A Grief Observed

A Grief Observed
In this brief but searing book, C. S. Lewis records his raw thoughts and emotions following the death of his wife, Joy Davidman. Originally published under a pseudonym, it reads like a private journal rather than a polished essay. Lewis grapples with the shock of loss, anger at God, and the apparent collapse of the comforting faith he once defended. He describes grief not as a single event but as an ongoing process of disorientation, doubt, and painful memory—“like fear,” he writes. Yet as he writes through his anguish, Lewis slowly begins to see Joy’s life and death with more clarity and to glimpse how his faith might deepen rather than dissolve. The book offers an unvarnished portrait of mourning and a meditation on love, suffering, and the mystery of God’s presence in pain. Its honesty has made it a classic for readers facing bereavement.