A Severe Mercy, by Sheldon Vanauken

Sometimes God just throws things at us. That is exactly what He has done to me with this book. I got an e-mail from a book club announcing it was their assigned reading, I was asked by two separate friends if I had read it and it miraculously was returned to our library that same day. Needless to say, I began reading it right away.

It is a rare thing to find a book that melts your heart and challenges you to love more deeply than you knew was possible. A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken has been that book for me.

This is the story of Sheldon and Jean (Davy) Vanauken. They met and developed a love stronger than most of us may ever know. The book follows their lives through youth, Pearl Harbor, Oxford, a friendship with C.S. Lewis, illness and the tragedy of lost love. This heroic journey of love taught Sheldon important lessons about the Severe Mercy of our God and his poetic writing communicates those timeless truths to his readers.

While reading this book I was shaken, I was challenged, I experienced great joy and I cried my eyes out. I cannot give a higher recommendation of anything else to read. No further description from me could express how valuable I found this book.

Keep me posted if anyone decides to read it, I would love to discuss it with some of you!