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  • A Grief Observed

  • Written by: C. S. Lewis
  • Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
  • Length: 1 hr and 50 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (111 ratings)

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A Grief Observed

Written by: C. S. Lewis
Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
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Publisher's Summary

Written after his wife's tragic death as a way of surviving the "mad midnight moments", A Grief Observed is C.S. Lewis's honest reflection on the fundamental issues of life, death, and faith in the midst of loss. This work contains his concise, genuine reflections on that period: "Nothing will shake a man, or at any rate a man like me, out of his merely verbal thinking and his merely notional beliefs. He has to be knocked silly before he comes to his senses. Only torture will bring out the truth. Only under torture does he discover it himself."

This is a beautiful and unflinchingly honest record of how even a stalwart believer can lose all sense of meaning in the universe, and how he can gradually regain his bearings.

©1961 C.S. Lewis Pte., Ltd. (P)2005 Blackstone Audiobooks

What the critics say

"A very personal, anguished, luminous little book about the meaning of death, marriage, and religion." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about A Grief Observed

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Refreshingly authentic!

Definitely worth listening to if you want to hear someone’s authentic struggle with the process of becoming a genuine disciple of Jesus.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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An invitation to and validation of grief

I listened to this book a few short months after losing a beloved friend, it helped me to better understand my own grief and gave me a glimpse into what his widow may be feeling. It’s a beautiful book and has left me feeling a little more reflective and a little more understanding.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A unique journey through the bereavement of a surviving spouse.

The experience of grief shared by Lewis is deeply moving. The introduction is too long and completely unnecessary,

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    5 out of 5 stars
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I have always loved CS Lewis

He was a devoted Christian and it was in such bad taste to have a narrator who was homosexual, is this some kind of sick joke or just an arrogant actor/narrator/producer trying to be woke. You have tarnished the reputation of a very Godly and wonderful man

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Hits in the feels!

Expecting the usual formidable reason & logic from Lewis, I was surprised with a deep emotional connection with his state & a few teary moments of my own. As always brilliant & quite enlightening for all people with eyes.

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  • Z
  • 2023-09-30

amazing

i felt such peace reading this. it helps process a lot of emotions and yet, very short and digestible. much appreciated

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Lesley is a joke

Only here to spite religious psycopath Lesley. Both her and CS were deluded ignorant Christians.

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