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A Severe Mercy, by Sheldon Vanauken
PDF Download A Severe Mercy, by Sheldon Vanauken
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Amazon.com Review
A Severe Mercy, by Sheldon Vanauken, is a heart-rending love story described by its author as "the spiritual autobiography of a love rather than of the lovers." Vanauken chronicles the birth of a powerful pagan love borne out of the relationship he shares with his wife, Davy, and describes the growth of their relationship and the dreams that they share. As a symbol of their love, they name their dream schooner the Grey Goose, "for the grey goose, if its mate is killed flies on alone and never takes another." While studying at Oxford, Sheldon and Davy develop a friendship with C.S. Lewis, under whose influence and with much intellectual scrutiny they accept the Christian doctrine. As their devotion to God intensifies, Sheldon realizes that he is no longer Davy's primary love--God is. Within this discovery begins a brewing jealousy. Shortly after, Davy acquires a fatal illness. After her death Sheldon embarks on an intense experience of grief, "to find the meaning of it, taste the whole of it ... to learn from sorrow whatever it had to teach." Through painstaking reveries, he comes to discover the meaning of "a mercy as severe as death, a severity as merciful as love." He learns that her death "had these results: It brought me as nothing else could do to know and end my jealously of God. It saved her faith from assault. ...And it saved our love from perishing." Replete with 18 letters from C.S. Lewis, A Severe Mercy addresses some of the universal questions that surround faith--the existence of God and the reasons behind tragedy. --Jacque Holthusen
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Review
“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)
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Product details
Paperback: 242 pages
Publisher: HarperOne; Reprint edition (May 26, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780060688240
ISBN-13: 978-0060688240
ASIN: 0060688246
Product Dimensions:
5.3 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review:
4.6 out of 5 stars
291 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
#24,922 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
I read A Severe Mercy when it first came out in 1977, and it impacted me deeply. I loved everything about it, his skill as an author and poet, his love for Davy and their growth together, his friendship with CS Lewis, and the profound way he shared his faith story. I wrote Sheldon a letter when I first read the book, and received a wonderful letter back, and it remains something I cherish. In the mid 1990's my wife and I went to Oxford, enjoyed evensong, and ate and had a couple of beers at The Eastgate, where Vanauken and Lewis had often met. Though I'm sure it's changed by now, at that time the decor was pleasingly dated. I've shared this book with many people over the years and haven't ever talked to anyone who didn't love it. Some years later Vanauken wrote that every book is at it's core a letter to friends, and his book more than most. It's nice to read it in that spirit, as he found joy in sharing his personal story with you, his friend.
Absolutely phenomenal book. Aside from being beautifully written and a great story, the book gives some great insight into the difficulties that accompany not only the loss of a spouse/loved one, but also the accompanying struggles with faith. Important for pretty much anybody living in our time. Highly recommend it.
I read this at the suggestion of a friend who knows me as an insatiable devotee of C.S. Lewis. Mr. Lewis is a great and interesting writer, but the various editions of this book with jackets screaming "18 LETTERS BY CS LEWIS (oh, and some book by a guy named Vanauken)" do it a terrible disservice. Vanauken's love story with his wife is profoundly interesting, their acquaintances in America and England fascinating on their own merits, and Vanauken's elegy to his wife is a heartbreaking masterpiece of catharsis. By most critical accounts, he was never again as great a writer as he is here, but A Severe Mercy stands firmly on its own as both great autobiography and spiritual memoir.
Title: A Severe MercyAuthor: Sheldon VanaukenPublished: 1977Year I read it: 2012One 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.
While first reading this book I thought it was a story of two young selfish people. But that is what most of us are when we begin life independently of parental figures. Then it began to unfold to a sweet love story. Comfortable and truthful (they thought) with one another. Then they "discovered" God. Truly a wonderful book. I am glad that Sheldon decided to put their story to paper. So many hours spent thinking about "things". I will cherish this book and perhaps reread.
I heard about this book on Easter Sunday 2010. My Pastor was preaching and used is as an illustration. I listened to him and wondered what kind of strength would be required for someone to lose his/ her spouse. Little did I know that that morning I had become a widow myself... my husband of 4 yrs had committed suicide. This book made me reevaluate my attitude toward priorities and the place of God in my life. It got me through the most difficult time of my life.The author pours out his heart to us, it is as if you are there, with him and Jean, basking in the love they feel for each other. The events after they met Lewis are vividly described and give the reader a feel of that athmospere from times past. The book was written in times where the publishers were very selective of what would be published, the editing is superb. I recommend it to anyone, it is a book about love, life and the place of God in both.
What a thought provoking memoir.I became a Christian after many years of skepticism and doubt that this religion had anything to offer me.However, I was to discover a God more than capable of handling my questions.And this is what this book demonstrates through a beautiful story of love put to the ultimate test.Believers and skeptics alike, read this book if you are wrestling with the big issues of life - our marvellous Creator offers you the same patient consideration he has offered to countless thousands before.
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