Surprised by Joy (CS Lewis)

I suffered two great disadvantages as I read this work, both of which tempered my enjoyment of Surprised by Joy:
1) I'm not British, and thus not overly familiar with their customs (Lewis speaks much of his school experiences, using terms and describing environments with which I had no familiarity)
2) I'm not a literature or philosophy expert, and have little background in either (Lewis references many authors and ideas throughout that I didn't recognize)

The basic outline is Lewis telling of his early life, and his thought processes/philosophies during that time that shaped his initial falling away from, and later return to, Christianity. The book seems to be part autobiography, with some experiences seeming to have little or no bearing on his main point, and part philosophical/religious work discussing the main topic. Perhaps he felt he needed to relay so much of the former to convey the latter; I believe he could have condensed things a bit.

This is no light work; his sentences can be packed with meaning, complex wording, and references many may not understand, myself included. In that sense, I was disappointed. However, he redeems himself often, with valuable insights on life and religion, and a refreshing honesty as he looks at himself and judges both his actions and perspectives as containing both foolish and wise components. Consider his recounting of his final conversion- he calls himself "the most dejected and reluctant convert in all of England." Here is a learned scholar who feels compelled to believe- not in spite of science or rational ideas, but because of them. Here is a person who believes, not with great fits of emotion, but with a realization that there can be no other. His recounting of that experience adds value here. Those with heavy literature/philosophy backgrounds will perhaps rate this higher; for me, it's a good, not great, work. Those seeking easier Lewis reads would do well to start with the Screwtape Letters or Chronicles of Narnia.

Rating: B