Becoming Mrs. Lewis: Expanded Edition

By Patti Callahan and Patti Callahan Henry

Book Overview

Meet the brilliant writer, fiercely independent mother, and passionate woman who captured the heart of C.S. Lewis and inspired the books that still enchant and change us today, from the?New York Times?bestselling author of?The Story She Left Behind.

When poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis--known as Jack--she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Love, after all, wasn't holding together her crumbling marriage. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford professor and the beloved writer of The Chronicles of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters.

Embarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, found a love that even the threat of death couldn't destroy.

In this masterful exploration of one of the greatest love stories of modern times, we meet a brilliant writer, a fiercely independent mother, and a passionate woman who changed the life of this respected author and inspired books that still enchant us and change us. Joy lived at a time when women weren't meant to have a voice--and yet her love for Jack gave them both voices they didn't know they had.

At once a fascinating historical novel and a glimpse into a writer's life, Becoming Mrs. Lewis is above all a love story--a love of literature and ideas and a love between a husband and wife that, in the end, was not impossible at all.

This expanded edition includes a map of Oxford, an expanded discussion guide with more than 20 questions that are perfect for book clubs, a timeline of Jack's and Joy's lives, Joy's (imagined) letter to Jack, 10 things you may not know about Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis's love story, and a behind-the-scenes essay on the city of Oxford.

"Callahan crafts a masterpiece that details the friendship and ultimate romance between the real Davidman and Lewis . . . a magical and literary experience that won't be soon forgotten." --LIBRARY JOURNAL, STARRED review ". . . an incredible portrait of a complex woman." --PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED review ". . . a deeply moving story about love and loss that is transformative and magical." --PAM JENOFF "I was swept along, filled with hope, and entirely beguiled." --LISA WINGATE "This is the book Patti Callahan was born to write. Becoming Mrs. Lewis is a tour de force and the must-read of the season " --MARY ALICE MONROE

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0785218092
• ISBN13: 9780785218098
• Release Date: March 2020
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Hooked

I don't read fiction but found this on my suggested list. Because I am reading Screwtape Letters I was interested in finding out more about the wife of C.S. Lewis in this historical fiction. It had me completely hooked. I found myself hurrying up work and chores so that I could read at least one more chapter. The last day I read the final three chapters, I was a mess. Curled up on my sofa crying and not wanting it to end. What a beautiful book. If you're looking for a wonderful love story to inspire you and the unlikely way love can appear, this is the book for you. Enjoy...

Book

Arrived on time Good book

Great read

Very interesting read. Loved it.

Loved it

This book was a delight through and through. Callahan create a character rich with depth, showing the human and divine that lives within Davidman, reminiscent of us all. Davidman was a strong, emotionally complex woman with a gifted mind. The author portrays her in a believable way,showing both her insecurities and strengths. 10/10 my favorite Callahan book.