June 15, 2012

Allusion

I’m not sure I’ve ever been quite so affected by a book as I was by Sheldon Vanauken’s A Severe Mercy. I’m saying a lot here, because my thinking has been shaped by some incredible writers. But, rarely has a book engaged my mind and my heart so deeply at once. I was quite literally speechless when I finished.

The story is straightforward enough – it’s basically a memoir of of the author’s life with his wife, Davy. He shares their love story, their journey to faith, and his own process of grief after Davy’s early death (I’m not giving anything away that’s not on the back cover). He also recounts his friendship with C.S. Lewis, and the book includes much of their correspondence. The events of the story are intriguing, to be sure – Sheldon and Davy lead a life of enviable adventure. But what I found so gripping was the depth of feeling and insight with which Vanauken treats his experience.