talk about Surprised by Joy, then we need to look at “Happiness Activity No 11: Practicing Religion and Spirituality- becoming more involved in your church, temple or mosque or reading and pondering spiritually themed books” from the marvelous The How of Happiness http://realini.blogspot.com/2014/07/t... by Sonja Lyubomirsky, who argues that Religion (and spirituality) help boost our Joy, she is a glorious psychologist and she knows, and there is logic in there – people congregate for service, they feel the support of the community, they can also rely on God, at least He is up there, virtually, for most of them – the downside in Nathaniel Branden’s view is that this can act as a permanent, damaging, all powerful threat and pain, a torture for many – these elements help, and if they reach that State of Grace, where they see the ‘magic of creation’, the sublime works of the Almighty, the munificence of human beings, then they can enjoy, and vote with Trump with a satisfied mind and heart, and bring about the Apocalypse…
Now for a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
September 20, 2022
I bought this compilation just for the first book and plan on reading the rest eventually. But as for now, I'm done with the book. Surprised by Joy is something I would only recommend to strong C.S. Lewis fans. Very intellectually deep stuff, sometimes dragged out too long.
December 31, 2020
I continue to read this book in parts at different times. Sometimes I even pick it up for a reread.
I like all of CS Lewis' writings that have crossed my desk.
I like all of CS Lewis' writings that have crossed my desk.
Read
January 3, 2023Included Surprised by Joy, Reflections on the Psalms, The four Loves, and The Business of Heaven...
January 4, 2011
This book has four sections, so I will write about each as I finish it.
-Surprised by Joy (finished March 5, 2010): C.S. Lewis' life story is a compelling testimony of what it is to move from unbelief to belief. It's pretty fascinating to compare C.S. Lewis' childhood in the early 20th century to the world in which children and early adolescents grow up today. Much has changed, to say the least. And yet, as others have mentioned here, Lewis' longing for Joy (and the One who supplies it to us) still resonates with those undertaking the same pursuit today.
-Reflections on the Psalms (finished May 1, 2010): This is Lewis' meditation on various aspects of the Psalms. Lewis emphasizes that he is writing from the perspective of a layman rather than a theologian, and therefore not exclusively focusing on the religious implications of this poetry. This is the primary focus, of course, but Lewis also writes about the literary and emotional aspects of the Psalms. This is a bit drier than much of Lewis' other work; however, it gives an interesting look at his basic theological views as well as an interesting perspective on what we can gather from the Psalms.
-The Four Loves (finished July 17, 2010): Lewis' essay on love dissects the topic many ways. In addition to the four loves of the title (Affection, Friendship, Eros, and Charity), he also discusses the Gift-love and Need-love which show themselves in our relationships, both with each other and with God. While it is a bit surreal to read Lewis discussing sex, it is worth reading to see how our earthly loves reflect the most perfect Love that is shown to us.
-The Business of Heaven (finished December 31, 2010): A series of daily readings featuring excerpts of Lewis's various writings makes for a nice supplement to daily devotions. It can become a bit redundant with the rest of the book since it contains excerpts of the other three works, but it provides a great sampling of what Lewis wrote throughout his career.
-Surprised by Joy (finished March 5, 2010): C.S. Lewis' life story is a compelling testimony of what it is to move from unbelief to belief. It's pretty fascinating to compare C.S. Lewis' childhood in the early 20th century to the world in which children and early adolescents grow up today. Much has changed, to say the least. And yet, as others have mentioned here, Lewis' longing for Joy (and the One who supplies it to us) still resonates with those undertaking the same pursuit today.
-Reflections on the Psalms (finished May 1, 2010): This is Lewis' meditation on various aspects of the Psalms. Lewis emphasizes that he is writing from the perspective of a layman rather than a theologian, and therefore not exclusively focusing on the religious implications of this poetry. This is the primary focus, of course, but Lewis also writes about the literary and emotional aspects of the Psalms. This is a bit drier than much of Lewis' other work; however, it gives an interesting look at his basic theological views as well as an interesting perspective on what we can gather from the Psalms.
-The Four Loves (finished July 17, 2010): Lewis' essay on love dissects the topic many ways. In addition to the four loves of the title (Affection, Friendship, Eros, and Charity), he also discusses the Gift-love and Need-love which show themselves in our relationships, both with each other and with God. While it is a bit surreal to read Lewis discussing sex, it is worth reading to see how our earthly loves reflect the most perfect Love that is shown to us.
-The Business of Heaven (finished December 31, 2010): A series of daily readings featuring excerpts of Lewis's various writings makes for a nice supplement to daily devotions. It can become a bit redundant with the rest of the book since it contains excerpts of the other three works, but it provides a great sampling of what Lewis wrote throughout his career.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2017
Surprised by Joy:
It was very drawn out with far more details about his childhood, college days, and the time in the war than I really wanted to know. I was expecting "Surprised by Joy" to be about how he went from an atheist to a Christian, but the little details--that I'm sure were important milestones for him--were dull to me. Somehow he went astray, drifting away like most of us do: without being cultivated and nourished. It wasn't until chapter 8 (2 chapters from the end) that it got really interesting. It was here that he wrote more like the C.S. Lewis we know as a philosopher and explained how things changed. It took all that time to get to what I really wanted to know. A bit disappointing, to say the least.
--
It's been 6 years and I still have this in my To Be Read pile. I tried to get through Reflections on the Psalms but it was hard to follow without having an extensive knowledge of the psalms myself.
The Four Loves and The Business of Heaven were pretty fascinating, as I recall, but nothing on the level of The Problem of Pain.
I just couldn't work through that Reflections on Psalms section or I could truly call it finished.
It was very drawn out with far more details about his childhood, college days, and the time in the war than I really wanted to know. I was expecting "Surprised by Joy" to be about how he went from an atheist to a Christian, but the little details--that I'm sure were important milestones for him--were dull to me. Somehow he went astray, drifting away like most of us do: without being cultivated and nourished. It wasn't until chapter 8 (2 chapters from the end) that it got really interesting. It was here that he wrote more like the C.S. Lewis we know as a philosopher and explained how things changed. It took all that time to get to what I really wanted to know. A bit disappointing, to say the least.
--
It's been 6 years and I still have this in my To Be Read pile. I tried to get through Reflections on the Psalms but it was hard to follow without having an extensive knowledge of the psalms myself.
The Four Loves and The Business of Heaven were pretty fascinating, as I recall, but nothing on the level of The Problem of Pain.
I just couldn't work through that Reflections on Psalms section or I could truly call it finished.
January 8, 2012
So far, the only one in this collection that I've read is Surprised by Joy. I wasn't a huge fan of this one; although Lewis has generally had the reputation of making the doctrines of Christianity understandable to even the "common" man, he did not seem quite able to do so with his concept of Joy here. The idea seemed very vague and ill-defined throughout the book, which is a problem because it was what Lewis intended the subject of the book to be. He also seemed somewhat hurried in his writing; although he clearly stated that he did not intend the work to be a full autobiography, the gaps he left seem like they could have had more of an impact on his life than he may have thought (such as his father's death, even though they did not have a close or even a very good relationship). All in all, three stars for Surprised by Joy on a first reading.
August 31, 2007
So far I have read Surprised by Joy in this collection, and I loved it! Lewis's life is completely engrossing and he manages to write about himself without seeming pretentious or overly literary (although he is sometimes difficult to understand). I guess I just love admiring the workings of a great mind as he tried to feel his way from unbelief to joy. A wonderful bildungsroman.
March 13, 2016
Having just finished rereading Surprised by Joy for the second time, I am all the more struck with its profundity. I have little in common with this man who lived before me. Yet his pursuit of "Joy" resonates deeply. Lewis's reasoning transcends the common memoir preoccupation with self to say something much more meaningful. Highly recommended.
January 16, 2010
Good stuff
June 10, 2009
The Inspirational Writings of C.S. Lewis by C. S. Lewis (1987)
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July 29, 2009Favorites
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June 22, 20104-in-1 Anthology
January 2, 2011
I did not finish the book. The beginning was really interesting but the end did not hold my attention. Maybe I'll pick it up again sometime.
September 12, 2018
This book lead me to read many other books by CS Lewis and wonder more about how his life relates to the many lives around me.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews