A Severe Mercy

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars | 1,498 ratings

Price: 17.32

Last update: 12-14-2024


About this item

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.


Top reviews from the United States

L. Higgins
5.0 out of 5 stars Love and the Struggles of Life
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2021
Sometimes good books, even nonfiction, can be a rollercoaster ride, and A Severe Mercy falls into that category for me. Sheldon Vanauken is a very good writer with a special devotion to words. His subject in this work is actually two-fold—marriage and Christianity. In the first part of the book, he focuses on the “pagan” love he and his wife Davy share and the commitment they make to be completely and solely taken up with each other. He tells of their conversion to Christianity and how their new relationship to God affects their lives and their union as a couple. They are both adventurous and intellectual. In their pursuit of God they begin a friendship with C.S. Lewis that proves to be very important in their daily walk with Christ, especially during a health crisis that confronts them.

My opinion of Vanauken as a person changes several times in the course of the events recounted in A Severe Mercy as he changes and grows as a person. It is not light nor easy reading as it mines the depths of their efforts to achieve a perfect union, to talk everything through, and to glory in Beauty. In making decisions, they always choose based on what would be best for their love. Vanauken describes their two different paths to Christianity: Davy through her need for absolution from sin and Sheldon through a yearning for the Jesus he learned about as he studied the New Testament. Vanauken has lengthy discussions on believing despite doubts, the “Oxford experience” of intellectual friendships, and the difficulties of readjusting to life in the United States. He devotes a chapter to Davy’s illness and another to his grief at her death. It is in these chapters that his love for her shines most clearly and that his writing takes the more theological bent as he tries to reconcile his devastation with his belief in God. He examines these events in the light of human views on time and eternity. Included are eighteen letters from C.S. Lewis with whom he shared a special bond as Lewis also suffered through the illness and death of his wife Joy. The letters from Lewis are clear, straightforward and understandable, mincing no words.

I needed a tissue during the chapter recounting Davy’s struggles with her sickness. I didn’t always like Sheldon. It was, however, his story to tell, and he told it from his viewpoint with soul searching honesty. I am glad that I read A Severe Mercy. It is the love story of Sheldon and Davy, and also of their love for Christ.
CarrieSmith616
5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting and Beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2023
This is a beautiful memoir about finding faith and purpose, especially when one is called to strive for God through painful circumstances. It also gives lovely insight into how C.S. Lewis interacted in his own personal relationships. I gave copies of this book to both my mother and oldest son, as you will definitely want to share this story.
Samara
5.0 out of 5 stars He...chose the heights and the depths.
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2014
Title: A Severe Mercy

Author: Sheldon Vanauken

Published: 1977

Year I read it: 2012

One sentence summary: Vanauken's autobiographical narrative of the deep love he and his wife developed; their adventures all around the world, leading them to Oxford; their journey into faith, with the help of Oxfordian friend, "Jack" Lewis; and of their loss, the severe mercy.

Interesting fact: It contains 18 of Vanauken's letters from C. S. Lewis.

Three reasons to read it:

- This is honest-to-goodness one of the best love stories I've ever read! The depth, the romance produced from self-sacrifice (and common love for literature), is just astounding. And it's so refreshing to hear a romance from the man's perspective! Loved that beginning.
- Oxford! This book captures Oxford of the '50's - which really hasn't changed much. See below for some of the best explanations of life in that University town.
- The pain Vanauken goes through - and the faith with which he faces tragedy - are far more than "tear-jerking" or "heart-breaking." None of those cliche's will do. This book touches something far deeper.

One reason you maybe shouldn't:

It has very, very sad parts.

Great quotes:

Love is the final reality; and anyone who does not understand this, be he writer or sage, is a man flawed of wisdom.

We saw self as the ultimate danger to love, which it is.

Coming to England was like coming home, coming to a home half-remembered - but home.

"That's what Oxford is, a place to talk about everything..."

"This, you know, is a time of taking in--taking in friendship, conversation, gaiety, wisdom, knowledge, beauty, holiness--and later, well, there'll be a time of giving out... Now we must store up the strength, the riches all that Oxford had given us, to sustain us after. She stood there, Oxford, like a mother to us all with her hands heaped with riches."

I tended, indeed, to feel that God Himself dwelt in Oxford, His holy city, where He could hear the bells.

He had been wont to despise emotions: girls were weak, emotions–tears– were weakness. But this morning he was thinking that being a great brain in a tower, nothing but brain, wouldn’t be much fun. No excitement, no dog to love, no joy in the blue sky– no feelings at all. But feelings– feelings are emotions! He was suddenly overwhelmed by the revelation that what makes life worth living is, precisely, the emotions. But then– this was awful!– maybe girls with their tears and laughter were getting more out of life. Shattering! He checked himself, showing one’s emotions was not the thing: having them was. Still, he was dizzy with the revelation. What is beauty but something is responded to with emotion? Courage, at least, is partly emotional. All the splendour of life. But if the best of life is, in fact, emotional, then one wanted the highest, the purest emotions: and that meant joy. Joy was the highest. How did one find joy? In books it was found in love– a great love… So if he wanted the heights of joy, he must have it, if he could find it, in great love. But in the books again, great joy through love always seemed go hand in hand with frightful pain. Still, he thought, looking out across the meadow, still, the joy would be worth the pain– if indeed, they went together. If there were a choice– and he suspected there was– a choice between, on the one hand, the heights and the depths and, on the other hand, some sort of safe, cautious middle way, he, for one, here and now chose the heights and the depths.
Fay Marshall
4.0 out of 5 stars The Ever-Widening Circles of Love.
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2014
This true story of love between two people is unusual, charming and inspiring. As the story progresses many others are drawn into the tale, including the great author C.S. Lewis. There is an honest appraisal of the Christian story by the writer as the couple make lifelong friendships among their fellow post-graduate students at Oxford University. Integral to the telling is a deep appreciation of the beauty in nature and an eagerness about life in general. I enjoyed the reminder of a more simple era before the advent of computers, and techno wizardry.
D. VanBuskirk
5.0 out of 5 stars A compelling story you won't forget
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2023
I loved this book so much, I read it 2x.
It is fascinating, partly because it is true, but also because of the story itself. One of deep, honest love between two individuals and their coming to know God. It is also fascinating because of Sheldon's friendship with C S Lewis and all the letters they exchanged. C S Lewis was very wise and a great guide to Sheldon when he was converting to Christianity and also as he struggled with Davy's death.
I highly recommend it.
Howard L. Baker
5.0 out of 5 stars Love, God, and Grief
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2023
Is this a love story, a coming to God story, or a grief story? Indeed it is all three, yet one story beautifully, movingly, and profoundly told. Every human deals with love, God, and grief—either by their presence or by their absence. This book can help. I first read it when I was 30 and it’s wisdom eluded me. Having reread it at 70, its brilliance is unavoidable.

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