Severe Mercy, A

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Description: 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

Genre: Religious; Inspirational - General; Christian biography; Biography / Autobiography; Vanauken, Sheldon; Religion; United States; General; Inspirational; Correspondence; Lewis, C. S; Religion / Christian Life; Christian Life - General; Anglicans; Biography; England;

Average Review: 4.5 stars

Review: After all these years... : In 1976, at a Christian writers conference, someone I admire recommended this book. He was trying to make his audience understand that writing in the genre of "inspirational" nonfiction needn't be trite or predictable or ordinary. "Christian writers should write well," he told us. Here here. I read the book on his recommendation--and an entire genre opened up for me. Though the book is slightly flawed, it is worth reading (if for no other reason than the letters by Lewis--gotta love him always) simply as an example of good writing. I've recently purchased the book again for friends for that very reason.