A Severe Mercy - by Sheldon Vanauken (Paperback)

About the Book

This acclaimed story traces the idyllic marriage of Sheldon and Jean Vanauken, their search for faith, their friendship with C.S. Lewis and the tragedy of untimely death and love lost. It includes 18 letters by C.S. Lewis. A winner of the National Religious Book Award and the Gold Medallion Award.

Book Synopsis

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER - THE SPIRITUAL CLASSIC THAT HAS INFLUENCED MORE THAN 500,000 READERS

"A deep, uncompromising story about human and divine love." -- Los Angeles Times

The profoundly moving and heart-rendering classic for anyone who has experienced the depths of love and loss. Reflecting on faith, vitality, and grief, this "spiritual autobiography of a love rather than of the lovers" opens our hearts and eyes to the true meaning of life, and death. In A Severe Mercy, Sheldon Vanauken stunningly chronicles his marriage to his beloved wife, Davy, his faith-forming friendship with C.S. Lewis and the tragedy that altered his soul and spirit completely.

With heavy passion, "Van" unravels a love story formed by intense romance and commitment, and a bond he refers to as "the Shining Barrier." A bond that is unaltered by the outside world and its influences until he meets C.S Lewis while studying at Oxford. Lewis introduces Davy and Van to Christianity, and their devotion to God quickly becomes as strong as their devotion to one another.

In rapid succession, Davy succumbs to a fatal illness and a grief-stricken Van is left to process this unspeakable loss, and subsequently discover the meaning of "a mercy as severe as death, a severity as merciful as love."

For fans of When Breath Becomes Air and Being Mortal, this impactful masterpiece allows readers of all beliefs to envision life after loss, and the spiritual strength that ultimately leads us forward after unspeakable tragedy. Weaving in 18 original letters from C.S. Lewis himself, A Severe Mercy poetically addresses some of the universal questions that surround faith, and its remarkable role during times of both radiant joy and immense suffering.

From the Back Cover

Beloved, profoundly moving account of the author's marriage, the couple's search for faith and friendship with C. S. Lewis, and a spiritual strength that sustained Vanauken after his wife's untimely death.

Review Quotes

"No brief review can do justice to the human depth of this book. It invites us to explore a beautiful dollhouse of love and to witness the destruction of a relation too exquisite to last." - Washington Post

"Here is a book for anyone who has truly loved another person." - Christianity Today

"[A] deep, uncompromising story about human and divine love." - Los Angeles Times

"A towering and noble work in its own right, wrought by a real craftsman . .." - New Oxford Review

"A gem of a book . . . delivers an extraordinary impact on the reader." - Eternity